Top ten meditation apps to calm your mind in 2021 l Wellness l Gafencu

The perfect tool for the fidgety busy bees, meditation apps offer you a quick and easy solution to calmer, more mindful days.

No time for an hour-long meditation or too anxious to sit still in silence? — No problem!

Whether on-the-go or taking five, Gafencu’s list of 10 meditation apps will help you squeeze in a variety of customisable guided meditation and therapeutic soundscapes into your hectic schedule. Read on:

For better sleep:
1. Headspace
There’s nothing better for your overall well-being than a good night’s sleep; And with this meditation app, you get just that. Browsing through their library of guided meditation, soundscapes and storytelling sleepcasts, you’re bound to find one that helps you de-stress and snooze fast.

Rating: ★★★★★
Price: HK$100 per month with a 7-day free trial; HK$544 per year with a 2-week free trial

For breathing exercises:
2. Calm
Having trouble sleeping? Calm lets you immerse yourself into a soothing journey into peace of mind and emotional calmness. From calming exercises to breathing techniques, the app helps soothe emotional stress and reduce anxiety and even break bad habits.

Rating: ★★★★☆
Price: HK$116 per year, HK$544 per month or HK$3,107 for lifetime use after 7-day free trial

For people on the go:
3. Buddhify
Perfect for those always on the go, Buddhify complements your daily routine with a range of short and full-length meditation sessions to fit your schedule. Whether you are taking a break from work or out for a walk, or trying to doze off in bed, this meditation app is the perfect (and budget-friendly) companion for a stress-free life.

Rating: ★★★★☆
Price: HK$39; HK$233 per year for Premium Memberships

4. For busy bees:
Aura
Perfect for the busy bees who are on a crunch for time, this meditation app lets users personalise their meditation sessions by selecting from a collection of bite-sized calming exercises that are as short as three minutes and 30 seconds. Truly designed for those who live busy lives, Aura offers users a much-needed recess but also helps save you the time of doing hour-long meditation sessions.

Rating: ★★★★★
Price: Free limited access; Premium Membership: HK$93 per month HK$466 per year or HK$3,107 for lifetime use with seven-day free trial

For those who want to learn more about meditation:
5. Sattva
One of the more comprehensive meditation apps on this list,this meditation app offers more than just guided meditation, but also relaxing chants and mantras delivered by Sanskrit scholars. The app also features a progress tracker that helps users maintain their meditation habit by attaining mental and wellness achievements on the app.

Rating: ★★★★☆
Price: HK$1,546 for lifetime use

For people who like it quick and simple:
6. Simple Habit
According to Simple Habit, all it takes is five minutes to achieve ‘quietude’. And with this meditation app’s huge library of 5-minute mindfulness exercises, building a habit of daily meditation cannot come easier.

Rating: ★★★★★
Price: HK$93 per month; HK$699 per year; HK$2,300 for lifetime use.

A meditation app for the whole family:
7. Smiling Mind
This meditation app was developed by psychologists and educators with the aim to promote mindfulness as the foundation to wellness. Featuring simple 10-minute daily meditation suitable for any age between 7- to 18-years and adults.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Price: Free

For an overall meditative experience:
8. Insight Timer
This meditation app is multifaceted, offering a growing library of 30,000 guided meditative sessions, relaxing music tracks, talks by mindfulness experts, like yogi Sadhguru and psychotherapist Anthony DeMello, that are both calming and therapeutic. They also have a section for kids. It’s basically your Netflix for meditation.
Rating: ★★★★★
Price: Limited free access; HK$78 per month or HK$466 per year for Premium Memberships

For meditation beginners:
9. 10% Happier
If you are new to meditation or are a little sceptic about the whole experience, 10% happier, an off-shoot of the New York Time’s best selling book of the same name, will connect you to expert coaches who will lead users through the basics of meditation and even respond to your queries within a day.

Rating: ★★★★☆
Price: Limited free access; HK$800 per year with 7-day free trial

For mindful journaling:
10. Shine
Shine is a meditation and self-care app that offers users an outlet for daily mindful journaling exercises. Recover from burn out, improve your focus or conquer your inner critic through their daily writing prompts as well as guided meditation, empowering chats, articles and podcasts. The app was created for ethnic minorities that wanted to see their community represented and empowered with confidence and a positive mindset.