10 Best Mindfulness Meditation Apps Review for 2020
Hi Guys, Welcome back for today’s post I will be covering some of the best Mindfulness Meditation Apps.
My 2nd review now for Meditation 24×7 after the one I wrote about the Light and Sound Machines. See Here. Anyway, who would have ever thought it – Something as spiritual as Meditation being paired with something as soulless as Technology?
Personally myself it didn’t occur to me how many apps for Meditating there actually are, but incredibly as we begin the next decade of the 21st Century it seems to me that everything and its accessories have an app these days. And that is including Meditation and Mindfulness.
So today this is exactly what I am going to cover. I see something online about how popular these Meditation Mindfulness apps are becoming and it did make me think. What are the best Mindfulness Meditation Apps?
There are a few I see after doing my research and I could have easily written about the 15 or 20 best Meditation Mindfulness Apps but to keep this as short and sweet as possible I have just chosen 10. So without further ado here we are;
The 10 Best Mindfulness Meditation Apps available for 2020.
1.) Insight Timer (5/5)
Available on iOS and Android
Overview:
Claims to have the largest free library of guided meditations on earth. The popular platform offers a 100% free user-friendly database of information of a wide variety, including an introduction to meditation’s, intention setting and walking meditations, plus meditations for healing and wellness.
Pros and Cons:
From what I can gather being somebody who has never used this app I have only heard good things. As mentioned above Insight Timer offers an easy to use, user-friendly interface with a wide variety of classes, resources and even music. There is also a social aspect including a social networking feature for things like group meditation. There is also a Meditation timer probably where the name comes from. As for cons – Only works on Smart Phones and Kindle. The Kindle version I have read can be a real battery drainer as is constantly running on the background of your device.
Website here: https://insighttimer.com/
2.) Calm (4/5)
Available on iOS, Android and PC
Overview:
Apparently the #1 App for Meditation and Sleep. Includes programs for less stress, how to lose anxiety and breathing exercises. Plus get a better nights sleep with guided meditations, sleep stories and relaxing music. Recommended by top psychiatrists, therapists, and mental health experts.
Pros and Cons:
Firstly the biggest Pro is compatibility on all platforms. The User Interface is easy enough, and there is a good selection of resources available including children’s bedtime stories.
The Cons: apart from a 7 Day Free Trial this app is not free to use.
To activate free trial Calm asks for your card details to proceed. It’s not a bad app but I myself personally if I was using a Smart Phone I would go with Insight Timer.
Maybe a good choice for PC if you don’t mind paying membership.
Website here: https://www.calm.com
3.) Smiling Mind (4/5)
Available on iOS, Android and Web
Overview:
Smiling Mind is a unique tool developed by psychologists and educators for Mindfulness and Meditation training. A 100% free program from a non-profit organization. Fully compatible with all devices including PC and Kindle. It’s user-friendly and very direct with training.
Pros and Cons:
Where to start Smiling Mind is 100% free and fully compatible with all devices. I can’t say much bad about this program at all. In fact, this was the first meditation app that I ever tried out, and my experience I would say has been generally positive. On the downside, if there is one, Smiling Mind maybe lacks the content of other paid programs such as Insight Timer and Calm.
Website Here: https://www.smilingmind.com.au/
4.) Stop Breathe and Think (3.5/5)
Available on iOS, and Android
Overview:
Stop Breathe and Think is a free mindfulness, meditation and compassion building tool for middle-school students, high-school students, and adults. An excellent tool for teachers looking to teach Mindfulness and Meditation to their classes.
Pros and Cons:
Pros: Curated list of meditations makes the app feel new and engaging with every use. Cons: Only available on iOS and Android. Lack of step-by-step guidance for inexperienced meditators.
Website Here: https://www.stopbreathethink.com/
5.) UCLA Mindful App 3/5
Available on iOS and Android
Overview:
Developed by the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Centre. Practice Mindfulness Meditation anywhere, anytime with the guidance of the UCLA with 8 exciting free programs.
Pros and Cons:
Pros: Based on Scientific research. Free to use. Available in English and Spanish
Cons: Only has a dozen programs at this current time plus bonus podcasts.
Problems on the iOS version.
Website Here: https://www.uclahealth.org/ucla-mindful
6.) Ten Percent Happier App (4/5)
Available on iOS and Android
Overview:
Co-founded by ABC News Anchor Dan Harris, and originally known as Change Collective. 10% Happier has a library of currently 2 dozen courses that has grown considerably over the past few years. It claims to be a more no-nonsense platform with a more direct approach to Mindfulness and Meditation.
Pros and Cons:
No nonsense approach, a vast amount of content, and professional instructors including Sharon Salzburg, and Joseph Goldstein. Unfortunately, though the Free version is very limited. Paid membership costs around $8.25 a month.
Website Here: https://www.tenpercent.com/
7.) The Mindfulness App 4.5/5
Available on iOS and Android
Overview:
Start your journey to a more relaxed and healthier state of mind with The Mindfulness App. Whether you are just starting out or more experienced, using meditation The Mindfulness App will help you to become more present in your daily life.
