In recent years, mindfulness and mental health have grown to be especially important for people to focus on throughout their daily lives as the state of affairs in the world has become more and more stressful.
Downloadable apps on iPhones are great resources to assist users in accessing more content regarding meditation programs and other anxiety-relieving exercises. They hold a wealth of knowledge and techniques that can help users combat their stress levels and get them to a manageable level. Whether it be apps with only short 5-minute guided meditations to ones with Sleep Stories, there is an array of options to choose from that will, hopefully, provide users with a lot of comfort.
Headspace
Monthly Subscription: $12.99
Annual Subscription: $69.99
Headspace is one of the most popular meditation apps, with a 4.8/5 star rating on the App Store and over 30 million users in over 190 countries (via headspace.com). It has a simple and visually-appealing format without distracting colors, images, and other clutter. It's also tailored for users of all ages and experience levels.
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There is a free-trial period, followed by monthly ($12.99) or annual subscription plans ($69.99). It has a variety of features, such as sleep meditations, coping and stress-relief meditations, breathing exercises, and calming sounds and music for short or long sessions, all depending on the user's personal preference.
Calm
Monthly Subscription: $14.99
Annual Subscription: $69.99
Calm was Apple's App of the Year in 2017 (via USA Today) and is considered to be one of the top Health & Fitness apps, maintaining a high 4.8/5 star rating. It connects with Apple Watches, so users can access its myriad of meditation options away from their phones. There is a free version with limited features as well as monthly or yearly subscriptions.
On the app, users can access 3-25 minute long guided meditations as well as the Daily Calm program, stretching videos, walking meditation, and breathing exercises. There are also unique Sleep Stories featuring well-known voice actors like Matthew McConaughey and everyone's favorite "happy little painter" Bob Ross.
Breethe
Monthly Subscription: $12.99
Yearly Subscription: $89.99
The Breethe app has a 4.7/5 star rating in the App Store and over 10 million users (via Breethe.com). It's available on iPhones, tablets, and computers with progress synced across all devices. Although there are monthly and yearly membership plans, the app does come with a free 14-day trial.
Breethe is incredibly user-friendly and includes many practical tools to use throughout the day, such as morning alarms, reminders, and calendars. It also offers hypnotherapy, master classes from the meditation coach Lynne Goldberg, and a variety of guided meditations that range from short and general to extremely specific, such as their "My Boss is a Jerk" and "Tax Season Adulting is Hard" programs.
The Mindfulness App
Monthly Subscription: $9.99
Yearly Subscription: $59.99
With a 4.8/5 star rating on the App Store, the Mindfulness App is great for beginners and has over 250 guided meditations to choose from. It focuses on helping users become more present in their everyday lives. There is free content available, as well as a premium version with monthly and yearly subscription options.
The app offers various personalized features, such as timed sessions, statistics, and reminders. Professional and reputable teachers lead educational courses on over 20 different topics in 10+ languages. Fans love the simplicity and easy-to-follow instructions of the meditations. The Mindfulness App even syncs data with Apple's Health App.
buddhify
Yearly Subscription: $30
Buddhify is one of the top apps on the App Store's Health & Fitness chart and has a 4.8/5 star rating. Users do not need to pay a subscription fee since it is purchased as an app, but it does have a completely optional annual membership option for additional features.
This app is known for "meditation on the go," designed specifically to fit into a busy lifestyle. It has guided meditations that are incorporated into daily activities, such as commuting, taking a work break, or even eating. Many reviewers love how practical and casual it is in comparison to other more traditional methods of meditation.
Oak
Price: Free
Oak is a simple and completely free iOS app with a 4.8/5 star rating. It has stunning visuals with color themes that help relax the user. The settings are extremely flexible and users can control light options, background noise, and speaker volume separate from background volume.
There are tons of both guided and unguided meditation sessions with a wide range of lengths. There are even courses to teach practicing meditation, such as the 10-day Mantra meditation course. What makes Oak unique is that it has its own progress tracker that tracks the user's meditation minutes, mindful breathes, sessions, and other accomplishments.
Mindfulness with Petit Bambou
Monthly Subscription: $8.49
Half-Year Subscription: $38.99
Mindfulness with Petit Bambou is the leading European meditation app with over 9 million users and a 4.9/5 star rating on the App Store. It caters to users of all ages and experience levels, including both children and beginner practitioners. There are both free and paid subscriptions.
There are over 2000 meditation sessions, such as the "Smiling At Anxiety", "Digital Detox", and "Female Cycle" programs, that are available in a wide variety of languages including French, German, Italian and Dutch. The app even syncs data across all devices, including phones, computers, tablets, and smartwatches.
Insight Timer
Monthly Subscription: $9.99
Yearly Subscription: $59.99
Insight Timer has a ton of unique options that a ton of other apps don't offer, which pays off in its 4.9/5 star rating on the App Store. It has a huge variety of 130,000 guided meditations and music tracks. Most of its features are completely free, but there is a premium version that includes courses and offline listening.
Its meditations are led by the world's top experts and teachers, such as Gil Fronsdal with a Ph.D. from Stanford University. It has a popular meditation timer that is customizable to the users' personal preferences, and even community groups to help support those along their journey.
Ten Percent Happier Meditation
Monthly Subscription: $9.99
Yearly Subscription: $99.99
Ten Percent Happier Meditation is based on Dan Harris's New York Times bestseller 10% Happier, where the author recounts his journey of self-discovery and improving his mental health. The app has a 4.8/5 star rating and was the top listed app in the New York Times "How to Meditate" guide.
There are many free features available but in order to gain full access to their library of 500+ meditations, a paid subscription is needed. Its courses help users learn about their own thoughts and make a shift in the way they respond to stimuli. There are even many podcasts available targeting finding inner peace.
Simple Habit
Monthly Subscription: $11.99
Yearly Subscription: $89.99
Simple Habit was a startup that was featured on Shark Tank in 2017 and currently has over 5 million users (via Yahoo), with a 4.8/5 star rating on the App Store. A lot of its content is free, but in order to access all meditation programs and download them, there is a monthly and yearly subscription.
This app is great for quick and simple meditations. It offers 5-minute exercises that fit into any activity throughout the day and even includes an On-The-Go feature to calm anxiety. By having meditation as an option open for easy access, it helps users build it up as truly a "simple habit".