Headspace and Calm dominate the meditation app market.

Both cost $70/year. Both have millions of users. Both promise to transform your life.

Which is better? And do you even need to pay?

Headspace vs Calm: Quick Overview

FeatureHeadspaceCalm
Price$70/year$70/year
Free trial7 days7 days
Meditation styleStructured coursesBrowse and explore
VoiceAndy PuddicombeMultiple narrators
Sleep contentSleep casts, sleepcastsSleep stories (celebrities)
AnimationsYes, illustratedMinimal
ApproachMore educationalMore relaxation-focused

Headspace: Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:

  • Structured programs — Courses that build on each other
  • Educational approach — Teaches you WHY meditation works
  • Animations — Cute explainers that make concepts stick
  • Andy Puddicombe — Consistent, calming voice throughout
  • Move Mode — Guided exercise and movement

Weaknesses:

  • One main voice — If you don’t like Andy, limited options
  • Less sleep content — Calm has better sleep stories
  • Can feel repetitive — Animation style throughout
  • Structured can feel limiting — Less freedom to explore

Best for:

  • Complete beginners
  • People who like structure
  • Those who want to understand meditation, not just do it
  • Users who prefer one consistent guide

Calm: Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:

  • Sleep stories — Celebrity narrated (Matthew McConaughey, Harry Styles)
  • More variety — Multiple teachers and styles
  • Relaxation focus — Great for stress relief
  • Nature scenes — Beautiful visual ambiance
  • Daily Calm — New content every day

Weaknesses:

  • Less structured — Can feel overwhelming
  • Less educational — More “do” less “understand”
  • Premium feels essential — Free tier is very limited
  • Sleep focus — Meditation content less robust than Headspace

Best for:

  • People who struggle with sleep
  • Those who want variety in voices/styles
  • Users who prefer exploring over structured courses
  • Anyone who wants relaxation more than education

Head-to-Head Comparison

For beginners:

Winner: Headspace The structured courses teach meditation properly. Calm assumes you know what you’re doing.

For sleep:

Winner: Calm Sleep stories are genuinely excellent. Celebrity narration adds something.

For anxiety:

Winner: Tie Both have good anxiety content. Headspace is more educational, Calm more soothing.

For value:

Winner: Neither $70/year for meditation guidance is expensive when free alternatives exist.

For interface:

Winner: Calm Headspace is good, but Calm is beautiful.

The Free Alternatives

MeditationApp (Free)

Core meditation and breathing without subscription.

What you get:

  • Guided meditations for stress, sleep, anxiety
  • Breathing exercises
  • Progress tracking
  • No ads, no premium upsells

What you don’t get:

  • Thousands of sessions
  • Celebrity sleep stories
  • Daily new content

Download →

Insight Timer (Free)

The largest free meditation library.

What you get:

  • 100,000+ meditations
  • Multiple teachers and styles
  • Timer for unguided practice
  • Community

What you don’t get:

  • Curated quality
  • Structured courses

Smiling Mind (Free)

Australian nonprofit. 100% free.

What you get:

  • Programs by age and goal
  • Family content
  • No premium tier

What you don’t get:

  • Sleep stories
  • Variety

Should You Pay for Headspace or Calm?

Pay if:

  • You’ve tried free apps and want more
  • You specifically want sleep stories (Calm)
  • You want structured courses with depth (Headspace)
  • $70/year is easily affordable

Don’t pay if:

  • You’re new to meditation (try free first)
  • You meditate occasionally
  • You mainly need basic guided sessions
  • Budget is tight

The Honest Recommendation

Try this first:

  1. Download MeditationApp — free, no subscription pressure
  2. Build a 30-day habit with free content
  3. If you want more, try Headspace OR Calm’s free trial
  4. Only subscribe if the premium content feels essential

Most people don’t need premium meditation apps. The fundamentals — guided breathing, body scans, focused attention — are available free.

What you’re paying for with Headspace/Calm:

  • Production quality
  • Variety/quantity
  • Celebrity content (Calm)
  • Structured education (Headspace)

Worth $70/year to some. Not essential for meditation.

FAQ

Is Headspace better than Calm? Different, not better. Headspace for education and structure. Calm for relaxation and sleep.

Which has better sleep content? Calm, clearly. The sleep stories are their killer feature.

Can I actually meditate with free apps? Absolutely. The meditation itself is the same. Premium is about extras.

Is the lifetime subscription worth it? Calm offers lifetime for ~$400. If you’ll use it for 6+ years, maybe.

What about students/discounts? Both offer student discounts (Headspace ~$10/year for students). Check current offers.

Related reads:

— Dolce