Headspace, Calm or Insight Timer? Three meditation apps for different needs, with current prices.
Researched from official sources, updated today, 2 min readThere are dozens of meditation apps, and many look alike. We compared the meditation apps in our inventory on content, price and platforms, and picked three that each do something well. Prices were checked on November 1, 2026.
| Headspace | Calm | Insight Timer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | A guided start plus mental-health tools | Sleep and relaxation | A huge library, much of it free |
| Price | $69.99/year or $12.99/month; 14-day trial | $79.99/year or $16.99/month; 14-day trial | Free tier; MemberPlus $59.99/year or $9.99/month |
| Platforms | iPhone, Android, Mac, web, Apple Watch | iPhone, Android, web, Apple Watch | iPhone, Android, Mac, web |
A guided start plus mental-health tools
Headspace is a mental-health and mindfulness app with meditation, sleep content, focus tools, yoga and fitness, coaching and therapy resources. It suits people who want a clear, guided way in and the option of more support later. After a 14-day trial it costs $69.99 a year or $12.99 a month, with Family ($99 a year) and Student ($9.99 a year) plans.
Pick it if you want a structured, well-rounded app.
Sleep and relaxation
Calm offers guided meditations, Sleep Stories, music, sounds, breathing exercises and mindful movement. It leans toward relaxation and sleep. Its checkout shows a 14-day trial, then $79.99 a year or $16.99 a month, plus Calm for Life at $39.99 billed once. Prices are localized.
Pick it if you want meditation that also helps you sleep.
A huge library, much of it free
Insight Timer is a meditation and wellbeing platform with a large library of guided meditations, talks, music, sleep content, breathwork and yoga. It also has a customizable meditation timer for silent practice. The free tier includes core content and community features. MemberPlus adds courses, offline listening, advanced playback and premium content for $59.99 a year or $9.99 a month, usually with a 7-day trial.
Pick it if you want lots of variety without paying, or you also meditate in silence.
Waking Up for a secular approach with lessons and philosophy, and Medito, a nonprofit app that is entirely free.
Headspace is the best all-round pick for most people, especially beginners. Calm is the better choice if sleep is what you are really after. Insight Timer is the best value: its free tier is generous, and its paid plan is the cheapest of the three.