Looking past Calm? Four meditation and sleep apps, from free nonprofits to personalized plans.
Researched from official sources, updated today, 2 min readCalm is a popular meditation and sleep app, but it is not the only good one. Maybe you want something cheaper, something free, or something more personal. Here are four alternatives from our inventory. Prices were checked on November 1, 2026.
| Best for | Price | Platforms | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calm | Sleep Stories and relaxation | $79.99/year or $16.99/month; 14-day trial | iPhone, Android, web, Apple Watch |
| Headspace | Meditation plus mental-health tools | $69.99/year or $12.99/month; 14-day trial | iPhone, Android, Mac, web, Apple Watch |
| Insight Timer | A huge free library | Free tier; MemberPlus $59.99/year | iPhone, Android, Mac, web |
| Balance | Sessions tailored to you | $69.99/year or $11.99/month | iPhone, Android |
| Medito | Completely free | Free; optional donations | iPhone, Android |
Calm offers guided meditations, Sleep Stories, music, sounds, breathing exercises and mindful movement. 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.
Headspace covers meditation and sleep, and adds focus tools, yoga and fitness, coaching and therapy resources. It costs $69.99 a year or $12.99 a month after a 14-day trial, with Family and Student plans.
Pick it if you want a similar app with broader mental-health support and a lower yearly price.
Insight Timer has a large library of guided meditations, talks, music, sleep content, breathwork and yoga, plus a meditation timer. The free tier covers core content; MemberPlus is $59.99 a year or $9.99 a month.
Pick it if you want lots of sleep and meditation content without paying.
Balance asks you daily questions about your goals and experience, then assembles guided sessions for you. It offers 10-day plans, short practices, sleep content, breathing exercises and immersive meditations. US pricing is $11.99 a month, $69.99 a year or $399.99 for life.
Pick it if you want an app that adapts to you rather than a library to browse.
Medito is a nonprofit app with guided meditations, courses, breathing exercises, sleep stories and soundscapes. Everything is free, with no ads, paywalls or account required.
Pick it if you want Calm-style sleep stories and meditations at no cost.
If you want something close to Calm with more mental-health tools, go with Headspace. If cost is the issue, Medito is fully free and Insight Timer has a generous free tier. If you want sessions built around you, Balance is the most personal option.