As the world becomes increasingly fast-paced, demanding, and stressful, more and more people are tapping into practices of mindfulness and meditation to become more centered, reduce anxiety, and improve their mental health.
Meditation has been found to be extremely beneficial for your mental as well as your physical health, even helping to regulate the nervous system.
With the increasing popularity of smartphones, meditation apps have become a convenient and accessible way to not only have access to a wide variety of meditation practices but also be able to build a sustainable mindfulness habit.
In this article, we’ll tell you more about the benefits of using meditation apps, and we’ll compare some of the best ones available right now to help you find what’s right for you and that will support you in building your own meditation practice:
- Benefits of meditation
- Benefits of meditation apps
- How to choose the best meditation app for you
- Headspace meditation app
- Calm meditation app
- Insighttimer meditation app
- Ten Percent Happier meditation app
- Simple Habit meditation app
- Tripp meditation app
- Aura Meditation App
Benefits of meditation
There are many different types of meditation, and there is no one right way to do it.
Each style of meditation comes with its own benefits, however, some of the most common and well-known benefits of having a meditation practice include:
- Reduced stress
- Improved sleep
- Increased self-awareness
- Enhanced cognitive function
- Reduced pain
- Greater access to compassion
- Stronger relationships and boundaries
- Increased sense of happiness and joy
Benefits of Meditation apps
Going on a month-long yoga or meditation retreat or hitting the studio 3 times a week for an Ashtanga class can be very beneficial for your mind and body, but we must keep in mind that the effects of these practices are cumulative.
As such, designing a daily meditation practice that you can maintain through the ebbs and flows of your life, can be very supportive.
Using a meditation app has many benefits, and some of the main ones are:
- Convenience: Meditation apps allow users to meditate anytime and anywhere without the need for a physical location or instructor, just with a phone or wifi connection.
- Guidance: Many meditation apps have guided meditations that provide users with step-by-step instructions and support for beginners and those with wandering minds.
- Flexibility: Users can choose different types of meditation styles, lengths, teachers, and goals to suit their preferences and needs.
- Accountability: Some meditation apps provide users with reminders and progress tracking, as well as virtual communities, all of which help meditators stay motivated and committed to their practice.
- Accessibility: Meditation apps are often affordable or free and can be used on a variety of devices, making meditation accessible to more people.
How to choose the best meditation app for you
There are many different meditation apps available, so how do you choose the right one for you? Here are a few things to consider:
- Your budget: Some meditation apps are free, while others have certain free features and you can only access the entire library if you pay a subscription fee.
- Your needs: Some apps are designed for beginners, while others offer more advanced features.
- Your preferences: Some apps focus on guided meditations, while others offer a variety of different types of meditation and tools within the app.
1. Headspace meditation app
Headspace is one of the most well-known meditation apps, even having its own two Netflix series; Guide to Meditation and Unwind Your Mind.
It was founded in 2010 by Andy Puddicombe, a former Buddhist monk, and Rich Pierson, a marketing executive. The app has over 65 million users worldwide and is available in English, French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese
This app provides guided meditations for a variety of topics, such as stress, anxiety, and sleep.
It offers a free trial period of 10 days, but ultimately requires a monthly subscription to access all its features.Headspace’s interface is user-friendly, clean, and aesthetically pleasing, and a great choice for those just learning to meditate.
2. Calm Meditation App
Calm is another popular meditation app, offering guided meditations as well as sleep stories and soundscapes to help users relax.
It is offered in English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, and Japanese, and just like many of these meditation apps, it provides a free trial with a subscription option to unlock all features for a yearly fee.
The app is not only practical and visually pleasing, but it also includes a library of educational content.
3. Insight Timer Meditation App
Insight Timer is a free app that offers a vast library of guided meditations, talks, music, and live-streamed events and provides a community aspect to motivate and encourage users.
The app’s interface is simple and functional, and it is often praised for its large selection of meditations, live sessions where hundreds join from across the world, and the satisfying ability to track progress and meditation streaks.
This is one of the best meditation apps for those on a tight budget, as well as those wanting to connect with an engaging virtual community.
It also offers premium content like higher-quality tracks and unlimited courses for a yearly fee.
4. Ten Percent Happier Meditation App
Ten percent happier was created by Dan Harris, who experienced a panic attack on live television and turned to meditation for healing.
This app offers daily guided meditations, courses, and podcasts on mindfulness.
After your free trial, Ten Percent Happier requires a yearly subscription.
Dan also has a podcast of the same name where he talks with a wide variety of guests about all things meditation, and it is truly worth a listen.
5. Simple Habit Meditation App
Simple Habit leads with the promise of being “The Best Meditation App for Busy People”.
Their motto truly reflects the content of this app, which has specifically tailored meditations to fit into a busy schedule.
Simple Habit may be the best meditation app for you if you’re busy and need short and effective meditation practices. This app also uses many renowned meditation instructors to guide you.
It offers a free trial, then a yearly subscription fee is required.
6. TRIPP meditation app
If you own a Virtual Reality headset (VR), there is a meditation app you should absolutely try.
TRIPP is a unique app that utilizes virtual reality technology to create calming visual landscapes and meditation experiences.
It provides virtual immersive atmospheres, guided meditations, and mindful games in a variety of landscapes and wildly creative environments, as well as the option to use your VR headset sitting up or laying down.
TRIPP’s innovative methods can inspire your focus and creativity and are particularly helpful for those with anxiety and difficulty concentrating.
TRIPP is available for both the Oculus Quest and Meta Quest 2 headsets and is free to download, but users can subscribe to a premium membership for access to additional content.
The app is relatively new and in constant development, and the ease of use and accessibility, even in the metaverse, has been praised by its users.
7. Aura Meditation App
Aura is a meditation app designed to help users reduce stress, improve focus, and promote emotional well-being.
One of the unique features of Aura is the ability to select from a wide range of topics, such as gratitude, anxiety, sleep, and focus, to name a few.
Users can take a short quiz upon signing up that helps to determine their personality and preferences, and based on their answers, Aura generates a personalized meditation program tailored to their needs.
The app offers both guided and unguided meditative sessions, which range from 3-10 minutes.
Users can choose from different types of meditations, including breathing exercises, soundscapes, and nature sounds, and is highly customizable, allowing meditators to select background sounds, music, and voice tone.
Aura also helps users to track their progress by providing insights into their meditative practices.
Users can see the number of meditations completed, the total time spent meditating, and a daily streak tracker, which encourages users to maintain consistency in their meditation practice and stay motivated to reach their wellness goals.
Aura also offers a unique feature called “Mindful Moments.” This is essentially a library of inspirational quotes and daily reminders that promote a positive attitude and self-care.
The quotes and reminders are presented in an aesthetically pleasing interface, making for a calming and peaceful experience.
In Conclusion
Whether you’re a beginner wanting to develop a regular habit or to recommit to wellness practices, or an experienced meditator, there’s probably an app out there to fit your needs.
Headspace and Calm are popular choices with a wide range of guided meditations. 10% Happier offers a unique approach to mindfulness education, while Insight Timer and TRIPP provide a sense of community and immersive experiences.
Simple Habit is perfect for those with busy lifestyles, and Aura is the best meditation app at helping you personalize your practice.
Give a few of them a try and discover the one that works best for you and that you enjoy most using – there is something for everyone.
To find your perfect yoga app, read this next.
