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Calm vs Headspace: meditation and relaxation content?

By Official AppDuo editorial team · Updated

Calm logoCalm6.9/10Freemium · $10.00/moHeadspace logoHeadspace7.0/10Free trial · $5.83/mo

Quick verdict

Calm vs Headspace: meditation and relaxation content.

Calm: People who want Sleep Stories and soothing sounds at bedtime.

Headspace: Beginners who want short sessions and step-by-step courses.

Choose for your main task, existing devices and plan limits; the overall score cannot replace your requirements.

Head-to-head

Calm leads on 4, Headspace on 3, 3 even

FeatureCalmHeadspace
Free plan[5],[7],[18]Permanent ad-free free tier: a few selected Sleep Stories, limited music, no Daily Calm or Masterclasses.No permanent free tier in the app; after the trial you must subscribe, free content is limited to YouTube, Radio Headspace and articles.
→ If you want to keep using an app without paying, Calm leaves you some content while Headspace requires a subscription.
Monthly plan price[7],[13],[14]$16.99/month (per US App Store and CarePaths; prices vary by region).$12.99/month per the official subscription page; £9.99/month on the UK App Store.
→ Monthly payers save $4 per month with Headspace.
Annual plan price[7],[13],[14]$69.99–$79.99/year (about $5.83–$6.67/month); lifetime $499.99, non-refundable.$69.99/year (about $5.83/month); when checked, a 50% first-year offer cut it to $34.99, then renews at full price.
→ List prices are similar, but Headspace's first-year offer makes the first year noticeably cheaper for new users.
Free trial length[2],[14],[17]7 days; some partner offers extend it.14 days on the annual plan (full library unlocked); 7 days on the monthly plan.
→ If you want to test properly before committing to a year, Headspace gives you twice as long.
Refund policy[2],[16]Calm.com purchases refundable within 30 days; App Store refunds handled by Apple; lifetime is non-refundable.headspace.com purchases are non-refundable, with special cases reviewed individually; App Store/Google Play purchases are also final.
→ If you get renewed by mistake or change your mind, buying on Calm.com gives you 30 days to get your money back.
Family plan[3],[14]$119.99/year for 6 accounts (all 18+), web only; no Apple Family Sharing support.The subscription page mentions a family plan but no price; a student plan is 85% off.
→ Families wanting a known cost get a clear figure from Calm, while Headspace's price must be checked directly.
Interface languages[7],[20]10 languages (English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese).English only per the App Store.
→ Users comfortable in one of those non-English languages will find Calm easier.
Wearables and health integrations[1],[7],[15]Apple Health, Health Connect, Apple Watch, Wear OS.Apple Health (saves meditation sessions if allowed).
→ Android and Wear OS users get health and watch integration only with Calm.
Services beyond meditation[7],[19],[21]100+ exclusive Sleep Stories, music, nature sounds, Masterclasses, Daily Move.500+ guided meditations, sleep, focus, movement; therapy, coaching (US members only) and the Ebb AI companion.
→ Bedtime-story fans fit Calm, while those wanting structured courses or US mental health support fit Headspace.
User ratings[9],[12],[25]US App Store 4.8/5 (1,993,550); Google Play 4.5/5 (617,000); Trustpilot 1.3/5 (498).US App Store 4.8/5 (973,758); Google Play 4.2/5 (340,000); Trustpilot 1.5/5 (775).
→ Both score high in app stores but very low on Trustpilot over renewal and refund complaints, so cancel before trials end if unsure.

Choose Calm if…

  • People who want Sleep Stories and soothing sounds at bedtime
  • Beginners who prefer short guided sessions from 3 minutes

Choose Headspace if…

  • Beginners who want short sessions and step-by-step courses
  • People who want meditation, sleep and focus content in one app

How the products differ

Calm: Calm suits people who want better sleep or less stress and like having Sleep Stories, music and guided meditations in one app. The trade-offs: most content needs a paid plan, the interface comes in only 10 languages, and its Trustpilot score is very low because of complaints about auto-renewals and refunds.

