Free Calm alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

6 of the 8 Calm alternatives we track can be used for free (free, open source, or with a free plan). Headspace, Insight Timer and BetterSleep rank highest, with facts last verified Nov 8, 2026.

Quick comparison

#	App	Pricing	Verified price	Open source	Platforms	Verified facts	Score
1	Headspace	Free plan + paid	$99.99 a year for up to 6 people	No	iOS, Android, Web	6 of 6	68.8
2	Insight Timer	Free plan + paid	$9.99 a month (MemberPlus)	No	iOS, Android, Web	8 of 8	64.8
3	BetterSleep	Free plan + paid	$59.99 a year per Premium membership (regular price)	No	iOS, Android	7 of 7	42.3
4	Abide	Free plan + paid	$39.99/year	No	iOS, Android	4 of 4	42.3
5	Happier Meditation	Free plan + paid	$99.99/year	No	iOS, Android	4 of 4	42.3
6	Plum Village App	Free	—	No	iOS, Android	4 of 4	42.3

1. HeadspaceTop pick
Best for: Beginners who want structured courses and a tidy app, and students on the cheap plan
Free plan + paidiOS, Android, Web
68.8
score / 100
Why switch from Calm
The other big subscription app, with more structured beginner courses and a cheap student plan.
Pros
Structured beginner courses starting from Basics
Sleep, focus music and movement sessions in one app
Family plan for six and a low-cost student plan
14-day free trial on the yearly plan
Cons
Little free content without a subscription
App increasingly promotes coaching and therapy services
Courses can feel basic for experienced meditators
Visit Headspace Compare with Calm Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.3100
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Headspace a good Calm alternative?
Verified facts
6 of 6 verified
Free trial
14 days
Checked Nov 8, 2026headspace.com(opens source in a new tab)
Family plan
$99.99 a year for up to 6 people
Checked Nov 8, 2026headspace.com(opens source in a new tab)
Student plan
$9.99/yr for verified students
Checked Nov 8, 2026headspace.com(opens source in a new tab)
Minimum age
18+, with limited exceptions
Checked Nov 8, 2026headspace.com(opens source in a new tab)
Owner
Part of Sword
Checked Nov 8, 2026headspace.com(opens source in a new tab)
Student discount
$9.99 a year for verified students
Checked Nov 8, 2026headspace.com(opens source in a new tab)
2. Insight Timer
Best for: People who want a large free library and a flexible timer without paying for a subscription
Free plan + paidiOS, Android, Web
64.8
score / 100
Why switch from Calm
A mostly free library of more than 200,000 tracks, including sleep content, if you don't want a subscription.
Pros
Most of a 200,000+ track library is free
Thousands of teachers across many styles and traditions
Customisable timer for unguided sessions
Live events and community groups
Cons
Quality varies widely between teachers
Size makes it hard to find a clear starting path
Courses and offline listening need Member Plus
Visit Insight Timer Compare with Calm Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.387
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Insight Timer a good Calm alternative?
Verified facts
8 of 8 verified
Free content
200,000+ tracks, mostly free
Checked Nov 8, 2026insighttimer.com(opens source in a new tab)
Paid tier
Member Plus, $59.99/yr
Checked Nov 8, 2026insighttimer.com(opens source in a new tab)
Teachers
18,000+
Checked Nov 8, 2026insighttimer.com(opens source in a new tab)
Paid features
Courses, advanced journaling, offline listening
Checked Nov 8, 2026insighttimer.com(opens source in a new tab)
Company
Insight Network Inc.
Checked Nov 8, 2026insighttimer.com(opens source in a new tab)
Starting price
$9.99 a month (MemberPlus)
Checked Nov 8, 2026help.insighttimer.com(opens source in a new tab)
MemberPlus annual plan
$59.99 a year
Checked Nov 8, 2026help.insighttimer.com(opens source in a new tab)
Free plan
Yes
Checked Nov 8, 2026help.insighttimer.com(opens source in a new tab)
3. BetterSleep
Best for: People who fall asleep to background noise and want to build their own sound mixes
Free plan + paidiOS, Android
42.3
score / 100
Why switch from Calm
Lets you build your own mix of sleep sounds rather than picking fixed tracks.
Pros
Flexible mixer for noise colours, nature and ambient sounds
Large library of sleep stories, meditations and music
Family and student plans available
Cons
Most content needs a Premium subscription after the trial
Subscription renews automatically unless cancelled in time
No desktop app
Visit BetterSleep Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.312
