// MEDITATION APPS
Calm vs Waking Up: Complete Meditation App Comparison Guide 2024
In the rapidly growing meditation app market, two distinct approaches to mindfulness practice have emerged as leading options. Calm, the world's first mental health unicorn valued at over $1 billion, focuses on stress relief and sleep improvement with celebrity-narrated content and soothing soundscapes. Meanwhile, Waking Up, created by neuroscientist and philosopher Sam Harris, takes a more philosophical approach centered on nondual mindfulness and deep consciousness exploration. While both apps aim to improve mental wellbeing through meditation, they serve fundamentally different user needs. Calm excels at providing accessible stress relief and sleep support for mainstream users, featuring content from celebrities like Matthew McConaughey and Harry Styles. Waking Up targets serious practitioners seeking profound insights into consciousness and self-transcendence, with Harris claiming it offers 'the most important instruction' for escaping psychological suffering. Understanding these differences is crucial for choosing the app that aligns with your meditation goals and experience level.
Calm
$69
Waking Up
$99
[FEATURE COMPARISON]
| Feature | Calm | Waking Up |
|---|---|---|
|
Annual Subscription Price Cost for full app access and premium features per year |
$69/year | $99/year |
|
Meditation Philosophy Core approach and underlying meditation tradition |
Conventional mindfulness with stress relief focus | Nondual mindfulness and consciousness exploration |
|
Content Library Size Number of available meditation sessions and tracks |
Hundreds of courses with daily new content | Structured 28-day introductory course + ongoing sessions |
|
Beginner Friendliness How accessible the app is for meditation newcomers |
Highly beginner-friendly with '7 Days of Calm' starter course | Moderate - requires some openness to philosophical concepts |
|
Sleep Content Dedicated features for improving sleep quality |
Extensive sleep stories narrated by celebrities | Limited sleep-specific content |
|
Teacher Credentials Background and expertise of primary instructors |
Various meditation teachers plus celebrity narrators | Sam Harris (neuroscientist, philosopher, author) |
|
Free Trial/Content Available content without subscription |
7-day starter course plus limited free content | Free introductory sessions before paywall |
|
User Ratings App store ratings from actual users |
4.8/5 iOS (1.3M ratings), 4.3/5 Android (400k ratings) | 4.9/5 iOS (27k ratings), 4.8/5 Android (24k ratings) |
[PROS & CONS]
Calm
Pros
- Lower annual subscription cost at $69
- Extensive sleep content with celebrity narrators
- Highly beginner-friendly with structured starter courses
- Large content library with daily updates
- Excellent user ratings across platforms
Cons
- Limited philosophical depth compared to Waking Up
- Background sounds play automatically when opening app
Waking Up
Pros
- Unique nondual mindfulness approach with scientific backing
- Sam Harris's expert neuroscientific and philosophical guidance
- Potential for profound consciousness insights and self-transcendence
- Structured 28-day foundational course
- Highest user ratings among meditation apps
Cons
- Higher price at $99 per year
- May be too advanced for complete beginners
- Limited sleep-specific content
[OUR VERDICT]
Calm wins for mainstream users seeking accessible stress relief and sleep improvement, while Waking Up excels for serious practitioners interested in consciousness exploration and philosophical depth.
The choice between Calm and Waking Up ultimately depends on your meditation goals and philosophical inclinations. Calm emerges as the clear winner for mainstream users seeking stress relief, better sleep, and accessible mindfulness practice. Its celebrity-narrated content, extensive sleep stories, and beginner-friendly approach make it ideal for those new to meditation or looking for practical mental health support. The app's massive content library ensures variety, while features like background sounds and daily new content keep the experience fresh.
Waking Up, despite its higher price point, offers unparalleled value for serious practitioners interested in consciousness exploration and nondual mindfulness. Harris's neuroscientific background and philosophical depth provide a unique perspective that conventional meditation apps lack. The structured 28-day introductory course creates a solid foundation, and the focus on 'self-transcendence' offers potential for profound psychological insights that go beyond basic stress management.
For most users, especially beginners, Calm's lower price, extensive content library, and practical focus on everyday stress management make it the more sensible choice. However, Waking Up justifies its premium pricing for users seeking deep philosophical engagement with meditation practice. The app's emphasis on nondual mindfulness represents a more advanced form of practice that could lead to transformative experiences for dedicated practitioners.
Ultimately, if you're seeking relaxation, sleep improvement, and general stress management, choose Calm. If you're interested in exploring consciousness, self-transcendence, and the philosophical foundations of meditation, Waking Up's higher investment will be worthwhile despite the steeper learning curve.
Our pick:
Calm
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