The Best Meditation Apps for Everday Mindfulness
MEDITATE / med·i·tate / : to engage in contemplation or reflection / to engage in mental exercise (such as concentration on one’s breathing or repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness
Meditation is something we’re hearing more about every day, from expected and unexpected sources. From friends to our significant others, most everyone we know is talking about meditation. Whether used to help the busy-bee slowdown and be more present or to help you deal with a specific stressful situation, we’re into meditation and we’re excited about innovation in the space.
We’ve done both app-based and in-studio meditation (check out our full review of MNDFL NYC here), and have noticed meditation is something that requires consistency to get the most out of your practice. That’s why we love meditation apps, and there is no shortage of options on the market. Today we’re sharing with you some of the best meditation apps to help find your inner zen and bring a little more mindfulness to your everyday.
Our Favorite Meditation Apps
- Headspace
- Inscape
- The Mindfulness App
- Calm
- Stop, Breathe Think
- 10 Percent
- Smiling Mind
Headspace (BD Pick for Best Everyday Meditation App):
-Offers hundreds of guided meditations, that very clearly, tell you what to do
-Subjects include sleep, focus, and exercise
-Headspace offers 3 10-day meditations for the beginner
-Sessions range anywhere from 2 – 30 minutes, allowing you to meditate
-Headspace offers meditations for kids too with subjects like kindness, calm, and focus
-Price: $12.99/month or $94.99/year
-Follow on IG: headspace
Inscape
-Offers guided meditation session for beginners, intermediate, and advanced meditators
-Sessions range from 5-85 minutes
-Personalized content based on personal goals, experiences, and time of day
-Integrate your Inscape app to Apple Health app to track mindful minutes
-In-studio mediation available in NYC in Flatiron district
-Price: $7.99/month or $58.99/year
-Follow on IG: inscape
Themindfulnessapp
– Five-day guided introduction to meditation
– Offers both and guided and silent sessions
– Sessions range from 3 to 30 minutes
– Reminders and stats to help you stay focused on your practice as well as notices to help you stay mindful throughout your day
-200+ Guided meditations by world’s most influential teachers
-Price: $9.99/month or $59.99/year
-Follow on IG: themindfulnessapp
Calm (BD Pick Best Meditation App to Help You Sleep)
-Topics include inner peace, stress relief, and focus your energy
-Sessions range from 3 – 35 min
-Extensive “white noise” music library to transport you during your meditation
-Our favorite feature is the library of sleep meditations. While these are not exactly used in the true sense of teaching you to meditate, the stories read in a calming voice help you to doze off almost immediately!
-Offers tracks for beginners, intermediate, and experienced meditators. Calm masterclasses are added monthly for the meditation guru!
-Price: $12.99/month or $59.99/year
-Follow on IG: calm
Stop, Breathe, Think
-Helps you to decide which guided meditation is best for you at any given moment by promoting emotional, physical, and mental check-ins, prior to customizing a curated list of tracks
-Sessions range from 2 – 15 minutes
-A unique feature of Stop, Breathe, Think is the visualization exercises offered (we love transporting ourselves to a relaxing destination)
-Ability to play “white noise” (like nature or rain) with a meditation timer or breathing timer guiding you through (think: inhale and exhale)
-Price: FREE! Premium is $9.99/month or $70.00/year (for adults + kids)
-Follow on IG: sbtbreathe
10 Percent
-Designed for the skeptics, they offer a clear and simple approach to meditation through use of videos and guided meditations
-Updates content weekly ranging from coping with stress/anxiety and for activities like walking or falling asleep
-Offers practical advice for applying mindfulness to your day-to-day
-Integrate your Inscape app to Apple Health app to track mindful minutes
-Price: $7.99/month
-Follow on IG: 10percent
Smilingmind (BD Pick to Learn + Master Meditation / Best Free Meditation App)
-Offers a 42-Session meditation course to really master the art of meditation
-Created by an Australian not-for-profit to make mindfulness accessible to all (YES all tracks are with an Australian accent!)
-Sessions range from 1 – 20 minutes
-Great for kids! Entertain your littles and help them learn with Smilingmind’s kid’s programs beginning at 7-9 up to 18 years old
-Smilingmind has a sport, education, and workplace offering, unique to this app
-Recently launched “Mind the Bump” for couples going through pregnancy and preparing for baby
-Price: TOTALLY FREE / Donations Accepted (this is major!)
-Follow on IG: smilingmind
You Tell Us: Have you tried meditation? Share your favorite apps, places, and ways to practice with us!
All things beautiful,
