Compare Calm and Headspace: Which App is the Best?

	Headspace	Calm
	Headspace is a well-established meditation app with 500+ guided meditations and excellent sleep stories. While the content quality is strong, the app currently suffers from frequent crashes, slow loading times, and navigation issues that significantly impact usability. Meditation	Calm is a leading meditation and sleep app with 4.1 stars on Android, 4.8 stars on iOS, and 50M+ downloads. Known for celebrity-narrated sleep stories by Cillian Murphy and Bob Ross, plus comprehensive daily meditation programs. While most users love the content, some Android users report recent billing and technical concerns. Meditation
Key Features	500+ Guided Meditations – Access an extensive library of meditations covering anxiety, stress, sleep, focus, and mental wellness Sleep Content & Sleepcasts – Enjoy soothing sleep stories, soundscapes, and guided sleep meditations to improve sleep quality Mental Health Coaching & Therapy – Connect with licensed therapists, mental health coaches, and Ebb (AI companion) for personalized support Mindfulness & Breathing Exercises – Practice breathwork techniques for anxiety relief, stress management, and relaxation Mindful Movement & Yoga – Explore yoga sessions and movement exercises designed for stress relief and mind-body connection CBT Techniques & Courses – Access cognitive behavioral therapy exercises and structured meditation courses Focus Music & Soundscapes – Listen to relaxing music and ambient sounds for concentration and relaxation Progress Tracking – Monitor your meditation journey with a self-care tracker	Sleep Stories – Bedtime stories narrated by celebrities like Cillian Murphy, Rosé, Jerome Flynn, and the popular Bob Ross "Painting" series Daily Programs – Daily Calm with Tamara Levitt (10-minute meditation), Daily Trip with Jeff Warren, Daily Move (mindful movement), and Daily Jay Extensive Meditation Library – Guided meditations for various needs including anxiety relief, focus, habit breaking, and stress management Soundscapes & Music – Sleep sounds, nature soundscapes, relaxing music, and EMDR sounds for therapeutic use Breathing Exercises – Guided breathwork sessions for relaxation and stress reduction Mindful Movement – Stretching exercises and movement sessions for relaxation Progress Tracking – Daily streaks, mindful minutes counter, and activity tracking Wear OS Support – Quick-start tiles and meditation tracking complications for smartwatches
Our Rating	5.6	7.3
Total users	0	0
Total ratings	0	0
Average rating	— ⭐	— ⭐
Entry Level Price	Free	Free
Android	Downloads	Downloads
iOS
Features	7.5 The meditation library is genuinely impressive—over 500 guided sessions covering just about everything. Basic mindfulness, anxiety management, sleep help, stress relief, CBT techniques. The content quality is really solid across the board. What actually works well: Sleep Content: The sleepcasts and sleep stories are excellent. This is easily the app's strongest feature, and some users say it's worth the subscription just for these Guided Meditations: Professional voice actors, soothing tones, good variety. They nailed this part Breathing Exercises: Actually useful when you're having a panic attack or feeling anxious. Not just filler content Mental Health Support: Access to licensed therapists and coaches is valuable, though the constant promotion gets old fast Mindful Movement: The yoga and movement stuff works well if you're into that mind-body connection thing Focus Music & Soundscapes: Decent background sounds that help you concentrate The execution is where things fall apart. The app has been loaded up with features that feel unnecessary—like the AI companion "Ebb" and constant therapy service promotions. The free version barely gives you anything to work with. Finding specific meditations is harder than it should be because the organization doesn't make much sense. You end up spending too much time navigating menus instead of actually using the app. We're rating the features 7.5 out of 10. The content itself is excellent, but accessibility issues and unnecessary bloat hold it back. Medito provides extensive meditation features at no cost.	8.0 Calm's content library is genuinely impressive and sets the standard for meditation apps. The celebrity-narrated sleep stories are the standout feature—falling asleep to Cillian Murphy's voice, Bob Ross painting descriptions, or Rosé's calming narration provides a unique experience users rave about. These aren't just celebrity gimmicks; they're high-quality productions that genuinely help people fall asleep. Outstanding features include: Celebrity Sleep Stories: Premium productions with recognizable voices that have become nightly routines for millions of users Daily Programs: Daily Calm with Tamara Levitt, Daily Trip with Jeff Warren, Daily Jay, and Daily Move provide fresh, structured content that builds meditation habits Extensive Meditation Library: Comprehensive content addressing anxiety, focus, habit breaking, stress management, and sleep improvement Soundscapes & Music: High-quality nature sounds, sleep music, and EMDR sounds for therapeutic use Kids Content: Sleep stories specifically designed for children that parents find highly effective for bedtime routines Wear OS Integration: Quick-start tiles and tracking complications for smartwatch users Breathing Exercises: Guided breathwork for stress reduction and relaxation Progress Tracking: Streaks and mindful minutes to maintain motivation The library is genuinely extensive, with enough variety that most users find multiple favorites. The quality is consistently high—professional voice work, good production values, and thoughtful content design. Users frequently mention specific favorites like "Painting with Bob Ross" or programs with Tamara Levitt that they return to regularly. The app uses a subscription model, with most content requiring payment. The free version offers limited access, which is standard for premium apps in this category. Some users wish for more free content to evaluate before subscribing, though the free trial provides opportunity to explore the library. A few long-term subscribers mention content updates could be more frequent, though the existing library is large enough that most users have plenty to explore. For daily users who cycle through content quickly, occasional waits for new stories can be noticeable. We're rating features 8.0 out of 10. The celebrity sleep stories, daily programs, and extensive meditation library provide excellent value, making Calm a feature-rich leader in the meditation app category.
