Compare Calm and Thunder VPN: Which App is the Best?

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.

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.

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.

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.