9 Best Meditation Timer Apps For Your Phone

App Name	Best For	Key Features	AC Rating	Pricing
Life7	All-in-one mental wellness	Binaural beats, CBT tools, sleep stories, daily sessions	4.8/5	7-day free trial, weekly/monthly/yearly plans
Insight Timer	Huge free meditation library	200,000+ free meditations, customizable timer, community features	4.7/5	Free with optional premium subscription
Calm	Sleep and relaxation	Sleep Stories, celebrity narrations, breathing exercises	4.5/5	Monthly or yearly subscription required
Headspace	Beginners learning meditation	Structured courses, animations, mindful movement	4.4/5	Monthly or yearly subscription after free trial
Medito	Completely free meditation	30-day challenges, sleep sounds, no ads ever	4.6/5	100% free forever
Sattva	Vedic and mantra meditation	Guided mantras, Sanskrit chants, progress tracking	4.3/5	Free tier with premium upgrades
Plum Village	Buddhist mindfulness practice	Zen teachings, dharma talks, mindfulness bells	4.7/5	Completely free
Pocket Meditation Timer	Simple timer functionality	Interval bells, customizable sounds, prepare time	4.2/5	Free with ads
Declutter The Mind	Unguided meditation practice	Timer with gongs, Apple Health integration, guided options	4.4/5	Free with premium features

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

Life7 is what I call the complete package for anyone serious about their mental health. This app goes way beyond simple meditation. It combines science-backed sounds, guided sessions, and therapeutic tools into one easy platform.

You get access to binaural beats, white noise, brown noise, and solfeggio frequencies. The app also includes sleep stories for adults and kids. What really sets it apart is the variety. From CBT exercises to vagus nerve stimulation, Life7 covers all your bases.

The daily check-ins keep you on track. You can build streaks and even share progress with friends. The gamified approach makes meditation feel fun, not like a chore.

Key Features:

• Binaural beats, brainwave music, and over 10 types of therapeutic sounds including 432 Hz and 528 Hz frequencies
• SOS sessions for panic attacks plus breathing exercises, hypnotherapy, and CBT tools
• Gamified experience with XP points, streaks, mood tracking, and a custom dashboard

What I like: I love how Life7 combines ancient practices with modern science. The backdrop mode lets you mix soundscapes with other audio, which is genius. The new daily content keeps things fresh. You never run out of things to try. The lucid dreaming sessions and 8D sleep audio are features I have not seen anywhere else.

What I don’t like: The free content is somewhat limited. You really need the subscription to unlock the full power of this app. But given everything you get, the investment makes sense.

Pricing: 7-day free trial available. Weekly, monthly, and yearly plans offered with frequent special promotions.

Platforms: iOS and Android

#2. Insight Timer – Best for Huge Free Meditation Library

Insight Timer is one of the most popular meditation timers out there. What started as a simple timer has grown into something much bigger. The app offers access to a massive library of around 120,000 guided meditations.

With 100+ new free guided meditations and sleep tracks added daily, more meditation is practiced on Insight Timer than anywhere else. The community aspect makes you feel connected to others on the same journey.

The variety of teachers is impressive. You can find content from neuroscientists, psychologists, and teachers from top universities.

Key Features:

• 100,000+ guided meditations with customizable timer and thousands of music tracks
• Customizable timer with options for ambient sounds, interval chimes, and ending bells
• Stats and milestones for tracking your progress plus community discussion groups

What I like: Most meditation apps focus exclusively on guided sessions, but a simple timer allows you to skip the guided part and go it alone. The free version is generous. You can meditate for years without spending a penny. The variety keeps me coming back.

What I don’t like: While its massive library of videos is fantastic, it can be utterly baffling to navigate. Finding what you want sometimes takes too long. The app feels cluttered with all its features.

Pricing: Free with optional Member Plus subscription for premium features like offline listening.

Platforms: iOS and Android

#3. Calm – Best for Sleep and Relaxation

Calm is the #1 mental health app designed to help you manage stress, sleep better, and live a happier, healthier life. The app has become famous for its celebrity-narrated Sleep Stories.

With over 500 Sleep Stories, soundscapes, and guided sleep meditations, this is the go-to app for anyone struggling with sleep. The visuals are beautiful and truly calming.

The breathing bubble feature provides instant stress relief. Just 60 seconds can help ground you in the moment.

