Skip to content

Top Navigation

Shape Shape
  • Fitness
  • Health and Wellness
  • Food & Nutrition
  • Fashion and Beauty
  • Lifestyle
  • News and Trends
  • About SHAPE

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Your Profile
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Log Out
Login
Pin FB

Explore Shape

Shape Shape
  • Explore

    Explore

    • The Best Inner-Thigh Exercises of All Time

      The Best Inner-Thigh Exercises of All Time

      16 trainer approved thigh exercises Read More
    • Why You're Gaining Weight While Working Out and Eating Well

      Why You're Gaining Weight While Working Out and Eating Well

      Gaining weight while working out is totally normal. Here's what you need to know about that number on the scale post-sweat sesh. Read More
    • Ultimate Guide to Strength Training for Beginners

      Ultimate Guide to Strength Training for Beginners

      This total-body beginner weight lifting routine is the easiest way to ease into strength training as a newbie. Read More
  • Fitness

    Fitness

    See All Fitness
    Here's What a Perfectly Balanced Weekly Workout Schedule Looks Like

    Here's What a Perfectly Balanced Weekly Workout Schedule Looks Like

    Follow this expert-backed gym regimen to give your results a major boost.
    • Workouts
    • Cardio
    • Strength Training
    • Bodyweight Training
    • Yoga
    • Exercise Recovery
    • Low Impact
    • Race Training
    • Workout Trends
    • Motivation
  • Health and Wellness

    Health and Wellness

    See All Health and Wellness
    The Best Foods for Hair Growth, According to Dietitians

    The Best Foods for Hair Growth, According to Dietitians

    While your diet is only one factor to determine how fast your hair grows, there are certain foods that experts say can speed up the process. Learn how to support your stands from the inside out.
    • Sleep
    • Sleep
    • Mental Health
    • Healthy IRL
  • Food & Nutrition

    Food & Nutrition

    See All Food & Nutrition
    Is It Better to Drink a Protein Shake Before or After a Workout?

    Is It Better to Drink a Protein Shake Before or After a Workout?

    Protein is essential for building bigger and stronger muscles, but the timing of your intake depends on your own nutritional needs.
    • Meal Ideas
    • Low Calorie Diet
    • Healthy Snacks
    • Diets
    • Healthy Breakfast
    • Vegetarian, Vegan, and Plant Based Diets
  • Fashion and Beauty

    Fashion and Beauty

    What Happens When You Stop Wearing a Bra?

    What Happens When You Stop Wearing a Bra?

    There's nothing quite like taking your bra off at the end of the day, but does not wearing a bra altogether cause sagging? Here's what the experts have to say.
    • Fashion
    • Beauty
    • Apparel and Gear
    • Skin Care
    • Workout Clothes
    • Beauty Files
    • Workout Gear
    • Body Care
  • Lifestyle

    Lifestyle

    See All Lifestyle
    The Complete Guide to Zodiac Signs and Their Meanings

    The Complete Guide to Zodiac Signs and Their Meanings

    From fiery, competitive Aries to empathic, psychic Pisces, here's your complete guide to all 12 zodiac signs dates and their meanings.
    • Astrology
    • Relationships
    • Travel and Retreats
  • News and Trends

    News and Trends

    See All News and Trends
    • Celebrity News
    • Celebrity Workouts
  • About SHAPE

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Your Profile
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Log Out
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Shape.com
  2. Health and Wellness
  3. The Best Meditation Apps for Beginners

The Best Meditation Apps for Beginners

Headshot of Emily Abbate Smiling
By Emily Abbate Updated December 24, 2021
Skip gallery slides
FB Tweet
SQ-Best-Meditation-Apps-for-Beginners-GettyImages-1252358708
Credit: Getty Images

You want to get zen, but you have no idea how to start, and that's stressing you out. Ironic, huh? These meditation apps can help.

Start Slideshow

1 of 7

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

The Magic of Meditation Apps

best meditation apps for beginners
Credit:   Aleksandra Belinskaya / Shutterstock

If you think meditation is something reserved only for intense yogis and Buddhist monks, think again. The practice, which dates back to 1500 BCE (Before Common Era), is for everyone. It has loads of benefits, too. Research shows meditation can make you a better athlete, increase self-awareness, and dramatically lower stress levels. In a study published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology, people who received just three consecutive days of mindfulness training felt calmer when faced with a stressful task. (And those are just a few of the massive benefits of meditation.)

