We took a detailed look at apps recommended by our members. You can try them all and it does not matter if you a novice or expert. In fact, there is plenty of free sessions in many of them to get hooked! The key is to get started and develop a habit. Good luck on your journey to find inner peace!  

Headspace: This is a great app when you are looking for a good starter trial to test before committing to a larger purchase! The free trial is pretty substantive and includes enough to begin a great and effective practice. The cost is $12.99 per month or $95 a year (~$8 a month) and includes the full access to the app. The standout to this app is the graphics and amazing user interface. It is a beautiful app that is well-designed and immediately gives a calming effect. This is a great starter app when approaching the meditation practice and gives specific directed meditations for your daily life. We use the meditation for work and sleep more than anything else.  

Peloton: Although this app/subscription service is normally for exercise classes (known for their standout at-home spin bike and new treadmill), Peloton has begun to do yoga classes and guided meditations. The ultimate cost is very high, $39/month for the subscription and the bike runs about $2,000. But, the goal of these guided meditations is not to create a lifestyle change to mindfulness. Rather than that, these are generally short and directed, aimed to create small moments in your life where you can relax and find a bit of clarity. As a team with Peloton users, we love to take advantage of these guided meditations, but we also understand that the cost is often out of most people’s price range. We do recommend, in the same theory, approaching meditation in other ways. If this technique appeals to you, check out our Mother’s Day post on mindfulness and yoga/meditation for tips and free YouTube meditations to get you started.  

Calm: Calm focuses on meditation and deeper sleep. There are plenty of options for those looking for one off or series of meditations and the beginner content is easy to navigate and follow. There is a large emphasis on improving sleep with sleep stories for adults and children alike told in soothing voices, music experiences for relaxation and calming soundscapes. They have several high-profile collaborators and you’ll recognize the voices of LeBron James and Matthew McConaughey among others. The organization and interface feel a little jumbled and childish which isn’t too far off the mark as the content for children is not a second thought but front and center. One feature that we were surprised to like was the Breathing Exercise. It is simple and relaxing. This is something that we will certainly continue to use for a quick pick up. Of these apps reviewed, this comes in as the least expensive at $69.99 per year after a free 7-day trial.  

Simple Habit: With an emphasis on multiple session guided meditations, this is the meditation app for those that are looking to make a lifestyle change. In addition to a multitude of meditation offerings depending on condition and length of time, you’ll find programming for yoga, pilates and qigong as well as content focused on improving sleep such as sleep stories and ambient music for children and adults. The On-the-Go feature curates a meditation session specific to the user based on a few easy to input criteria like time of day and amount of time available. The interface is simple, elegant and easy to use. The cost for this app is $11.99 per month or $89.99 per year (~ $7 per month).