Apps and online care
Healthy Minds Program vs Headspace
They differ on 6 of 10 things we check. No winner here: the better one is the one that fits what you need and how you'd pay.
Healthy Minds Program
You pick a short guided meditation or a podcast-style lesson, and can also do 'active' practices while walking or doing chores.
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
- Healthy Minds Program: People who want a free, research-based meditation program; Busy people who prefer short or on-the-go practice
- Headspace: Beginners who want structured, short guided meditations; People dealing with everyday stress or trouble winding down for sleep
- Probably not for
- Healthy Minds Program: Anyone in crisis (call or text 988)
- Headspace: Anyone in crisis or thinking about suicide: call or text 988
- Cost
- Healthy Minds Program: Free
- Headspace: $69.99/year or $12.99/month
- How you pay
- Healthy Minds Program: Free
- Headspace: I'll pay myself
- Where
- Healthy Minds Program: iPhone, Android
- Headspace: iPhone, Android, Web
- HIPAA
- Healthy Minds Program: Not stated
- Headspace: No
The same for both: kind of help (an app i use on my own), research (strong research support), privacy (grade c), sells your data (yes).
In crisis or thinking about suicide? In the US, call or text 988. This page is information from our reviews, not medical advice.