Performance	3.5 The overall 4.2-star rating doesn't reflect current performance. Recent reviews tell a different story—the last 100 average just 2.03 stars, indicating significant recent deterioration. The performance problems are severe: Frequent Crashes: The most common complaint involves crashes during meditations, sleep casts, and general navigation. Many users report crashes within 3 minutes of starting any content, completely disrupting the experience Extremely Slow Loading: Even on flagship devices, the app takes 20+ seconds to open, with additional waiting for each screen. Users describe endless loading and content that sometimes never loads at all Unresponsive Interface: Frequent freezing requires force-closing and restarting. Some users report needing to restart the app multiple times just to access basic features Grey Screen Bug: A persistent issue leaves users facing blank grey screens, particularly on the home page, rendering the app unusable Battery Drain: Significant battery consumption continues even when the app isn't actively being used Platform Inconsistency: Updates roll out unevenly across devices, leaving some users with broken versions while others receive fixes Many longtime users note that the app "used to work perfectly" before deteriorating over recent months. Despite weekly updates, these core issues persist, suggesting deeper development and quality assurance problems. The situation is particularly problematic for a meditation app. Users seeking stress relief instead encounter an app that crashes mid-session or takes several minutes to load. For premium pricing and a well-established company, this level of performance is difficult to defend. 3.5 out of 10. Many users struggle with basic functionality, and even when it works, performance is frustratingly slow. Medito delivers significantly better technical performance.	7.5 Calm performs reliably for the vast majority of users across 50+ million downloads and two platforms. The 4.8-star iOS rating and 4.1-star Android rating indicate consistent, stable performance that users depend on nightly. Audio playback is smooth, sleep stories run without interruption, and the app handles background playback well while you sleep. Performance strengths: Reliable Playback: Sleep stories and meditations play consistently without issues for most users Background Stability: App runs reliably in the background through the night for sleep content Quick Loading: Content loads promptly and playback starts without long waits Cross-Platform Performance: Works well on both Android and iOS with high ratings on both Battery Efficient: Doesn't drain battery excessively during overnight use Multiple Device Support: Performs consistently across phones, tablets, and smartwatches The app handles demanding use cases well—playing audio continuously through 7-8 hours of sleep, managing large content libraries, and supporting offline downloads. Users who've used Calm for years mention it working consistently night after night, which demonstrates solid long-term reliability. A small percentage of users report occasional audio stopping during sleep sessions or rare app crashes. These issues seem device or configuration-specific rather than widespread problems, as the majority of users don't mention performance concerns. Some users note the splash screen takes a moment to dismiss, though this is designed as a brief mindfulness moment rather than a technical delay. Load times are generally good, with content starting quickly after selection. The app's size and resource usage are reasonable for the extensive content library it manages. Updates are regular, suggesting active maintenance and performance optimization. For an app with 50M+ downloads used nightly by millions, achieving 4.8 stars on iOS demonstrates exceptional performance reliability. The vast majority of users experience smooth, consistent operation exactly when they need it most—during meditation and sleep. We're rating performance 7.5 out of 10. Calm delivers reliable, stable performance for the overwhelming majority of users, with consistent playback and efficient resource usage. The high ratings across millions of users demonstrate performance excellence at scale.
