So here we are talking about the best guided meditation apps; Because we’re all in desperate need of some serenity right now.
The best meditation apps may assist you in sleeping better, reducing stress, and achieving much-needed inner calm. Whether you have an iPhone, an Android device, or an iPad, meditation apps can provide you with a break from the headlines and an opportunity to relax for 10 minutes.
Over ten years ago, Headspace, one of the most popular meditation apps, was released. Hundreds of different meditation apps have been developed since then, making picking the ideal meditation app for you difficult.
When it comes to meditation, though, having a choice is a wonderful thing. Meditation apps are now available to suit a wide range of persons and tastes. From beginner apps like Headspace and Buddhify that teach you through the foundations of meditation to apps that merely provide you with a timer and sound cues so you can ‘freestyle’ your meditation practice like Samsara Timer and Pocket Meditation Timer.
What is mindfulness meditation and how does it work?
When you hear the word “mindfulness,” it’s easy to roll your eyes. From mindful swimming and shopping to mindfultidying and travelling, and everything in between, we’ve all been overwhelmed with books, blogs, and apps about becoming more mindful. Simply said, mindfulness is about being aware of what is going on in the present moment.
Contrary to popular assumption, this does not imply that you must empty your thoughts. Rather, it entails paying closer attention. It doesn’t matter if it’s to your thoughts, breath, or the sounds around you. The benefit of mindfulness meditation is that you can begin to incorporate some of the presence and awareness you experience when meditating into your daily activities.
One of the numerous advantages of meditation is that it gives you the ability to be more present throughout the day. Scientific studies are still in their early stages (so we can’t claim for sure that meditation works for everyone and provides the same advantages for everyone), but the results are promising.
Meditation has been found in studies to lower blood pressure, enhance sleep, treat some depression symptoms(opens in new tab), reduce stress and develop self-compassion, improve memory, and even boost your immune system.
With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of the best meditation apps available right now. We’ve tried and tested each one (in some cases for years) to give you the best opportunity of fostering a little more serenity and less stress in your life.
Here are the Best Guided Meditation Apps: Mindful and Relaxation Apps for sleep, anxiety & calming.
Free meditation apps without a subscription, pay to unlock more features.
1. Waking Up
This is the best free meditation app for those who seek a simple practice with a lot of understanding, this is the best option.
Sam Harris, a neuroscientist, philosopher, podcaster, and author, established Waking Up to teach and discuss meditation in a modern, scientific context.
What we appreciate best about the Waking Up app is that it is straightforward. There are no chants, no rain noises, and no spiritual connections. Even the app’s interface is simple.
The idea is to be attentive and present. But that doesn’t negate the fact that it’s also calming and transformational. We’ve been using Waking Up for over a year and have noticed a significant improvement in stress levels and reactiveness.
Waking Up is divided into two halves. Simple daily meditations narrated by Sam Harris are available in the Practice section. These daily activities will serve as an introduction to meditation when you initially join up for the app, easing you into the basics of sitting still and becoming more aware.
However, there is a portion called Theory, which is all about understanding what’s going on behind the scenes of the practice. Sam Harris interviews a variety of well-known figures in the meditation, self-development, and neuroscience communities to address issues like death and consciousness, as well as posting smaller lessons that we sometimes listen to after we’ve already meditated that day.
Waking Up stands out from the crowd because of its variety of meditation lessons, interviews, and additional insights. This is why we recommend Waking Up to anybody interested in learning about meditation and the science and philosophy underlying it.
It’s a Free app and is available for iOS / Android. However, there are in-app charges to unlock additional content. If you truly want to try out more of the software but can’t afford it, you can contact Sam Harris and the designers.
2. Headspace
Best meditation app for beginners.
For good reason, Headspace is one of the most popular meditation apps. We began meditating using Headspace more than six years ago, and we credit it with helping us overcome the challenges that often arise when you first begin to meditate. How can we maintain our composure when sitting? What if we become engrossed in our thoughts? When we get distracted, how do we stop berating ourselves?
