Apps and online care
Calm vs Headspace
They differ on 4 of 10 things we check. No winner here: the better one is the one that fits what you need and how you'd pay.
Calm
Calm helps you relax and sleep with guided meditations, Sleep Stories, music and breathing exercises.
Headspace
You pick short guided meditations, courses on stress, anxiety or sleep, sleepcasts and focus music, and do a few minutes a day on your phone.
Where they differ
- Good for
- Calm: Beginners who want short guided meditations; People who fall asleep better with stories, soundscapes or music
- Headspace: Beginners who want structured, short guided meditations; People dealing with everyday stress or trouble winding down for sleep
- Probably not for
- Calm: Anyone in crisis: call or text 988
- Headspace: Anyone in crisis or thinking about suicide: call or text 988
- Cost
- Calm: Free version, or $79.99/year or $16.99/month
- Headspace: $69.99/year or $12.99/month
- How you pay
- Calm: Free, I'll pay myself
- Headspace: I'll pay myself
The same for both: kind of help (an app i use on my own), where (iphone, android, web), research (strong research support), privacy (grade c), sells your data (yes), hipaa (no).
In crisis or thinking about suicide? In the US, call or text 988. This page is information from our reviews, not medical advice.