Top Meditation Apps for Emotional Wellness

Now more than ever, we all need to take a deep breath and relax. That might be easier said than done because of the mounting stress and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, daily meditation can reduce your anxiety and help you achieve emotional balance. Plus, you don’t need any expensive equipment — just yourself and a few minutes. The following meditation apps provide top-rated guided meditations that are perfect for beginners or seasoned practitioners looking for something new. Consequently, there’s never been a better time to start meditating.

MyLife

MyLife is the all-ages, personalized emotional wellness platform your family needs right now. With different programs for kids, teenagers, and young adults, this meditation app features over 400 mindfulness activities such as meditation, breathing, yoga, and acupressure. The subscription options include a premium membership for $9.99/month, $58.99/year, or $249 for a lifetime membership. Additionally, separate membership options are available for kids or all-ages. Users can take advantage of a free seven-day trial to discover MyLife’s vast mindfulness offerings, which include expert programs in sleep improvement and anxiety management, guided journaling sessions, and movement videos.

Get it on the App Store or the Google Play Store.

Headspace

As one of the most popular meditation apps, Headspace has millions of users in 190 countries. The app offers a variety of guided meditations on its user-friendly platform. You can try it for free, but annual subscriptions cost $69.99/year or $12.99/month. Moreover, Headspace is currently offering a free collection called Weathering the Storm, aimed at addressing stress and anxiety caused by the ongoing global pandemic. Healthcare professionals working in public health settings can also access a free Headspace Plus subscription through the end of 2020.

Get it on the App Store or Google Play Store.

Calm

Calm provides a diverse range of offerings, including guided breathing exercises, unguided and guided meditations, covering various topics such as sleep, anxiety, stress, self-care, and personal growth. To assist people during these challenging times, Calm has created a hub with free content, including sleep meditations and calming music. While some content is accessible for free, a one-year subscription to Calm Premium costs $69.99.

Get it on the App Store or Google Play Store.

Aura

Aura labels itself the “Spotify of mindfulness,” offering personalized meditations as short as three minutes per day, making it a convenient addition to your daily routine. It features mindfulness sessions and life coaching to improve emotional health. During the current crisis, Aura is offering its premium subscription for free to anyone in need — just use the code FINDPEACE2020 on aurahealth.io/redeem.

Get it on the App Store or Google Play Store.

Simple Habit

Recommended by therapists and downloaded by over five million users, Simple Habit has much to offer. The app is perfect for people with busy lives, featuring meditations catered to everyday problems and an on-the-go feature for instant relaxation. The entire premium library is available for $11.99/month, $89.99/year, or $299.99 for a lifetime membership. Simple Habit is currently free for anyone financially impacted by the coronavirus, additionally offering free COVID-19-related content to everyone, including meditations titled Parenting During Times of Crisis and Stress Less While Social Distancing.

Get it on the App Store or Google Play Store.

Insight Timer

Insight Timer is regarded as one of the best free meditation apps, offering thousands of tracks users can listen to without a subscription. For $60/year, you can unlock premium content such as Insight Courses led by world-renowned teachers and offline listening.

Get it on the App Store or Google Play Store.

Ten Percent Happier

After experiencing a public panic attack, TV anchor Dan Harris wrote a book titled “Ten Percent Happier,” leading to the development of the Ten Percent Happier app and podcast. The app has limited free offerings, but a paid membership, priced at $99/year, unlocks personal coaching, 350-plus meditations, and sleep meditations. Ten Percent Happier is also offering a Coronavirus Sanity Guide featuring podcast episodes, guided meditations, and more at no cost.

Get it on the App Store or Google Play Store.

Breethe

Breethe is great for anyone wishing to explore a new mindfulness journey or find something to listen to before sleep. The app offers meditations for real-life situations, options for kids and teens, and personalized coaching. Much of its content is available for free, but subscriptions to premium content are available for $12.95/month, $89.95/year, or $149.95 for lifetime access. Breethe is also providing all users access to a free content collection designed to manage coronavirus-related stress, including meditations like Overcoming Coronavirus Anxiety.

Get it on the App Store or Google Play Store.

Oak

Oak features a visually stunning interface along with a wide array of meditations, including yogic breathing exercises, guided and unguided meditations, and soothing background tracks. Though it may not offer as many meditations as some other apps, you can customize various aspects of your track, including background sounds and teacher voice gender. The app is free, with in-app courses available for purchase — for instance, the 10-day Mantra Meditation course costs $5.99.

Get it on the App Store.

Shine

Shine describes itself as your support system for daily stress and anxiety. It includes meditations that address topics such as work frustrations, burnout, self-love, and self-care for online dating, providing resources you might not find on other meditation apps. While limited content is available without a subscription, paid subscriptions cost $11.99/month or $53.99/year, which unlocks a wealth of additional resources. Users can also connect with the Shine community in the app.

Get it on the App Store or Google Play Store.

Spotify

If you prefer not to download another app or pay for a new subscription, you might already have a great meditation option on your phone. Spotify includes several guided meditations, as well as mindful music playlists and more.

Get it on the App Store or Google Play Store.

Inscape

Inscape is an aesthetically pleasing app created by the NYC meditation studio of the same name. Meditations range from five to 85 minutes, catering to varying time commitments. Inscape offers numerous guided meditations, focusing on topics such as fear of flying and commuting, making it ideal for frequent travelers. A free week-long trial is available, but afterward, it costs $9.99 per month.

Get it on the App Store.

Smiling Mind

Smiling Mind is Australia’s top free meditation app, developed by educators and psychologists. This app emphasizes that only 10 minutes of meditation per day can help you start experiencing benefits. Programs are tailored for sleep, classrooms, sports, work, and more.

Get it on the App Store or Google Play Store.