Headspace: Headspace suits newcomers to meditation who want a clear path, with sleep, focus and light movement content included. The trade-offs: the interface is English-only, you must pay once the trial ends, and its Trustpilot score is very low because of complaints about auto-renewals and refunds.

Choose around your use case

Calm: Fits People who want Sleep Stories and soothing sounds at bedtime; Beginners who prefer short guided sessions from 3 minutes. Strengths: Large library: 100+ exclusive Sleep Stories, guided meditations, music and nature sounds; 4.8/5 on the App Store across nearly 2 million ratings.

Headspace: Fits Beginners who want short sessions and step-by-step courses; People who want meditation, sleep and focus content in one app. Strengths: 500+ guided meditations, with sessions from 3 minutes; 4.8/5 on the US App Store across nearly 974,000 ratings.

Costs and limits to check

Calm: Calm Premium: 16.99 USD/user/month, as recorded in the review. Trade-off: Paid plans are expensive, and prices vary by platform and region.

Headspace: Monthly: 12.99 USD/user/month, as recorded in the review. Trade-off: The App Store lists English only. Prices retain the currency and billing units recorded in the source profiles; no currency conversion or plan equivalence is assumed. Check official prices, limits and terms before payment.

When to consider another option

Calm is not aimed at: Users who need an interface outside the 10 languages the app offers (English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese); People who need clinical treatment; Calm is not a replacement for a clinician.

Consider alternatives to Headspace if you are: Users who need a non-English interface; People with serious mental health conditions, who should seek a licensed professional. Read these limitations alongside the feature table before deciding; a single strength cannot compensate for a missing requirement.

Frequently asked questions

Should I choose Calm or Headspace?

Calm vs Headspace: meditation and relaxation content. Calm: People who want Sleep Stories and soothing sounds at bedtime. Headspace: Beginners who want short sessions and step-by-step courses. Choose for your main task, existing devices and plan limits; the overall score cannot replace your requirements.

Does a higher score always mean a better fit?

No. Overall scores are editorial judgements across several criteria. Your task, allowance and existing ecosystem may matter more; the table separates those differences so you can decide.

Where do prices and limits come from?

From each product’s researched profile, with source links and check dates in the review. This comparison reuses that evidence; its compilation date does not mean every price was rechecked that day.

Sources

Numbers in the table refer to these sources, read on the dates shown.

  1. 1.Calm privacy policy · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  2. 2.Calm help center - refund policy · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  3. 3.Calm help center - Family Plan · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  4. 4.Calm help center - Lifetime Membership · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  5. 5.Calm help center - Premium vs Free · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  6. 6.Calm blog · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  7. 7.App Store listing (US) · store · Nov 10, 2026
  8. 8.App Store listing (Vietnam) · store · Nov 10, 2026
  9. 9.Google Play listing · store · Nov 10, 2026
  10. 10.TechCrunch (2019-02-06) · press · Nov 10, 2026
  11. 11.Wikipedia - Calm (company) · Community-reported · Nov 10, 2026
  12. 12.Trustpilot - calm.com · review-site · Nov 10, 2026
  13. 13.CarePaths - Calm app pricing (2026) · review-site · Nov 10, 2026
  14. 14.Headspace subscription page · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  15. 15.Headspace privacy policy · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  16. 16.Headspace help center - cancel subscription · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  17. 17.Headspace help center - purchasing a subscription (trial lengths) · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  18. 18.Headspace help center - what's included for free · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  19. 19.Headspace help center - coaching eligibility · Vendor-provided · Nov 10, 2026
  20. 20.App Store listing (UK) · store · Nov 10, 2026
  21. 21.App Store listing (US) · store · Nov 10, 2026
  22. 22.App Store listing (Vietnam) · store · Nov 10, 2026
  23. 23.Google Play listing · store · Nov 10, 2026
  24. 24.Wikipedia - Headspace (company) · Community-reported · Nov 10, 2026
  25. 25.Trustpilot - headspace.com · review-site · Nov 10, 2026

Prepared by the AppDuo Editorial Team from the sources cited in this article. AI assists with organising and cross-checking data; editorial responsibility remains with AppDuo.

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