Apps and online care
Headspace vs Insight Timer
They differ on 8 of 10 things we check. No winner here: the better one is the one that fits what you need and how you'd pay.
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.
Insight Timer
Insight Timer gives you thousands of free guided meditations, sleep tracks and talks, plus a simple timer for silent practice.
Where they differ
- Good for
- Headspace: Beginners who want structured, short guided meditations; People dealing with everyday stress or trouble winding down for sleep
- Insight Timer: People who want a large free meditation and sleep library without paying; People who like choosing between many teachers and styles
- Probably not for
- Headspace: Anyone in crisis or thinking about suicide: call or text 988
- Insight Timer: Anyone in crisis: call or text 988
- Cost
- Headspace: $69.99/year or $12.99/month
- Insight Timer: Free version, or Free; MemberPlus $59.99/year or $9.99/month
- How you pay
- Headspace: I'll pay myself
- Insight Timer: Free, I'll pay myself
- Research
- Headspace: Strong research support
- Insight Timer: Some research support
- Privacy
- Headspace: Grade C
- Insight Timer: Grade B+
- Sells your data
- Headspace: Yes
- Insight Timer: No
- HIPAA
- Headspace: No
- Insight Timer: Not stated
The same for both: kind of help (an app i use on my own), where (iphone, android, web).
In crisis or thinking about suicide? In the US, call or text 988. This page is information from our reviews, not medical advice.