Both Insight Timer and Headspace are excellent meditation apps, each catering to different preferences. Insight Timer is ideal for users seeking a vast library of content, community features, and customization options, with a generous free tier. Headspace is better suited for those who prefer structured courses, a user-friendly interface, and detailed progress tracking, particularly with its sleep aids and breathing exercises. The choice depends on individual needs and priorities.
| Attribute | Insight Timer | Headspace |
|---|---|---|
| Guided meditation variety | Large library with over 100 new free meditations and sleep tracks added daily. Offers diverse techniques from seated practices to drawing and walking meditations. | Offers over 500 guided meditations covering stress, resilience, compassion, body scan, and visualization. Includes both guided and unguided options. |
| Teacher expertise and diversity | Features experts, neuroscientists, psychologists, and teachers from institutions like Stanford, Harvard, and Oxford. Access to almost 8,000 experts from different backgrounds. | Employs various meditation teachers, including Andy Puddicombe (former Buddhist monk with 20 years of experience), Eve Lewis Prieto, Dora Kamau, Kessonga Giscombe, and Rosie Acosta. |
| Offline access to content | Offline access is available to the timer for everyone. Downloading tracks from the audio library and courses for offline use is a feature for premium subscribers only. | Meditation sessions can be downloaded for offline use on iOS and Android, except for 'Everyday Headspace/Today's Headspace' sessions and Sleepcasts. |
| Customizable meditation sessions | Users can customize meditation sessions using the timer function by setting the duration, choosing from various bells for start and end times, and adding ambient sounds or background noise. | Users can adjust the duration of meditation sessions. |
| Progress tracking and statistics | Tracks meditation duration, consecutive days, and total meditations completed. MemberPlus subscribers can customize how stats are displayed, including the option to display the streak of consecutive days on the home screen. | Tracks meditation time, consecutive days of use, and provides progress updates via a dashboard. |
| Community features and support | Community features such as discussion groups and meditation circles. | Features that increase real-time interaction and help establish communities. |
| Sleep aids and sleep stories | Offers sleep music, soundscapes, bedtime tales, and sleep meditations. | Offers sleepcasts (audio-guided tours of dreamy environments), sleep music, and sleep health courses. |
| Breathing exercises | Includes guided meditations for breathing exercises, using breath as a tool to focus on the present. | Includes guided breathing exercises to promote relaxation and manage stress, incorporating techniques like alternate nostril breathing, belly breathing, and box breathing. |
| Music library for meditation | Library has meditation music designed to help users unwind, concentrate, or fall asleep. The timer function allows meditating with ambient sounds without guidance. | Provides focus music with binaural beats and soundscapes to improve concentration and productivity. |
| Course structure and learning paths | Offers meditation courses covering basics and advanced topics. Beginner courses are prominently featured in the meditation library. | Offers structured programs and courses for different experience levels, covering topics like acceptance, anxiety management, and stress reduction. |
| Pricing and subscription options | Provides a lot of free content. The premium plan (MemberPlus) costs $9.99 monthly or $59.99 annually. | Monthly: $12.99, Annual: $69.99, Family: $99.99 per year, Student: $9.99 per year. |
| User interface and ease of use | Minimalist design with a streamlined navigation system. | Known for its user-friendly interface with visual imagery and animations. The UI is designed to be interactive and intuitive with a clear menu structure. |