I find meditation apps to be incredibly useful but there are so many available that it’s difficult to know which to choose; I should know, as I’ve tried quite a few. So sit up straight, focus on your breath leaving your nostrils and begin counting One to Ten, odd breath in, even out.

Mindfulness, Awakening, Sleeping and Insomnia

Perhaps it seems strange that I would choose to write about meditation apps on a book blog, but since I’ve already compiled a list of my favourite books on meditation and mindfulness, as well as books on spiritual awakening and nonduality, I thought why not? Meditation apps are also something I use for help with insomnia and sleeping.

There are so many on the market, with new ones popping up all the time. Some might say that they all do the same thing, and sure why do you need them anyway? Don’t you just follow your breath/sit in open awareness/repeat a mantra? Pick a method and follow it through all the way to enlightenment?

Sure, and that sounds easy. But not everyone takes to meditation just as quickly as that, and guidance from an experienced meditator can be crucial. No one wants to spend hours sitting in silence, wondering if they are doing it right. I like a mix of guided meditations and solo practice.

Are these the best meditation apps on the market? Not necessarily, as I haven’t used them all (yet). But let’s look at the ones that I’ve found useful and are my favourites.

Insight Timer

Insight Timer was one of the first free meditation apps I downloaded, back in 2016. Even though I’ve discovered other apps since then, I keep returning to this one. In fact, I’ve recently become a premium member, for reasons I’ll explain later.

When you first download the app, it can seem a bit unwieldy. For a free app, it has an incredible amount of content - approximately 130,000 guided meditations, which should take you all the way to enlightenment across a couple of lifetimes.

Breath meditation, mantras, body scans, heart based techniques, nature sounds, bells, white noise and singing bowls - whatever you’re after, you’ll find it here. There are some great beginner courses, and a huge range of teachers, so it can feel a bit overwhelming. My advice is to just explore and experiment, and find the right technique/teacher for you. There’s no one size fits all when it comes to meditation.

Another of the strengths of Insight Timer is that it feels more social than many other apps - there’s a real sense of community to it. You can engage with teachers, meditate with others in real time, and chat with other students.

I mentioned earlier that I recently became a subscriber - the reasons for this is that I’ve used so much free content over the years, so decided to give something back. I also enjoy yoga nidras and don’t always have access to broadband, and premium membership gives me the opportunity to download them. In saying that, it’s one of the best free meditation apps without a subscription required - dive in.

Waking Up

Waking up is developed by the author and broadcaster Sam Harris, and has become one of my favourite apps, meditation or otherwise. When I began to explore meditation and mindfulness in depth, this was the app I turned to.

It’s straightforward to know where to start with this app - there’s a 30 day course that introduces you to various concepts, with mediations to guide you. You then focus on becoming more present, understanding your mind, and deconstructing the self.

And that’s not the only course - Adyashanti, Loch Kelly and Henry Shukman all feature, to name a few. As well as practice, there is a section on theory, conversations, questions and answers and a section on life, which is related to the meditation section and enjoyable as a podcast.

It takes a different approach to other meditation apps because of the approach, which is centred around non-dual mindfulness. You’re learning more about the nature of consciousness, and exploring the illusory self.

I never tire of dipping into this and learn something every time. In the past few days I’ve enjoyed meditating with one of my favourite teachers, Adyashanti; practised Yoga Nidra in the wee hours of the morning with Kelly Boys; listened to Alan Watts expound on ‘The Veil of Thoughts’ and enjoyed Jayasara read the words of Nisargadatta Maharaj.

So much quality contact on this one, for me there’s nothing superfluous here. I’m happy to pay a subscription for this one but if you have concerns about cost, just get in touch with support - it’s free for those who can’t afford it. I’ve also gifted this one to family members, so highly do I think of it. When people ask ‘are meditation apps worth it?’ - I tend to guide them to this one.

Calm

I should say from the outset that I’m no longer a subscriber to the Calm app, but I did use it long enough to feel that I can offer an opinion on it. And everyone has different ideas on what the uses of a meditation app should be, and this has plenty going for it.

There’s a free version of the app, which has plenty of features - daily meditations, breathing exercises and even some bedtime stories thrown in to help insomnia - this is one of the best meditation apps for sleep. For many folks, there’ll be enough there to keep you going back.

But honestly, I got a lot out of the subscription, which I found perfectly reasonable priced for the content on offer. There are meditations to help with relationships, anxiety, for kids, body work, white noise - I could go on and on.

I also really liked the bedtime stories, which helped me during a period of insomnia. Personal favourites include Matthew muh·ko·nuh·hay reading a short story called ‘Wonder’, and Cillian Murphy taking you on a train journey across Ireland.

There’s an absolute ton of content on this one, which is why it’s seen as one of the best meditation apps, and it’s really simple to navigate. The only reason I no longer use it is because my meditation practice moved in a different direction but this is a super app, especially for beginners.

Headspace

Speaking of beginners, Headspace is where many meditators begin their journey, and it’s easy to see why. So good is this app that I’ve gifted a subscription to friends and loved ones.

I really like the beginners course on this one, short lessons that nail the basics. It’s got an excellent design, so then it becomes easy to navigate the sessions on body scans, visualizations, breathing techniques and loving-kindness meditations whilst not forgetting about self esteem, relationships and the ever important sleep.

Decently priced and with a special discount, it’s one of the best meditation apps for students.

Spotify

If you have a Spotify subscription, you have a ton of content to access -Under the podcast option, you will find lots of teachers or spiritual guides. There are too many to mention, so I’m just going to include my own favourites.

I’m completely besotted with the ‘Wisdom of the Masters’ channel, with meditations read by Samaneri Jayasara, a Buddhist nun in the Theravadin Forest tradition, based in NSW Australia, who has the most soothing and compassionate voice. I try to listen to her daily, and I should say you can also find her on Insight timer and Waking up.

I’ve also recently discovered the sweet joy of Yoga Nidra, and Ally Boothroyd has been my teacher there. Not forgetting Eckhart Tolle, Simply Always Awake, Adyashanti - just too many to mention.

Plum Village

Plum Village was a particular favourite of mine a couple of years ago, during that worldwide event where we all had to stay home for a bit. It was during this mad time that I fell for the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.

The beloved monk and peace activist is the inspiration behind these guided meditations, dharma discussions, and deep breathing exercises. But it is his talks which for me are the greatest feature.

It’s a free meditation app and lovingly created, easy to navigate and use. If you get as much use out of it as I did, please donate what you can. I've also sat an online retreat with the village, and hope to one day do the same in person.

Summary

As you can probably tell, there’s a lot of crossover between the best meditation apps, so you’re after the one that has all the features you need, perhaps concentrates on your preferrred style of meditation with your favourite teachers, and suits your pocket. Hey, even those of wishing to become enlightened have a budget.

Do meditation apps work? Well, many people will say you don’t need an App; just sit. And that’s fine, and it’s something I do daily. But I think no matter whether you’re a beginner or a yogi, there’s something soothing and rewarding about using a guided meditation. Finding the right one can lead to a breakthrough in your practice, or make you more committed to getting on the cushion every day.

I’ve enjoyed the apps mentioned at various stages in my life, and I mostly keep coming back to them. There’s no best meditation app, only the one that suits your needs now. Explore, listen, and find peace between thoughts.

Let me know below if you have a particular favourite.

May you be happy, may you be well, may you be free from suffering.