Included you will find:
– A five-day guided introduction to Mindfulness
– Guided and silent timed sessions from 3 to 30 minutes
– Reminders and statistics to stay focused on your practice
– A library filled with premium meditations and courses
Pros and Cons:
Pros: Simple, Easy to follow. It offers a decent catalog of meditation tracks with and without narrators.
Cons: A reasonable price but still needs a paid subscription to use.
Website Here: https://themindfulnessapp.com/
8.) Buddhify (4.5)
Available on iOS and Android
Overview:
Designed as a meditation on the go virtual Interface. Included you will find:
– Over 200 meditations to help with overcoming anxiety, stress, sleep, pain, and difficult emotions
– Mindfulness exercises you can do wherever you are
– Sessions for complete beginners and those with more experience
– A range of experienced teachers so you can choose the voice and style that’s right for you
– Kids content for the little people in your life
– Plus Brand new Membership, available as an optional in-app purchase with a range of additional features for those looking to take their practice further
Pros and Cons:
Pros: Low-cost one-time signup fee. No subscription. Suitable for use when traveling. A diverse range of Meditations and teachers. Cons: Some issues with new updates.
Website Here: https://buddhify.com
9.) Reflectly (3/5)
Available on iOS and Android
Overview:
Reflectly is a journal utilizing A.I to help you structure and reflect upon your daily thoughts and problems. Uses positive psychology, mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy to help you to thrive in life and to give you the personal tools and mindset to overcome negative thoughts.
Pros and Cons:
Back to my earlier point about meditation being paired with something as soulless as technology. Personally, anything to me with artificial intelligence scares the hell out of me. I think this app is probably a bit of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. When John Conner sends a T1 back to the past to stop reflectly everyone will see why.
Jokes aside from what I have read this can be a convenient tool for journaling your moods from day to day but the A.I can for some people be kind of annoying. It also has supposedly a lot of problems with the interface and at times according to some people, it does not reflect their mood in no way whatsoever.
Website Here: https://www.reflectly.io/
10.) Aura: Meditation and Mindfulness (4/5)
Available on iOS and Android
Overview:
Aura is the best, AI-driven mindfulness meditation app for anyone interested in reducing stress & anxiety; Aura provides short and sweet, science-backed, and personalized mindfulness meditation exercises every day to make you happier. It enhances the meditation experience and it’s fun.
– Relieve stress & anxiety with a 3-minute guided meditation session every day.
– Choose how you’re feeling and receive the best meditation for you
– Rate your experience, and Aura will learn about you to provide a better session every time.
– Listen to meditations specifically created for your feelings, whenever you need
– Track your mood, learn about your mood patterns, and visually see yourself improve
– Take a mindful break whenever you need
– Receive daily reminders for mindful breathers and meditations
– Express gratitude as a habit through daily reflections
– Integrated with Apple Health
– Various relaxation sounds and music for unguided meditations before sleep
– Perfect for beginners who want to learn how to meditate
– Receive daily meditations just for you today
Pros and Cons:
Pros: Without paying for the premium version you can only do one short practice a day, but the community section and the relaxing sounds section are available to use whenever. Cons: Limited Free Options. It can be very disappointing for people who download this app who can’t afford to use the premium features.
Website Here: https://www.aurahealth.io/
In Conclusion
So despite what I’ve said about how technology has no place in meditation, I think that I might wrong at least to a certain degree. Looking at these apps there is a little bit of something for everyone. There’s Insight Timer and Calm for people that want the whole package even if it’s more than they can use.
There’s Smiling Mind and UCLA which are both great and don’t cost a penny. Buddhify for people to meditate whilst traveling and 10% Happier for anyone that prefers a different approach plus the others but enough said already. If anyone has any questions or would like to let me know your thoughts in the comments below as always will be great to hear from you.
I’m a school teacher and try to introduce meditation to my classes some of which are as young as five. The earlier we can introduce meditation and mindfulness to children the better I say. They can do it too and many of my students have actually looked forward to it. So, the Stop, Breathe and Think app would be great for me. Thanks
Hi Martine, I think this was the one I tried out as was the only one I could get on my desktop for free. As for meditation and mindfulness for children, I see there is quite a lot of programs to use. I think maybe mindfulness could be a good thing as children are so impressionable and a bit of forward-thinking can go a long way in the right situations. What do you think of the post in general if you don’t mind me asking should I add more to some of the different sections I thought it was a bit rushed to be fair.
Hi
I liked this as I have been thinking about looking into some of these myself, I like that you gave a helpful review of the apps without saying that you liked one over the others, this was helpful for me, so thank you for the review.
There are so many options for meditating that it is mindblowing! I know that there are many different ways to meditate and you have brought here a good summary of the very best meditation apps.
Would you recommend using several meditation apps at the same time or try only one and give it a chance?
Paulina
Hi Paulina, You could always try a few but I would suggest the best way is to just try and find which one works best for you. I would suggest maybe insight timer or 10% happier.
I tried a few apps a few years ago and didn’t “feel it” to be honest.
I’m restarting my effort to learn how to meditate though.
I’m going to try a couple of these and see if things have changed.
Hi Lee, Yes there is lots of ways to learn more about meditating. I hope you find what is right for you.