Design	5.5 The design looks polished on the surface—clean fonts, professional images, pleasant colors. But there's a significant gap between visual appeal and actual usability. The main issues: Cluttered Interface: Long-time users consistently mention that the app used to be simple and clean. Now it's crowded with features and promotions competing for attention Confusing Navigation: Finding a specific meditation from last week or continuing a course you started takes more effort than it should. The organization feels chaotic for an app that's supposed to promote calm Constant Layout Changes: Frequent updates keep moving things around. Each time you get used to the layout, it changes, usually not for the better Forced Features: The AI companion and therapy services occupy prominent space throughout the interface, even when you're not interested in them Poor Visual Feedback: The app flashes when opening, which is particularly jarring when using it at night There's an uncomfortable irony in a meditation app that creates frustration instead of reducing it. Many longtime users mention the app "used to be better," and it's clear that business priorities—therapy upselling, AI promotion—have taken precedence over user experience. 5.5 out of 10. Visual polish doesn't make up for an experience that works against the app's core purpose. Medito embraces a cleaner, more focused approach.	7.5 Calm's design successfully creates a soothing, peaceful atmosphere that supports its meditation and sleep mission. The dark, calming color scheme with deep blues and purples sets the right mood immediately. Visual elements are thoughtfully chosen to promote relaxation rather than stimulation, which is exactly what you want from a meditation app. Design strengths: Beautiful, Calming Aesthetic: Dark themes, soothing colors, and nature imagery create an immediately relaxing visual environment Intuitive Content Organization: Sleep stories, meditations, soundscapes, and daily programs are clearly categorized and easy to browse Material Design Excellence: Clean, modern interface that follows Android design guidelines effectively Visual Consistency: Cohesive design language throughout the app maintains the calm atmosphere Easy Discovery: Featured content, favorites, and recently played sections help users find what they need The interface generally succeeds at fading into the background, letting the content take center stage. For most users, navigation feels natural—open the app, select your content, and start your meditation or sleep session without friction. Some users mention the splash screen "take a breath" message appears frequently and takes a moment before you can access content. While this fits the app's philosophy, a few long-term subscribers find it repetitive after daily use for years. The search function within categories could be more robust for power users who want to explore the full catalog depth. For subscribers, the experience is streamlined. For free users exploring before committing, distinguishing between free and premium content could be clearer, though this is fairly standard for freemium apps. We're rating design 7.5 out of 10. Calm delivers a beautiful, calming visual experience with thoughtful design that supports meditation and sleep. Minor navigation refinements would elevate it further, but the overall aesthetic excellence justifies the premium positioning.
Value for Money	5.5 At $12.99 per month or $69.99 per year, Headspace sits at the premium end of meditation apps. Whether that's justified depends largely on two factors: insurance coverage and tolerance for technical issues. Insurance coverage changes the equation significantly. Many employers and health plans cover Headspace entirely, which makes the value proposition much stronger despite the performance problems. Several users mentioned staying with the app specifically because of insurance benefits. For those paying out of pocket, the value is questionable: High Price for Poor Performance: Premium pricing is hard to justify when the app crashes frequently and loads slowly Limited Free Content: The free version offers minimal functionality, making it difficult to properly evaluate before subscribing Billing Concerns: Multiple users report unexpected renewals without warning and complicated cancellation processes Poor Customer Support: Customer service responses are slow or nonexistent when issues arise Better Alternatives Available: Competing apps offer similar or better features at lower prices, or completely free The most telling feedback comes from long-time subscribers who felt the app justified its price in the past but no longer does. When loyal, paying customers decide to cancel, it reflects a real decline in perceived value. 5.5 out of 10. With insurance coverage, that rises to 7.5-8.0. Paying full price given the current state drops it closer to 4.0. Medito provides solid features completely free with better stability.	7.0 At around €70 per year (pricing varies by region), Calm positions itself as a premium meditation app, and for most users, the content library justifies the investment. With 50M+ downloads and 4.8 stars on iOS, millions of people clearly find value worth paying for. Users who've subscribed for years mention the app becoming an essential nightly routine they wouldn't want to give up. The value proposition is strong: Celebrity Content: Unique sleep stories narrated by Cillian Murphy, Rosé, Bob Ross, and Jerome Flynn you won't find elsewhere Daily Fresh Content: Daily Calm, Daily Trip, Daily Jay, and Daily Move provide new material regularly Extensive Library: Hundreds of meditations, sleep stories, soundscapes, and programs for stress, anxiety, sleep, and focus Professional Production: High-quality audio and voice work throughout the library Multiple Use Cases: Sleep stories, meditation, soundscapes, breathing exercises, and movement all in one subscription Family Sharing: Kids content makes it valuable for entire families Employer Coverage: Many insurance companies and employers provide Calm subscriptions as wellness benefits For users getting Calm through employer wellness programs, the value is excellent—high-quality content at no personal cost. Even at full price, long-term subscribers frequently mention the subscription has become essential for their sleep quality and mental health, which makes the cost worthwhile. The subscription model is standard for premium apps—the free version offers limited access to encourage paid subscription. Users can try the app during a free trial period to evaluate whether the content works for them before committing long-term. Cancellation through the Play Store is typically one-click, which most users navigate successfully. Some users report billing confusion during trial periods or difficulty with customer service responses when issues arise. A small number mention pricing discrepancies during promotional periods. Like any subscription service, it's important to track trial end dates and verify charges match promotional pricing if taking advantage of special offers. Compared to competitors, Calm sits at the premium end with Headspace, while Medito offers free content. The celebrity narrations and production quality differentiate Calm's value proposition. We're rating value for money 7.0 out of 10. The extensive, high-quality content library with unique celebrity narrations provides solid value for the subscription price, particularly for users committed to regular meditation and sleep improvement. Those with employer coverage get excellent value, and even full-price subscribers generally find the cost justified by daily use.
