Four well-established apps, reviewed for what they’re actually built around rather than a feature-by-feature spec sheet – because the spec sheet will be out of date within months, and what an app is *for* usually isn’t.

Prices are given as bands, not exact figures, since these change often and exact numbers go stale fast. Each entry is dated so you know how recently it was actually checked – worth a quick look at the app’s own current pricing before you commit either way.

Calm

Built around: breadth and production value – the biggest library of guided sessions, sleep stories, and music, narrated by well-known voices, wrapped in the most polished interface of the four.

Good fit if you want variety and don’t mind not always knowing which session to pick. Less good fit if you want a structured course to actually complete – it’s built more like a library to browse than a curriculum to follow.

Price band: free tier is very limited; paid tier roughly £8-14/month or a one-off annual fee. Last checked: August 2026.

Headspace

Built around: structured courses with a clear beginning, middle and end – closest of the four to a taught programme rather than a library.

Good fit if you want to be told what to do next, in order, rather than choosing from a menu each time. Less good fit if you already know what kind of practice you want and just want to get on with it.

Price band: similar range to Calm, roughly £8-13/month or an annual equivalent; a genuinely useful free trial period. Last checked: August 2026.

Insight Timer

Built around: an enormous free library contributed by thousands of different teachers, plus a simple standalone meditation timer.

Good fit if cost matters, or if you like the idea of sampling many different teaching styles rather than one house style. Less good fit if inconsistent audio quality and production between contributors bothers you – it’s the trade-off for the size of the free library.

Price band: most content is genuinely free; an optional paid tier unlocks structured courses and downloads. Last checked: August 2026.

Waking Up

Built around: a more philosophically-minded, less overtly “wellness-branded” approach – closer to guided philosophical inquiry into the nature of attention than a typical relaxation app.

Good fit if the more corporate, soft-lit tone of the others puts you off, or you want the underlying ideas explained, not just the technique. Less good fit if you want something purely relaxing and don’t want to think about why it works.

Price band: similar range to Calm and Headspace; the app has previously offered free access to anyone who can’t afford it, on request. Last checked: August 2026.

App names, features and pricing checked directly against each app’s own website in August 2026. This page will be revisited periodically rather than updated in real time – always worth checking current pricing on the app’s own site before subscribing.