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is BetterSleep a good Calm alternative?
Verified facts
7 of 7 verified
Free version
Limited free content after the trial
Checked Nov 8, 2026bettersleep.com(opens source in a new tab)
Paid plan
Premium, auto-renewing subscription
Checked Nov 8, 2026bettersleep.com(opens source in a new tab)
Users
65M+
Checked Nov 8, 2026bettersleep.com(opens source in a new tab)
App Store rating
4.8 from 600k+ reviews
Checked Nov 8, 2026bettersleep.com(opens source in a new tab)
Starting price
$59.99 a year per Premium membership (regular price)
Checked Nov 8, 2026support.bettersleep.com(opens source in a new tab)
Family plan
$119.99 a year for 5 Premium memberships
Checked Nov 8, 2026support.bettersleep.com(opens source in a new tab)
Free trial
Yes, for new users
Checked Nov 8, 2026bettersleep.com(opens source in a new tab)
4. Abide
Best for: Christians who want Scripture-based meditation and bedtime stories instead of secular mindfulness
Free plan + paidiOS, Android
42.3
score / 100
Why switch from Calm
Sleep stories and meditations rooted in Bible verses for Christians.
Pros
Biblical sleep stories for winding down at night
Free full audio Bible and reading plans
Content grouped by needs like anxiety, grief and stress
Cons
Most meditations and sleep stories need Premium
No study tools beyond reading plans
Mobile only
Visit Abide Compare with Calm Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.312
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Abide a good Calm alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Free trial
7 days
Checked Nov 8, 2026abide.co(opens source in a new tab)
Yearly price
$39.99/year
Checked Nov 8, 2026abide.co(opens source in a new tab)
Owner
Guideposts
Checked Nov 8, 2026abide.co(opens source in a new tab)
Free content
Audio Bible and reading plans
Checked Nov 8, 2026abide.co(opens source in a new tab)
5. Happier Meditation
Best for: Beginners and sceptics who want meditation explained by teachers, not just guided audio.
Free plan + paidiOS, Android
42.3
score / 100
Why switch from Calm
More teaching and practical courses from well-known teachers, with three courses free.
Pros
Courses explain the reasoning behind each practice
Wide range of established meditation teachers
Three courses free without subscribing
Practical topics such as anxiety, focus and parenting
Cons
Full library needs a yearly subscription
Fewer sleep stories and soundscapes than Calm
Mobile only, with no desktop app
Visit Happier Meditation Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.312
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Happier Meditation a good Calm alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Subscription
$99.99/year
Checked Nov 8, 2026tenpercent.com(opens source in a new tab)
Free plan
Three courses
Checked Nov 8, 2026tenpercent.com(opens source in a new tab)
Founded
2014
Checked Nov 8, 2026tenpercent.com(opens source in a new tab)
Origin
Dan Harris's book 10% Happier
Checked Nov 8, 2026tenpercent.com(opens source in a new tab)
6. Plum Village App
Best for: People who want free guided meditation rooted in Thich Nhat Hanh's teaching.
FreeiOS, Android
42.3
score / 100
Why switch from Calm
Entirely free, with guided practices from Thich Nhat Hanh's monastic community instead of a subscription.
Pros
All content free, with no subscription
Practices from one coherent Zen tradition
Deep relaxations and practices for difficult feelings
Cons
Much smaller library than Insight Timer
Teachings come from a single Buddhist tradition
No web or desktop version
Visit Plum Village App Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.312
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Plum Village App a good Calm alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Price
Free
Checked Nov 8, 2026plumvillage.app(opens source in a new tab)
Teachers
Thich Nhat Hanh and monastic community
Checked Nov 8, 2026plumvillage.app(opens source in a new tab)
Library
Hundreds of practices
Checked Nov 8, 2026plumvillage.app(opens source in a new tab)
Funding
Donations
Checked Nov 8, 2026plumvillage.app(opens source in a new tab)

Quick comparison

1. HeadspaceTop pick

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

2. Insight Timer

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

3. BetterSleep

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

4. Abide

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

5. Happier Meditation

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

6. Plum Village App

Pros

Cons

Verified facts