Topic
Health & wellness
Sleep, fitness, meditation and mental health.
Verdicts
- Best Meditation Apps
Headspace is our top pick for beginners, at $12.99 per month or $69.99 per year after a free trial. Calm is the best alternative for sleep, at $79.99 per year on the web. Insight Timer is the best free option with a huge free library and a $60 per year upgrade, and Medito is completely free with no premium tier.
- 1. Headspace9.0
- 2. Insight Timer8.9
- 3. Calm8.7
Statistics
- Meditation Statistics
About 17.3% of US adults meditated in 2022, up from 7.5% in 2002, according to the National Health Interview Survey reported by NIH's NCCIH. Research published in 2025 and 2026 finds mindfulness programs reduce stress, anxiety and depression with small to moderate effects, including a JAMA Network Open trial of 1,458 employees in which a digital program cut perceived stress (Cohen d 0.85). Apps struggle to keep users: a JMIR study found meditation apps retained 4.7% of new users after 30 days.