Find the meditation app that actually fits you
Calm, Headspace, and Insight Timer each do something well. Here's an honest look at how they compare with StillMind on pricing, personalisation, session length, and journaling.
If you're weighing meditation apps, it helps to compare them on the things that actually shape your practice: how you pay, how much they personalise, how long sessions run, and whether you can journal.
This page lays out where StillMind, Calm, Headspace, and Insight Timer differ, including what each one does well, so you can pick the app that fits how you meditate.
How the apps compare
Objective factors that shape day-to-day practice. Each app is strong at something different.
| Feature | StillMind | Headspace | Calm | Insight Timer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best known for | AI meditation personalised to your moment | A friendly, structured path into meditation | Celebrity Sleep Stories and deep relaxation | A vast free library and meditation community |
| How content is created | AI guidance generated for your situation each practice | Structured courses with a warm, animated style | Celebrity-narrated Sleep Stories, music, and soundscapes | Thousands of teachers across many traditions |
| Library approach | Personalised instead of a large catalogue | Curated, structured catalogue | Large curated catalogue | Very large free community library |
| Personalisation | Generated for how you feel right now | Guided courses with progress paths | Curated picks and daily recommendations | Filter by mood, topic, and length |
| Session length | Short by default, you set the length | Short to medium guided sessions | Short sessions to longer Sleep Stories | Wide range, plus a simple timer |
| Journaling | Built-in private voice and written journal, encrypted | Mood check-ins | Daily mood check-ins | Notes and progress stats |
| Momentum and streaks | Momentum tracking, no streak pressure | Streaks and run stats | Daily Calm streaks | Streaks and milestones |
| Best suited for | Personalised, private practice with journaling | Learning meditation through structured courses | Sleep, relaxation, and calming content | Exploring a huge free library of teachers |
Choosing a meditation app
What are the best alternatives to Calm and Headspace?
Popular alternatives include Insight Timer (a large free library of sessions from many teachers), Waking Up (philosophy and Sam Harris's guided series), Medito (a free, donation-funded nonprofit app), and StillMind (AI guidance generated for your situation, with built-in journaling). The right pick depends on whether you want a big catalogue, one teacher's approach, a free option, or personalised sessions. Try two and keep the one that fits your routine.
Is there a meditation app without a subscription?
Yes. Medito is free and funded by donations. Insight Timer offers a large free tier with an optional paid membership for courses. Waking Up sells access but offers free scholarships if you ask. StillMind provides a free tier plus a one-time option rather than relying only on a recurring subscription. If cost matters most, start with a genuinely free app and pay only if a feature earns it.
What is a good meditation app if I find Calm or Headspace overwhelming?
If a large library feels like too much, look for apps that reduce choice. StillMind skips the giant catalogue and generates one personalised session for how you feel right now. Medito keeps things simple with a small, clearly guided set of courses. Waking Up follows one structured path rather than endless options. A smaller, clearer starting point often helps you actually meditate instead of scrolling.
What meditation app is best for ADHD or shorter sessions?
For shorter practice, look for flexible lengths and low pressure. StillMind defaults to short sessions, lets you set the length, and tracks momentum without streak pressure, which many people with ADHD prefer. Insight Timer has plenty of brief sessions and a simple timer. Medito offers short, clearly structured courses. The goal is a session you can finish, not a long one you abandon halfway.
Is there a meditation app that personalises to how I feel?
StillMind is built around this: you share how you feel, and it generates guidance for that moment rather than pointing you to a fixed recording. Headspace and Calm offer recommendations and mood check-ins that suggest content based on your input. Insight Timer lets you filter by mood, topic, and length. If in-the-moment personalisation matters most, an app that generates or filters by feeling is worth trying.
What meditation app also lets me journal?
StillMind includes built-in journaling by voice or writing, kept private and encrypted, so reflection sits alongside your practice. Calm and Headspace include mood check-ins that capture how you feel over time. Insight Timer records notes and progress stats. If pairing meditation with regular written or spoken reflection matters to you, check whether journaling is built in or whether you'd add a separate notes app.
How do I choose the right meditation app for me?
Start with what you actually want from meditation. For a big free library, try Insight Timer or Medito. For structured learning, Headspace. For sleep and relaxation, Calm. For one teacher's philosophy, Waking Up. For personalised sessions with built-in journaling, StillMind. Pick two or three, use each for a week, and keep the one you return to without forcing yourself. Fit matters more than the feature list.
Compare StillMind to each app in detail
Try meditation that's shaped around you
StillMind generates a guided practice for how you feel right now, with private journaling built in. Start free, see if it fits, and there's no subscription required to begin.