Want a different take on meditation? Five Headspace alternatives, from secular courses to free apps.
Researched from official sources, updated yesterday, 2 min readFor a deeper, more thoughtful practice, Waking Up is the standout alternative. For a practical style with a good free tier, try Happier Meditation. If you do not want to pay at all, Medito and Healthy Minds Program are both excellent. Choose Calm if better sleep is your main goal.
Prices for Waking Up, Healthy Minds Program and Medito checked on against the official pricing pages. Check Calm on its own site before you pay.
| App | Price | Free plan | Works on |
|---|---|---|---|
 Calm | Subscription; free trial | Trial only | iPhone, Android, Web |
 Waking Up | About $130/year or $20/month; scholarships available | No | iPhone, Android, Web |
 Healthy Minds Program | Free; optional donations | Free | iPhone, Android |
 Medito | Free; optional donations | Free | iPhone, Android |
Headspace is a great starting point, but it is not right for everyone. Some people want more depth, some want a different teaching style, and some do not want to pay. Here are five alternatives from our inventory. Prices were checked on November 1, 2026.
| Best for | Price | Platforms | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headspace | Meditation plus mental-health tools | $69.99/year or $12.99/month | iPhone, Android, Mac, web, Apple Watch |
| Calm | Sleep and relaxation | $79.99/year or $16.99/month | iPhone, Android, web, Apple Watch |
| Waking Up | Secular meditation with philosophy | $129.99/year or $19.99/month | iPhone, Android, web, Apple Watch |
| Happier Meditation | Practical courses from expert teachers | $99.99/year; free courses included | iPhone, Android |
| Healthy Minds Program | Science-based and free | Free; donor-funded | iPhone, Android |
| Medito | Fully free, no account | Free; optional donations | iPhone, Android |
Headspace offers meditation, sleep content, 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.
Calm has guided meditations, Sleep Stories, music, sounds, breathing exercises and mindful movement. It is $79.99 a year or $16.99 a month after a 14-day trial.
Pick it if sleep matters more to you than structured courses.
Waking Up is a secular meditation app created by Sam Harris. It combines guided meditations with lessons, conversations, philosophy and science. Membership is $129.99 a year or $19.99 a month, and scholarships are offered.
Pick it if you want to go deeper and like a rational, secular approach.
Happier Meditation, formerly Ten Percent Happier, is a practical app with personalized plans, guided meditations, courses, sleep practices and talks from expert teachers. It suits beginners and experienced meditators. Free access includes three courses and more than 50 guided meditations; the subscription is $99.99 a year.
Pick it if you want a down-to-earth style and a solid free tier.
Healthy Minds Program pairs guided practices with podcast-style lessons, built around Awareness, Connection, Insight and Purpose. It is free and funded by donors.
Pick it if you want science-based training without a subscription.
Medito is a nonprofit app with guided meditations, courses, breathing exercises, sleep stories and soundscapes. Everything is free, with no ads or account needed.
Pick it if you want a Headspace-style library for free.
For a deeper, more thoughtful practice, Waking Up is the standout alternative. For a practical style with a good free tier, try Happier Meditation. If you do not want to pay at all, Medito and Healthy Minds Program are both excellent. Choose Calm if better sleep is your main goal.
For a deeper, more thoughtful practice, Waking Up is the standout alternative. For a practical style with a good free tier, try Happier Meditation. If you do not want to pay at all, Medito and Healthy Minds Program are both excellent. Choose Calm if better sleep is your main goal.
Healthy Minds Program and Medito have a free plan or are free. Calm and Waking Up are paid only.
Calm: Subscription; free trial. Waking Up: About $130/year or $20/month; scholarships available. Healthy Minds Program: Free; optional donations. Medito: Free; optional donations.