Ease of Use	4.5 A meditation app should be simple. Open it, pick a session, meditate. But Headspace makes this basic process unnecessarily difficult. The usability problems: Difficult Navigation: Finding a specific meditation from last week or continuing a course means clicking through multiple screens with no clear path. Content is scattered without logical organization Constant Restarts Required: Basic features like the Explore tab frequently fail to load. You have to close and reopen the app, sometimes multiple times, before it works Slow Loading Times: Even on new flagship phones like the Pixel 10, users report sluggish performance and long load times Interrupted Sessions: App crashes during meditation sessions are common, completely breaking the experience when you're trying to focus Inconsistent Interface: Frequent updates rearrange the interface, preventing users from developing any familiarity with where things are Aggressive Interruptions: Therapy signup prompts appear even when accessing basic settings, forcing unnecessary detours The fundamental problem is that using Headspace creates stress instead of relieving it. Starting a meditation should take seconds, but instead you're spending time waiting, restarting, and navigating confusing menus. 4.5 out of 10. The app is technically functional, but requires far too much patience. Medito offers straightforward simplicity without the usability problems.	7.0 Calm is designed to be intuitive, and for most users, it succeeds. Opening the app and starting a meditation or sleep story takes just a few taps. The main interface presents your options clearly—browse by category, check out daily programs, or jump back to recently played content. Playback controls are simple and work as expected. For subscribers in their daily routine, the experience is smooth. Select your favorite sleep story, set a timer if desired, and drift off. The app remembers your preferences, making it easy to return to content you love. Many users mention using Calm nightly for years, which speaks to how well the basic experience works. Usability strengths: Simple Navigation: Clear categories and straightforward content selection Quick Start: Recently played and favorites let you start familiar content immediately Intuitive Playback: Controls work as expected without confusion Progress Tracking: Streaks and history visible but not intrusive for most users Multiple Devices: Works across phones, tablets, and smartwatches The free trial process is standard for subscription apps—you provide payment information upfront, explore the content during the trial period, and can cancel before being charged. Most users navigate this successfully, though like any subscription app, you need to remember to cancel if you don't want to continue. Some users report specific issues: occasional login difficulties with Google authentication, confusion about which content is free versus premium for non-subscribers, and rare cases of the app stopping playback during the night. A small number of users mention subscription management confusion, though canceling through the Play Store is typically straightforward with one-click unsubscribe. The splash screen appears when opening the app, which some daily users find repetitive over time. For those who want to jump straight into content, this adds a brief delay, though it's designed to encourage that initial mindful breath. We're rating ease of use 7.0 out of 10. The app is genuinely easy to use for the vast majority of users, with intuitive navigation and simple playback. Minor friction points exist, particularly for free users exploring content boundaries, but don't significantly impact the subscriber experience.
