The average American spends roughly five and a half hours a day on their phone. Let that sink in for a moment. Smartphones are an infinite resource, but most of our time on them is spent answering emails, scrolling on social media, or boredom-swiping on dating apps. As such, phones typically feel like the complete opposite of mindfulness.
However, there are dozens of apps that emphasize the opportunity that smartphones have as a tool to aid our mindfulness practices, particularly because we carry them with us 24/7. Mindfulness apps provide the opportunity to learn and test different resources and schedules that work best for YOU— whether you prefer to tune into gentle guided body-scan meditations before bed or ambient noise tracks at lunchtime, there are infinite possibilities.
We thoroughly tested a number of different mindfulness apps (which was perhaps the most relaxing research process ever), and these are our five favorite choices:
Insight Timer
Out of all of the completely free options available, Insight Timer was our top pick. The app is available on iOS and Android, and while it doesn’t offer as much hands-on guidance as some other apps we tested out, we’d still recommend it as a good beginner option.
The app does offer some guided meditations, music, and ambient sounds, but our favorite part was that Insight Timer allows users to set a session time — whether that’s three minutes or 30. When the session is up, meditators are gently brought back into awareness with gentle alarm sounds. With over 200,000 reviews on the app store, we’re not surprised that Insight Timer has a rating of 4.9 stars.
Mindfulness Daily
As the name suggests, Mindfulness Daily was designed to help establish a daily routine of mindfulness practices. Perfect for beginners, the app urges users to practice for a few minutes in the morning, at midday, and before bed. This is a great choice for anyone who doesn’t know where to start and might need some hand-holding, as it creates a more structured routine.
The app also tracks how many days in a row that users stick to the routine, as an added incentive to cultivate a more consistent mindfulness practice. Mindfulness Daily is available for free on iOS and Android, although there are some more in-depth practices available as a paid option as well, and has a 4.7 average rating with almost 8,000 reviews.
Calm
There’s a reason that this app touts itself as the #1 app for meditation and sleep. Calm has a staggering 700,000+ reviews and an average rating of 4.8. The Android and iOS app is free to download, and offers an initial course called “7 Days of Calm,” which introduces users to mindfulness meditation as a whole as well as a mix of both guided and unguided meditations.
A premium subscription unlocks countless guided meditations and multi-day courses, which are particularly helpful for those who prefer structure in order to establish consistent practice.
The Mindfulness App
The perfect starting-place for those who know nothing about meditation, The Mindfulness App is akin to a training program. Users begin with a five-day introduction to mindfulness as a whole, in addition to guided meditations to familiarize users with the general mechanics of meditating. The app also offers various customizable meditations (both silent and guided) and a wide range of session times, so users can build up their practice over time.
The Mindfulness App is free, but they also offer a massive array of courses and guided meditations with their premium paid subscription option. The app boasts a 4.7 rating with over 2,000 reviews, but it’s important to note that it’s currently only available on iOS.
Headspace
Arguably the most widely-known mindfulness app, Headspace is backed by several scientific studies and includes hundreds of meditation sessions designed for all walks of life. The app aims to help users establish a daily practice of at least 10 minutes a day, but doesn’t limit them to a specific format or type of practice. If users are having trouble falling asleep, dealing with stress at work, or feeling anxious, Headspace has a solution.
The iOS and Android app offers a free basic plan, but their full range of content is available via subscription. With over 600,000 reviews and an average app store rating of 4.9, Headspace is a highly-trusted app.
