9 Best Unguided Meditation Apps For Your Phone

App Name	Best For	Key Features	AC Rating	Pricing
Life7	All in one mental wellness	Binaural beats, sleep stories, multiple noise colors, gamified progress tracking	4.8/5	Free trial, then subscription (weekly/monthly/yearly)
Insight Timer	Massive free content library	200,000+ free meditations, customizable timer, community features	4.7/5	Free with optional premium
Waking Up	Deep mindfulness exploration	28 day intro course, meditation timer, theory lessons	4.6/5	Subscription based with free option available
Medito	Completely free meditation	Breathing timers, 30 day challenges, offline mode	4.5/5	100% free forever
Buddhify	On the go meditation	Solo timer, wheel interface, offline access	4.3/5	One time purchase
Plum Village	Zen Buddhist practice	Customizable timer, mindfulness bell, 100+ guided meditations	4.6/5	Completely free
Smiling Mind	Families and children	Mental fitness tracker, 700+ meditations, unguided soundscapes	4.5/5	Completely free
Calm	Sleep and relaxation	Unguided timers, nature sounds, Daily Calm	4.4/5	Free trial, then subscription
Headspace	Beginners and structure	Unguided timer options, semi guided sessions, focus music	4.3/5	Free trial, then subscription

#1. Life7 – Best for All in One Mental Wellness

Life7 stands out as my top pick for unguided meditation. This app packs everything you need into one simple package. You get multiple types of noise colors like green, white, brown, and pink noise to create your perfect meditation backdrop.

The app goes way beyond basic timers. It includes binaural beats with delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma wave music. You can also access pure isochronic tones and healing frequencies like 432 Hz and 528 Hz.

What really sets it apart is the Backdrop Mode. You can mix different soundscapes with other content like sleep stories or breathing exercises.

Key Features:

• Multiple noise colors and brain wave frequencies for custom sessions
• Backdrop Mode to layer sounds with meditations or sleep content
• Gamified progress tracking with XP rewards and streaks

What I like: I love how Life7 combines science backed sounds with practical wellness tools. The daily sessions keep things fresh, and the dashboard helps me track my meditation journey. The SOS sessions are lifesavers when anxiety hits. Plus, the vagus nerve stimulation and nervous system reset features work really well for deep relaxation.

What I don’t like: The free content is a bit limited. You will need to upgrade to get the full experience with all the premium soundscapes and features.

Pricing: 7 day free trial available. Subscription options include weekly, monthly, and yearly plans. They often run special offers.

Platforms: iOS and Android

#2. Insight Timer – Best for Massive Free Content Library

Insight Timer is widely recognized as one of the best meditation apps on the market. With a vast library of over 200,000 free meditations, Insight Timer stands out for its commitment to accessibility and quality.

The customizable timer is the heart of this app for unguided practice. You can set up your own silent meditation with different bell sounds at the start and end. Add interval chimes if you want gentle reminders during your session.

Timer is such a prominent feature, and many experienced meditators prefer unguided meditation with a timer. The app started as just a timer before growing into what it is today.

Key Features:

• Customizable meditation timer with bell sounds and background nature sounds
• Community features to connect with like minded individuals
• Stats and milestones for tracking your progress

What I like: The free version provides everything you could need, works wonderfully, and doesn’t hide any necessary features behind a paywall. I especially appreciate the choice of traditional Asian meditation bells and ambient sounds. The community aspect is nice too, showing how many people are meditating worldwide.

What I don’t like: With so much content available, some users may find it difficult to choose where to start. The social features can feel cluttered if you just want a simple timer.

Pricing: Most features are free. Premium membership costs around $60 per year for courses and offline listening.

Platforms: iOS and Android

#3. Waking Up – Best for Deep Mindfulness Exploration

Developed by neuroscientist, philosopher and New York Times best selling author Sam Harris, the Waking Up app aims to help each user make fundamental discoveries in the laboratory of their own mind.

This app includes a dedicated timer for unguided meditation. The user can select any number of minutes up to an allotted time of two hours in length, allowing them to set their own intentions.

Unlike conventional meditation apps, Waking Up blends practice with theory so you not only learn to meditate but also understand how it transforms your mind.