Key Features:

• Over 100 Sleep Stories with new stories added every week plus celebrity narrators
• Hundreds of hours of guided meditation covering anxiety, stress, sleep, and more
• Exclusive music tracks for focus, relaxation, and sleep with new music added weekly

What I like: The Sleep Stories are amazing. Hearing Harry Styles or Matthew McConaughey tell bedtime stories feels like a treat. The app aesthetic is soothing from the moment you open it. Nearly 97% of parents in one survey felt that Calm’s sleep stories helped improve their kids’ sleeping patterns.

What I don’t like: The app can seem confusing as it lacks a defined starting place. Also, most content sits behind a paywall. The free version gives you very little to work with.

Pricing: Monthly or yearly subscription required after free trial. Family plans and lifetime options available.

Platforms: iOS and Android

#4. Headspace – Best for Beginners Learning Meditation

Headspace was founded in 2010 with the mission to revolutionize mental health for humanity. The app makes meditation feel approachable for total beginners.

Our library has 1,000+ guided meditations, expert-led exercises courses, and skill-building resources. The animations explain concepts in simple terms. You never feel lost or confused.

Headspace is proven to increase happiness and reduce stress in just 10 days. The structured approach builds your practice step by step.

Key Features:

• 500+ guided meditations ranging from quick 3-minute mental resets to longer sessions
• Expert-led sleep tools, guided sleep meditations, sleep sounds, and sleepcasts
• Mindful movement exercises to relieve stress and strengthen mind-body connection

What I like: Headspace was co-founded by Andy Puddicombe, a former Buddhist monk who narrates a majority of the guided meditations. His voice is calming without being sleepy. The app can give you daily nudges or reminders to practice and you can track your progress through the stats feature.

What I don’t like: Some users report the app feels very Sesame Street-like and busy. For experienced meditators, the content may feel too basic. The monthly subscription is higher than some competitors.

Pricing: Monthly or yearly subscription after 14-day free trial.

Platforms: iOS and Android

#5. Medito – Best for Completely Free Meditation

Meditation can positively transform people’s lives and no one should have to pay for it. That is the philosophy behind Medito. This app is run by a nonprofit foundation.

100% FREE and non-profit, built by Medito Foundation to make mindfulness accessible to everyone. You get courses, sleep sounds, guided sessions, and more without seeing a single ad.

The app includes courses to help you develop your practice, including a 30-day challenge. Perfect for building consistent habits.

Key Features:

• Courses for every goal including quick daily calm, focus boosts, anxiety SOS, and loving-kindness
• Sleep stories and sounds including rain, ocean, and white noise with bedtime stories for adults
• Offline mode so you can download any session and practice anywhere

What I like: The app is bare-bones in the best possible way. The step-by-step introduction system is effective, and sessions won’t be cut short because you don’t have a premium subscription. This feels like a gift to the wellness community.

What I don’t like: It does not have as many additional features as other apps. The interface is simple but lacks the polish of paid alternatives. Content library is smaller than competitors.

Pricing: 100% free forever. No subscription, no ads, no in-app purchases.

Platforms: iOS and Android

#6. Sattva – Best for Vedic and Mantra Meditation

Authentic, deeply profound and drawing from Vedic principles of meditation that millions of people have benefitted from for thousands of years. Sattva brings ancient Eastern wisdom to your phone.

For seasoned meditators there are 100+ Guided Meditations, Sacred Sounds (chant and mantras) and Music tracks to meditate to. The app features teachings from Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

For people new to meditation you will find simple yet deep meditations starting from 6mins upwards. Everyone can find their place here.

Key Features:

• Guided meditations, chants, mantras, and music tracks delivered by Sanskrit scholars
• Set yourself challenges, gain trophies when milestones are met, and track your journey via in-depth stats
• Group meditations, challenges, and integrated live video events with friends

What I like: The game offers an array of sacred sounds, chants, mantras, and music tracks to enhance your practice. If you want something deeper than typical mindfulness apps, Sattva delivers. The heart rate tracking before and after sessions shows real impact.

What I don’t like: The interface takes getting used to. Some meditations stop midway, which disrupts the flow. The content may feel too spiritual for secular users.

Pricing: Free tier available with premium subscription options including lifetime access.

Platforms: iOS and Android

#7. Plum Village – Best for Buddhist Mindfulness Practice

Plum Village App is a new, free mindfulness app with Buddhist insights and guided meditations offered by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and his monastic community.

