The two biggest meditation apps, side by side: what each offers, what it costs, and who it suits.
Researched from official sources, updated today, 2 min readHeadspace and Calm are the best-known meditation apps, and both are friendly to beginners. They overlap a lot: guided meditation, sleep content and a 14-day trial. The differences are in what else they include and how they price it. Prices were checked on November 1, 2026.
| Headspace | Calm | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Meditation plus wider mental-health support | Sleep and relaxation |
| Price | $69.99/year or $12.99/month; Family $99/year; Student $9.99/year; 14-day trial | $79.99/year or $16.99/month; Calm for Life $39.99 once; 14-day trial |
| Platforms | iPhone, Android, Mac, web, Apple Watch | iPhone, Android, web, Apple Watch |
Meditation plus wider mental-health support
Headspace is a mental-health and mindfulness app. Alongside meditation and sleep content, it offers focus tools, yoga and fitness, coaching and therapy resources. It runs on phones, supported web browsers, Mac and Apple Watch. After a 14-day trial it costs $69.99 a year or $12.99 a month. There is a Family plan at $99 a year and a Student plan at $9.99 a year. Prices vary by region and store.
Pick it if you want meditation as part of a broader mental-health toolkit, or you are a student or family.
Sleep and relaxation
Calm is a meditation, sleep and relaxation app. It offers guided meditations, Sleep Stories, music, sounds, breathing exercises and mindful movement. Its website checkout shows a 14-day trial, then $79.99 a year or $16.99 a month. It also shows Calm for Life at $39.99 billed once. Prices are localized, so check yours at checkout.
Pick it if you mostly want help falling asleep and winding down.
Headspace goes wider, with coaching, therapy resources, yoga and fitness alongside meditation and sleep. Calm stays closer to relaxation, with Sleep Stories, music and sounds at its heart. Headspace's yearly plan is $10 cheaper, and it also runs on Mac. Both offer a 14-day trial, so you can try each before paying.
Choose Headspace if you want the wider range, with coaching, therapy resources and fitness alongside meditation, and a cheaper yearly plan or a student or family discount. Choose Calm if sleep is your priority: Sleep Stories, music and sounds are central to the app. Calm's one-time Calm for Life price, as shown at checkout, is also worth checking before you subscribe.