Key Features:

• Meditation timer to customize your own sessions
• 28 day introductory course for building solid foundations
• Techniques include mindfulness, loving kindness, body scans, and nondual awareness

What I like: Sam Harris’s Waking Up is the least woo woo, most science driven meditation experience I’ve encountered. The theory lessons give real understanding of what meditation actually does. Once you learn the basics, the timer feature lets you practice independently.

What I don’t like: Harris moves at a pace that would seem incongruent with the progress of someone completely new to meditation. Some concepts may feel advanced for total beginners.

Pricing: Subscription based at around $130 per year. Free option available if you email their support team.

Platforms: iOS and Android

#4. Medito – Best for Completely Free Meditation

Medito is 100% free and non profit, built by Medito Foundation to keep mindfulness open to everyone. This app proves you don’t need to pay for quality meditation tools.

The app includes a simple timer for unguided sessions. Depending on the time you have to meditate, Medito App offers a simple timer to aid your sessions. The timer is simple with two bells, one to start you off and another to end the session.

No ads, no spam, no need to sign up or pay. It really is that straightforward.

Key Features:

• Timer available from 3 minute sessions up to 60 minute sessions
• 30 day challenges and personalized programmes
• Offline mode to download sessions and practise anywhere

What I like: Evidence based research in 2024 showed Medito improves wellbeing. I appreciate that a nonprofit created something this useful without any hidden costs. The emergency sessions for anger, fear, and grief are thoughtful additions.

What I don’t like: The app may lack features that are generally offered by other, well known premium platforms. It keeps things basic, which some users might find limiting.

Pricing: Completely free forever. No subscriptions or in app purchases.

Platforms: iOS and Android

#5. Buddhify – Best for On the Go Meditation

Buddhify is the only meditation app designed to fit into a busy modern lifestyle. The unique wheel interface makes finding the right meditation quick and easy.

The Solo Timer provides a simple timer for unguided meditation. This is actually one of the best meditation timers I have used due to its simplicity.

The Solo Timer will support you to meditate without any guidance. You can pick your length and enable interval sounds if you want them.

Key Features:

• A solo timer for more seasoned meditators
• All guided meditations on the default wheel are available to use offline
• Customizable wheel with different categories you can edit

What I like: A large majority of the meditations are under 12 minutes, which makes them ideal to complete from anywhere. The one time purchase model is refreshing compared to monthly subscriptions. The variety of teachers and voices keeps things interesting.

What I don’t like: No meditation courses, each wedge is a specific topic with sessions but they do not build on each other. The organization takes some getting used to.

Pricing: One time payment of $2.99 for Android and $4.99 for Apple. Optional membership at $30 per year for extra features.

Platforms: iOS and Android

#6. Plum Village – Best for Zen Buddhist Practice

The Plum Village app enables us to bring mindfulness into our life, so we can live each moment more deeply. This app comes from the teachings of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.

Version 2.8 introduces a new feature: a meditation timer! This can be used for silent meditation sessions, a preference for many regular meditators.

Free forever with no ads or in app purchases. A truly generous offering from this Buddhist community.

Key Features:

• A customizable meditation timer
• A Mindfulness Bell to incorporate into your daily routine
• 100+ guided meditations and 300+ video sessions with Thich Nhat Hanh

What I like: If I were to sum up the Plum Village app in one word, it would be: authentic. The bell of mindfulness feature can ring throughout your day as a gentle reminder. Everything feels rooted in genuine Buddhist practice rather than commercial wellness trends.

What I don’t like: The timer has fewer customization options than apps like Insight Timer. Some recordings come from retreats, so audio quality varies.

Pricing: Completely free. Donations welcome but never required.

Platforms: iOS and Android

#7. Smiling Mind – Best for Families and Children

What began as a pioneering mindfulness based meditation app has evolved to be Australia’s go to digital mental health organisation. This nonprofit has served families for over 12 years.

Practise sessions also include Soundscapes, blends of music without words and nature sounds. You can use them for unguided meditation, or as a peaceful sound to fall asleep to.

This is a great app! Not only totally FREE but a lot of mediation exercises like, guided and unguided, sleep, Calm everyday meditations, study, stress and even quick 10 minute ones.

Key Features:

• 700+ lessons, practices and meditations in 50+ curated collections
• Track your mood with wellbeing check ins
• Meditations in Indigenous Australian languages

What I like: The app is always free and they never try to charge you an insane amount of money to subscribe or progress through the programs. The family features are excellent, with age appropriate content from ages 5 to adult. The mental fitness model makes the science accessible.