But there's just one little problem: Getting started with anything new, including meditation, can feel super overwhelming — especially on those anxious days when sitting still and breathing feels like climbing Mount Everest. That's where meditation apps come into play. Not only can these digital guides take the edge off the practice for newbies, but they can make your practice more fun too. These best meditation apps will make getting into the practice an absolute breeze. (These top therapy and mental health apps are worth checking out, too.)

1 of 7

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 7

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Headspace

headspace meditation app for beginners
Credit: Headspace

Ask any big entrepreneur if they use a meditation app, and nine times out of ten you'll hear them utter the word Headspace. The app offers a wide range of guided meditations on subjects ranging from sleep and anxiety to focus and relationships, as well as an everyday Headspace free to non-subscription customers. (They offer a mindful eating meditation series, too.)

Plus, users can track their progress from day to day, and even buddy up with a friend to stay accountable. It doesn't hurt that Andy Puddicombe, the company's CEO and voice behind the programming, has a super attractive (and calming) British accent.

Price: $69.99/year for iPhone, Android

2 of 7

3 of 7

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Calm

calm meditation app for beginners
Credit: Calm

Have trouble sleeping? The Calm meditation app has got your back. With 100+ sleep stories, these adult bedtime stories of sorts are made strategically to help users hit the hay. Feel like you're over the whole guided practice thing? This app's got next-level options included unguided timed meditation, open-ended meditation, and 30+ soothing sounds and scenes to use to practice on your own, no guide required.

Price: $69.99/year for iPhone, Android

3 of 7

Advertisement

4 of 7

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Buddhify

buddhify meditation app for beginners
Credit: Buddhify

Out of all the meditation apps, Buddhify gives you the most meditation gratis. Of the 200 free meditations available, you can choose one that suits your needs with subjects ranging from stress to pain.

Splurge for the membership, and you can unlock additional features including Together (which offers video courses and community stories), Formal (which teaches six formal meditation techniques), and karaoke-style meditation called Transmission. Here's how it works: Pick the meditation you want to transmit (great for people who practice together), and you'll see words you have to say out loud on the screen. Read them aloud, and you're instantly performing a guided meditation for whoever is around.

Price: $29.99/year for iPhone, Android

4 of 7

5 of 7

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Smiling Mind

smiling mind meditation app for beginners
Credit: Smiling Mind

This entirely free meditation app, developed by psychologists and educators, is a great intro for someone who isn't quite ready to invest in their practice just yet. The best part? Smiling Mind offers programs specifically made for everyone from 7-year-olds to adults. When each meditation finishes, the app prompts you to respond and gauge how you feel, offering a fun, easy way to track your progress and meditation's impact over time. (Looking for more wallet-friendly downloads? Check out the best free apps for runners.)

Price: Free for iPhone, Android

5 of 7

6 of 7

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

The Mindfulness App

the mindfulness app meditation for beginners
Credit: The Mindfulness App

With sessions ranging from 3 to 30 minutes, the Mindfulness App allows users to tailor their practice to their own schedule. This meditation app offers 200+ guided meditations, and premium subscribers can even download meditations to use offline. (Related: Why You Should Keep Up Your Meditation Practice While Traveling)

Price: $59.99/year for iPhone, Android

6 of 7

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 7

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Journey LIVE

Journey Live Meditation App
Credit: Journey

When you're using a meditation app, you're typically trading the personal touch of a meditation class for convenience. But with Journey LIVE, each day, users get access to 15-minute live sessions, along with one new on-demand class, in case you have scheduling conflicts. You can even type questions to your teacher and receive real-time feedback during class. Journey bills itself as the best meditation app for professionals, and will teach you life-changing skills to better manage stress at work and at home in addition to simply helping you meditate.

Price: $299.99/year for iPhone

7 of 7

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Emily Abbate

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 7 The Magic of Meditation Apps
    2 of 7 Headspace
    3 of 7 Calm
    4 of 7 Buddhify
    5 of 7 Smiling Mind
    6 of 7 The Mindfulness App
    7 of 7 Journey LIVE

    Share & More

    Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print
    Shape

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Affiliate Program this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithShape is part of the Instyle Beauty Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Shape. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.shape.com

    Sign in

    View image

    The Best Meditation Apps for Beginners
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.