Through easy-to-use software full of colour, straightforward instructions, excellent pictures to describe what happens when you meditate, and the calming voice of Headspace’s founder, Andy Puddicombe, it managed to ease us into daily practice.
This is an excellent place to start for novices who want to learn how to meditate. One of the best things about meditation is that there are so many different forms to try for different situations. Whether it’s a simple mindfulness practice, meditation for kids, sleeping meditation, or mindful cooking, there’s something for everyone.
The SOS meditations, which are specifically created for brief meltdowns, are our favourites. There’s one for feeling overwhelmed and another for panicking, both of which we’ve used to go back to neutral on numerous occasions.
It’s a Free app and is available for iOS / Android. However, there are in-app charges to unlock additional content.
3. Insight Timer
It’s a good meditation app for picking and a mix of meditation.
Insight Timer, like Calm, is a meditation app featuring a variety of guided meditation practices, lessons, and features to pick from. That means it’s more than just a meditation software; it’s also a one-stop shop for feeling good, relaxing, and learning about the greater philosophy and history of meditation and self-development.
Insight Timer has a variety of guided meditations to choose from. A starter kit, which covers how to meditate and manage to worry, is available. Alternatively, you can choose how you want to meditate based on a specific emphasis, such as sleep, stress, or worry. You can also choose the style of exercise you want to do, such as paying attention to sound, moving your body, or sitting back and participating in a guided visualization.
If you’re new to meditation, we recommend taking a 7-day course that teaches you the essentials. However, we believe that Insight Timer, like Calm, is a terrific alternative once you’ve started to meditate and want access to a wide variety of practices at your fingertips, it’s a pick-and-mix approach to meditation.
It’s also a Free app and is available for iOS / Android. there are in-app charges to unlock additional content.
4. Calm
Those who can’t get enough of meditation will enjoy this.
When you first launch the Calm app, it instructs you to take a deep breath, and that is how the entire app experience feels. For a few minutes, a breath of fresh air and a chance to shut off and slow down.
One of our favourite features of Calm is that you’re asked what you want to focus on before you start. Whether it’s cultivating appreciation, boosting happiness, or, our personal favourite, lowering stress.
Calm offers a wide variety of meditations to choose from. There’s a confidence series, a saying yes to life series, and even a Sigur Ros sound bath experience for when you don’t want advice but just want to relax to peaceful sounds.
The app also has a Sleep Stories area dedicated to assisting you in getting a good night’s sleep. With calming sounds or famous soothing voices, such as Matthew McConaughey, reading bedtime stories. He recounts a story called Wonder about the universe, and it’s a very, very dreamy experience.
Calm also features a timer and a large catalogue of relaxing music, sounds, and ambient noises to choose from if you don’t want to follow a guided meditation. Many of the tracks are designed for sleep, but others are just pleasant to listen to while working or doing chores.
Although we believe there are better applications for teaching you the fundamentals of meditation, Calm has the most meditations, soundtracks, sleep features, and stories. It truly lives up to its name for us – it’s a haven of tranquillity.
It is a paid app and is available for iOS / Android. Calm is available for a free seven-day trial. After that, it’s £42.99/$42.99 a year.
5. Buddhify
the best meditation app for beginners for those who desire practical tools to help them get through the day should choose this option.
Even though we’re creatures of habit, many of us don’t want to meditate in the same way every day. That’s when Buddhify enters the picture.
When you’re waiting in the doctor’s office or line at the post office, you might want something quiet and soothing to help you get through a stressful situation; other times, you might only need a quick body scan.
That’s why, rather than asking you what you want to focus on (since we frequently don’t know, especially when we’re stressed), Buddhify will present you with several situations on a colourful wheel, and all you have to do is pick the one that best describes what you’re going through right now.
The software makes a recommendation based on what you might need right now, and it almost always matches your situation precisely with a meditation. It doesn’t matter if you’re sleeping, walking, or travelling.
We recommend starting with Headspace or Waking Up and then adding Buddhify to augment your practice, as it transforms meditation from a spiritual discipline requiring a quiet place, a comfortable cushion, and incense to a practical and useful tool.
It is also a paid app and is available for iOS / Android. pricing £4.99 / $4.99