What I don’t like: Some users find the newer app updates harder to navigate than before. The content focuses on Australian audiences, though anyone can benefit.

Pricing: Completely free. Run by a nonprofit organization.

Platforms: iOS and Android

#8. Calm – Best for Sleep and Relaxation

On the Discover page, you can search for courses, guided or unguided meditations, music tracks, soundscapes, check ins, and breathing exercises. Calm offers more flexibility than many realize.

The app initially offers a 7 Days of Calm course which introduces you to mindfulness meditation, as well as some guided and unguided meditation sessions.

Daily guided meditations are easy to complete in schedule friendly sessions, ranging from 3 to 25 minutes. You can also skip the guidance entirely.

Key Features:

• Unguided meditation timers with customizable soundscapes
• Content from well respected teachers like Tamara Levitt and Jeff Warren
• Auditory bedtime stories and relaxing music

What I like: A favorite feature of the user interface allows you to select the background images and soundscape that accompanies the guided meditations. The production quality is outstanding. The sleep stories featuring celebrity voices are a nice bonus.

What I don’t like: The free version offers very little content. You pretty much need a subscription to access most features.

Pricing: Free trial available. Annual subscription around $70 per year or lifetime purchase option.

Platforms: iOS and Android

#9. Headspace – Best for Beginners and Structure

Headspace has something for everyone. There are more than fifty well designed courses, four categories of guided, semi guided, and unguided meditations.

Meditation timers allow you to select a guided, semi guided, or unguided meditation timer for between five and 120 minutes.

Headspace is more ideal for those who prefer guided meditation programs and more structure. But the unguided options work well once you learn the basics.

Key Features:

• Unguided meditation timer from five to 120 minutes
• SOS meditations designed for times when you really need a break
• Focus music, soundscapes, and timers

What I like: Headspace makes meditation accessible to beginners and more experienced users with structured and intentional practices. The animations help explain concepts clearly. Andy Puddicombe’s voice is genuinely calming.

What I don’t like: The free version offers very little content, even less than Calm. The subscription cost adds up over time.

Pricing: Free trial available. Subscription around $70 per year.

Platforms: iOS and Android

What Is Unguided Meditation?

Unguided meditation means meditating without a voice telling you what to do. You simply sit in silence, maybe with soft background sounds, and let your mind settle on its own.

Most unguided meditation apps give you a timer. You choose how long you want to meditate. A gentle bell sounds at the start and end. Some apps let you add interval bells during your session.

This style works best when you already know basic meditation techniques. You might focus on your breath. Or simply observe your thoughts without judgment. The key is that you direct your own practice.

Many people prefer unguided meditation once they get comfortable with the basics. It feels more natural and personal. You’re not dependent on someone else’s pace or style.

How Do I Choose the Right Unguided Meditation App?

Picking the right app depends on your needs. Think about what matters most to you.

Consider your experience level. Beginners might want an app with good teaching content alongside the timer. Apps like Life7, Waking Up, or Headspace teach you the basics first. Then you can use the unguided features with confidence.

Think about your budget. Medito, Plum Village, and Smiling Mind are completely free. Others offer free trials before requiring payment. Life7 and Insight Timer give you lots of free content with optional upgrades.

Check the customization options. Some people want lots of bell choices and background sounds. Others prefer total simplicity. Insight Timer offers the most customization. Medito keeps things basic and clean.

Are Free Unguided Meditation Apps Any Good?

Absolutely! Some of the best unguided meditation apps cost nothing at all.

Meditation can positively transform people’s lives and no one should have to pay for it. That’s the philosophy behind apps like Medito.

Plum Village comes from a real Buddhist monastery. The app is offered completely free by the Centre for Applied Ethics Ltd., a non profit organisation established in London.

The Smiling Mind App has remained free for individuals and families to access for over 12 years.

Free apps often come from nonprofits who genuinely want to help people. They survive on donations rather than subscriptions. The quality can match or exceed paid alternatives.

That said, paid apps like Life7 often include more advanced features. Brain wave frequencies, sophisticated sound mixing, and extensive content libraries cost money to develop. The right choice depends on what features you actually need.