Security & Privacy	7.0 For a mental health app, privacy and security are important considerations. Headspace has operated for 13+ years, maintains partnerships with major insurance companies, and has no history of significant data breaches. Key privacy considerations: Account Requirement: An account is required, which means meditation data is stored on Headspace's servers rather than locally on your device Health Insurance Integration: Accessing through insurance benefits likely involves data sharing with your insurance provider, though this is typically governed by healthcare privacy regulations Therapy Services: Using therapy and coaching features involves sharing sensitive mental health information with licensed professionals Data Collection: Standard usage data collection occurs, though we found no evidence of particularly concerning privacy violations No Major Breaches: No significant security breaches or data leaks appeared in our research What's less clear is transparency and user control. Privacy isn't prominently featured, and the mandatory account plus cloud storage may concern privacy-conscious users. The aggressive therapy service promotion also raises questions about how mental health interests are tracked and potentially used for marketing. The positive side: partnerships with healthcare providers suggest HIPAA compliance for health data protection. Thirteen years without major privacy scandals provides baseline reassurance. 7.0 out of 10. Adequate for most users, but not exceptional. Security practices appear solid, though privacy-focused users may prefer alternatives. Medito offers optional account-free usage with local data storage.	7.0 Calm handles user data responsibly with standard privacy practices appropriate for a wellness app. The company partners with major employers and insurance providers, which requires meeting enterprise-level security and privacy standards. With 50M+ downloads and partnerships with Fortune 500 companies, Calm maintains professional data protection practices. Security and privacy strengths: Enterprise Partnerships: Trusted by major employers for wellness programs, requiring robust security standards Standard Data Protection: Privacy policy clearly outlines data collection and usage practices No Breach History: No prominent reports of data breaches or privacy violations Account Security: Standard authentication with options for Google login integration Usage Tracking: Data collection limited to progress tracking, streaks, and content preferences Professional Standards: Scale and partnerships require meeting industry privacy standards The app collects usage data to track your meditation progress, favorite content, and streaks—standard for any app with personalization features. This data helps improve your experience by remembering preferences and providing personalized recommendations. The privacy policy outlines what data is collected and how it's used. Financial transactions are processed through Google Play Store, which provides an additional layer of security and familiar payment infrastructure. The Play Store handles payment information rather than the app storing it directly, following best practices for subscription apps. For users concerned about mental health data privacy, Calm's meditation and sleep content choices represent personal information. The app's enterprise partnerships and scale suggest they take this responsibility seriously, though as with any wellness app, users should review the privacy policy to understand data handling. Some users report billing questions during trial periods, which is common across subscription apps and typically relates to understanding trial terms rather than security issues. Standard subscription management through the Play Store provides familiar cancellation options for most users. The lack of data breach reports across millions of users and years of operation demonstrates solid security practices. For a wellness app trusted by major corporations, maintaining strong security and privacy standards is essential to business partnerships. We're rating security & privacy 7.0 out of 10. Calm maintains professional privacy practices appropriate for a wellness app with enterprise partnerships, handles user data responsibly, and shows no history of security breaches across millions of users.
Conclusion	Headspace has built a solid meditation library. The guided sessions, sleep stories, and content variety represent genuine quality. For users with insurance coverage, the value proposition remains strong despite the technical issues. The problem is the execution. The dramatic drop from 4.2 stars overall to 2.03 in recent reviews reflects real, widespread problems. Frequent crashes, slow loading, and confusing navigation undermine what should be a calming experience. The content quality remains high, but technical performance has deteriorated significantly. Until these stability and performance issues are addressed, it's difficult to recommend Headspace regardless of content quality. If the app doesn't work reliably, the meditation library becomes irrelevant. For a stable, free alternative, Medito offers excellent meditation content without technical issues or cost. Headspace needs to prioritize fixing these technical problems. Quality content deserves a functional foundation.	Calm has earned its position as a leading meditation and sleep app with 50M+ downloads, 4.8 stars on iOS, and 4.1 stars on Android. The celebrity-narrated sleep stories are genuinely special—falling asleep to Cillian Murphy, Bob Ross, or Rosé provides a premium experience that justifies the subscription for millions of users. The daily programs, extensive meditation library, and variety of soundscapes create comprehensive value. Long-term subscribers frequently mention Calm becoming essential to their nightly routine, helping with sleep quality and stress management over years of use. The production quality is excellent, the content library is extensive, and the app performs reliably for the vast majority of users. For those whose employers provide Calm subscriptions as a wellness benefit, it's an excellent value proposition. Recent Android reviews show some concerns—the last 100 reviews average 3.04 stars, lower than the overall rating. Some users mention billing confusion during free trials, occasional technical issues, and customer service responsiveness questions. These issues appear to affect a subset of Android users rather than representing the typical experience, but they're worth noting. If you're considering Calm, the free trial lets you explore the content library to see if the sleep stories and meditation programs work for you. The celebrity narrations and production quality differentiate it from competitors. For daily meditation and sleep improvement, Calm delivers substantial value that users rely on over years. Alternative options include Medito for free meditation content with no subscription required, and Headspace for premium content with different stylistic approach. But Calm's unique celebrity content and extensive library make it a strong choice for those committed to meditation and sleep improvement.
	Install Headspace	Install Calm
Our Recommendation