This app feels like carrying a monastery in your pocket. Unlike the hugely popular meditation apps out there, it allows people to experience mindfulness in a Buddhist tradition.

This completely free meditation app has been downloaded by more than 500,000 people. The teachings go deep into Buddhist philosophy.

Key Features:

• Guided meditations including deep relaxations, guided contemplations, and eating meditations
• Hundreds of answers from the Zen Master to questions that students have asked him directly
• Mindfulness bell as a regular reminder to return to breathing throughout the day

What I like: The Plum Village app is one of the few mindfulness apps that offer completely free content, including high quality, rare guided meditations offered by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. The dharma talks feel like personal teachings. The practice songs add joy to meditation.

What I don’t like: Some of the audio has been recorded on retreats so is not a polished studio-quality sound. Users wanting slick production values may be disappointed. The Buddhist framing is not for everyone.

Pricing: Completely free. Donations accepted but never required.

Platforms: iOS and Android

#8. Pocket Meditation Timer – Best for Simple Timer Functionality

Sometimes you just want a timer without all the extras. Meditation Timer can help you do it better. You can just focus on meditation without thinking about the time.

This app does exactly what I was looking for. It allows me to time my meditation, and has a wonderful interval feature. Perfect for those who prefer unguided practice.

The customization options let you create the perfect session length and sound combinations.

Key Features:

• With prepare time, interval time and cool down time plus unique sounds for each phase
• Create unlimited reminders to remind you practicing meditation with passwords protection
• Support for transferring data to Health app and Today Widget integration

What I like: It’s exactly what I was looking for in a meditation timer. Simple and easy to use and functional. The chimes are soothing. You control the experience without distraction.

What I don’t like: Those war game video ads after sessions are disconcerting after finishing a nice meditation session. You cannot save multiple session presets easily. Interface feels dated.

Pricing: Free with ads. Pro version available to remove ads.

Platforms: iOS and Android

#9. Declutter The Mind – Best for Unguided Meditation Practice

Declutter The Mind is a meditation app that includes a meditation timer and guided meditation practices. It gives you flexibility to choose your style.

Practicing meditation becomes easier when you use a timer. Simply sit, set the timer, and never allow your mind to become preoccupied with how much time do I have left again.

The app works great for both beginners and experienced practitioners who want options.

Key Features:

• Unguided meditation timers ranging from a quick 5 minutes all the way up to 30 minutes
• Tibetan bowl gong sounds at start, halfway mark, and end of sessions
• Integration with Apple Health to track how many minutes you’re sitting mindfully per day

What I like: The simplicity appeals to me. You get guided options when you want them and timer modes when you don’t. The blog offers helpful tips for improving your practice outside the app.

What I don’t like: The content library is smaller compared to giants like Calm or Insight Timer. Some premium features require a subscription. The app is less well-known, so community features are limited.

Pricing: Free with premium features available through subscription.

Platforms: iOS and Android

Do Meditation Timer Apps Really Help You Meditate?

Yes, meditation timer apps can make a big difference in your practice. They remove the guesswork. You stop wondering how much time has passed. Instead, you just focus on breathing.

Apps also add accountability. Seeing your streak grow motivates you to keep going. The reminders help you build meditation into your daily routine.

For beginners, guided meditations teach proper technique. You learn how to sit, breathe, and handle wandering thoughts. Over time, you might switch to simple timers as your practice deepens.

What Should I Look for in a Meditation Timer App?

First, think about your goals. Do you want guided sessions or simple timers? Apps like Life7 offer both options. Some apps focus on sleep while others emphasize stress relief.

Consider the cost. Many apps charge monthly fees. But options like Medito and Plum Village are completely free. Decide what fits your budget.

Look at the sound options. Gentle bells work better than harsh alarms. Customizable interval chimes help with longer sessions. Background sounds like rain or singing bowls enhance the experience.

Can Beginners Use These Meditation Timer Apps?

Absolutely! Most of these apps welcome complete beginners. Life7, Headspace, and Calm all offer starter courses. They break meditation into simple steps anyone can follow.

Start with short sessions. Even 3 to 5 minutes daily makes a difference. Guided meditations talk you through each step. You never feel lost or confused about what to do.

As you grow more comfortable, you can explore longer sessions and different techniques. Many apps track your progress, which keeps you motivated on your journey.