Calm
~$14.99/mo or ~$69.99/yr
Headspace
~$12.99/mo or ~$69.99/yr
Calm focuses on sleep stories, relaxation, and a soothing, content-rich experience. Headspace focuses on structured, course-based meditation and mindfulness training. They are priced similarly (around $70 a year). Calm wins for sleep and relaxation; Headspace wins for learning to meditate.
Pick Calm if your priority is sleep and relaxation: Sleep Stories, soundscapes, and a soothing, content-rich library.
Pick Headspace if you want to learn to meditate with structured, friendly courses that build a daily mindfulness habit.
Calm and Headspace are the two best-known meditation apps, and they have distinct personalities. Calm leans into relaxation and sleep: its signature Sleep Stories (often narrated by celebrities), soundscapes, and a soothing, content-rich library make it a favorite for winding down. Headspace leans into structure: friendly, course-based programs that teach you how to meditate step by step, with a clear, approachable curriculum and a focus on building a daily habit.
On price, the two are very close, both around $69.99 a year (roughly $13 to $15 a month), with free trials. The choice is mostly sleep and relaxation (Calm) versus structured learning and mindfulness training (Headspace).
We compare meditation style, sleep content, structure, price, and approach.
| Quick facts | Calm | Headspace |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$14.99/mo or ~$69.99/yr | ~$12.99/mo or ~$69.99/yr |
| Signature strength | Sleep stories + relaxation | Structured courses |
| Approach | Soothing, content-rich | Guided, step-by-step |
| Best for | Sleep + winding down | Learning to meditate |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
Each row reflects the feature on each product's current public release.
| Feature | C Calm | H Headspace |
|---|---|---|
| Guided meditations | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep stories / soundscapes | Best-in-class | Good |
| Structured learning courses | Good | Best-in-class |
| Beginner-friendly curriculum | Good | Best-in-class |
| Relaxation / music library | Best-in-class | Good |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Mood / habit tracking | Some | Some |
| Similar annual price | Yes | Yes |
Pricing and features change often. Always verify the current details on each product's official site. Last reviewed 2026-06-22.
Things neither product's marketing page leads with.
Calm is the better sleep-and-relaxation app; Headspace is the better teacher for actually learning to meditate.
Prices are nearly identical, so the decision is about style and goal, not cost.
Both are subscriptions you may underuse, so take advantage of the free trials before committing to an annual plan.
The average person juggles a dozen subscriptions and forgets at least one. Subkept is a privacy-first subscription tracker: add Calm, Headspace, and everything else, then get renewal reminders, price-hike alerts, and a clear monthly total, with no bank connection, ever. Free for up to 5 subscriptions, no time limit.