Take a Deep Breath: Comparing Headspace and Calm, Two of the Most Popular Meditation Apps on the Market!

Headspace and Calm: Here Are the Best Meditation Apps

RelaxFrens
4 min readDec 25, 2022

While there are several great meditation apps two of them consistently rank high — Calm and Headspace. Let’s see how these two meditation apps stack up against each other, differing in pricing, guided meditation sessions, and availability. We’ll also cover their effectiveness since that’s what matters most.

Headspace and Calm are two popular digital health companies that offer meditation and mindfulness resources to help users improve their mental health and well-being. Both companies offer guided meditation exercises, as well as resources for stress management and sleep improvement. However, there are some key differences between the two.

One difference is the selection of meditation exercises available. Headspace has a larger variety of meditation exercises to choose from, including exercises specifically tailored for athletes, parents, and students. Headspace also offers resources for managing anxiety and improving relationships. In contrast, Calm has a more limited selection of meditation exercises, but it does offer a wider variety of content beyond meditation, including sleep stories and music to help users relax.

Another difference is the availability of free daily meditation. Calm offers a daily 10-minute meditation exercise called “Daily Calm” that is available to all users for free. Headspace does not offer free daily meditation, although it does have a selection of free meditation exercises available.

In terms of subscription options, Headspace offers monthly, annual, and lifetime subscription options, while Calm only offers monthly and annual subscriptions. Headspace is also available on a wider range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, and computers, as well as some smartwatches. Calm is only available on smartphones, tablets, and computers.

One advantage of Headspace is that it offers guided meditation exercises in over 10 languages, while Calm only offers meditation exercises in English. This can make Headspace more accessible for users who speak languages other than English.

In terms of price, Headspace and Calm have similar subscription prices, but Headspace does offer a lifetime subscription option which may be more expensive upfront but could potentially save users money in the long run. Both companies offer free trial periods, so users can try out the app and see which one works best for them.

Both Headspace and Calm offer resources for improving sleep, but Headspace has a larger selection of sleep-specific meditation exercises. In terms of the overall variety of content available, Headspace has a larger selection, including resources for managing anxiety and improving relationships.

One key difference between the two companies is the focus of their services. Headspace is primarily focused on meditation and mindfulness, while Calm offers a wider range of relaxation and stress-management resources. This means that users who are primarily interested in meditation and mindfulness may prefer Headspace, while those who are looking for a broader range of relaxation and stress-management resources may prefer Calm.

In Detail, there are some other Differences Between Headspace and Calm

Length of meditation exercises

Headspace offers meditation exercises ranging from 3 to 60 minutes in length, while Calm offers exercises ranging from 5 to 45 minutes.

The number of guided meditation exercises

Headspace has over 1,000 guided meditation exercises available, while Calm has around 100.

Availability of unguided meditation

Headspace offers unguided meditation exercises in addition to guided exercises, while Calm does not.

Number of sleep stories

Calm has over 100 sleep stories available, while Headspace only has a few.

Availability of music

Calm offers a selection of music to help users relax, while Headspace does not.

Availability of nature sounds

Headspace offers a selection of nature sounds to help users relax, while Calm does not.

Personalization options

Headspace offers personalized meditation plans based on user goals and preferences, while Calm does not.

User tracking and progress

Both Headspace and Calm offer tracking and progress feature to help users monitor their progress, but Headspace has more detailed tracking and analysis options.

Availability of a web version

Both Headspace and Calm have web versions in addition to mobile apps, but Headspace’s web version has more features and functionality.

Availability of a family plan

Headspace offers a family plan that allows multiple users to share a subscription, while Calm does not offer a family plan.

Overall, both Headspace and Calm are popular options for meditation and mindfulness resources, and the best choice for a particular user will depend on their specific needs and preferences. It may be helpful for users to try out both companies’ free trial options to see which one works best for them.

I hope you find the content helpful, and I try to create something more than useful for people and inspiration. I always try to create content that adds value to your thoughts after reading it.

RelaxFrens is an app to help you meditate using relaxing sounds.

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