Like a couple of times in my life, I experienced heavy stress and anxiety a few months ago. Since Meditation has touted as an effective way to manage stress, I turn to meditation app in an attempt to calm my mind.  

There are many meditation apps to choose from: Headspace, Calm, Insight Timer, 10% Happier, Waking Up, and many more. So, I’ve decided to go through a few of these and let you know what I like about each of them and I decide to give Headspace a shot first.

In this Headspace review, we try to answer the core question that should you pay $69.99 annually for Headspace? Here’s my full unbiased review of Headspace.

What Is Headspace App?

Headspace is an app that allegedly helps relieve stress, improve your focus, and fall asleep faster through meditation.

Cofounded by Andy Puddicombe and Richard Pierson in 2010, Headspace originally started out as an events company before the app of the same name launched in 2012.

Formerly, Andy Puddicombe was a Buddhist monk who went on to run a meditation clinic in London. Many of the mediations in Headspace are recorded separately by two voices, one male and one female. The male voice is the app’s co-founder, Andy Puddicombe.

Since the release, Headspace has become one of the most popular meditation apps with over 65 million downloads and 2 million subscribed users worldwide.

Headspace Reviews: First Impression

Headspace has a clean, polished style and a user-friendly interface. I like its design which includes a warm interface that has fun illustrations and a well-organized library of courses.

When you first download and open the Headspace app, the screen shows one of the app’s cartoon figures expanding and then shrinking, in conjunction with a reminder to breathe in and out. Then you’re prompted to create an account or sign in. When you enter the home screen, you can navigate between tabs, labelled “Today,” which is the home screen, “Meditate,” “Sleep,” and “Move,” for quick access to specific content.

In profile section, you’ll see two tabs called “My Stats” and “My Journey” where you can check how much time you’ve spent meditating with the app, and the other lists the lessons completed and milestones reached.

Is Headspace Free App?

Headspace is free to download, but the free version of the app is extremely limited.

With the free version of Headspace, you can only access to the “Meditation Basics” practice which consists of ten 3-10 minute lessons. In order to make full use of Headspace, you need to pay a fee monthly or yearly.

Headspace Plus cost

If you opt for the monthly payment, it costs $12.99 per month with the first 1 week free. If you choose to pay annually, you will be charged $69.99 per year with the first 2 weeks free. Comparatively, the annual subscription is a significant saving, at $5.83 per month.

Headspace family plan cost

Headspace also offers a family plan that includes access to 6 accounts for $99.99 per year. This type of membership is not restricted to relatives and can be used for roommates, teammates, coworkers, and other groups.

Headspace student plan cost

The student plan costs $9.99 per year and is available to students who can provide proof of their attendance at a participating university in the United States.

Once subscribed, you get full access to everything Headspace has to offer, which is quite a lot.

The paid app includes:

• Short “mini” meditations
• “Themed” meditation courses tailored to a specific focus
• Mindfulness practices for daily occurrences like walking, commuting, eating, etc.
• “Everyday Headspace” which are daily meditations sent to your phone
• Sleep meditations and “Sleepcasts”
• A selection of informational animations
• Mindfulness messages sent to your phone

How Does Headspace Work?

You simply download Headspace, sign up and you’ll be presented with a page that helps to personalize the app. Then, you’ll be guided through a short tutorial on how to use the app and a ‘basics’ section with 10 short audio files.

Headspace boasts a broad and plentiful library of meditations so users can choose from a set of meditation lectures. These include topics such as stress and anxiety, personal growth, or better sleep. However, most of the lectures are available only for subscribers.

Headspace provides guided audio meditation. There are also video tutorials, with cartoon graphics helping to explain the techniques you’ll practice. For paying subscribers there is a whole range of guided meditations using a variety of meditation techniques.

Does Headspace Actually Work?

It may vary from people to people, but there is a study which may give you the confidence.

In one 2018 study, researchers tested Headspace with 70 adults. All the participants started by answering surveys about their positive and negative feelings, their stress, and their irritability in the past week. Then, over the course of a month, half the group completed ten introductory sessions on Headspace, while the other half listened to excerpts from Puddicombe’s audiobook about mindfulness and meditation without any guided practice.

Afterward, the meditation group was faring much better. According to a second round of surveys, they felt (on balance) more positive emotions and less burdened by external demands, responsibilities, and pressure than the audiobook listeners. These changes happened after just 100 minutes of practice.

In my experience, I keep up a twice-daily practice. I start each day with a morning meditation and end with bedtime meditation. In the practice, Headspace helps me to be more active and energetics.

What Did Other Reviewers Say About Headspace?

Same guides over and over again

Their guided meditation was nice in the beginning but then after a couple of chapters they just keep repeating themselves and the guy’s voice is annoying too. – A user’s review in Trustpilot

Great Guidance

I downloaded this app as part of a bundle I got with Spotify. Having being using it alongside other changes in my life (such as quitting smoking and being more active) I have definitely noticed a difference when it comes to mindfulness, I find it easier to be more present which is paying off in other areas of my life, and I have felt a lot calmer (I’m usually a massive over thinker and put myself into anxiety thought loops). I’ve also noticed an improvement in sleep quality, the sleep casts are really useful and I have an easier time ”switching off’. – A user’s review in Trustpilot

The new interface is so distracting

The new interface is so distracting. I really enjoyed its old simple interface. I use the app to meditate only. Nothing else. I don’t want to listen to John Lennon nor do I want to use the exercises. I am not suggesting to get rid of these features but many of us come to headspace just to meditate. … – A user’s review in Google Play

Headspace Reviews: Is Headspace Worth it?

In the conclusion part of this Headspace review post, let sum up the pros and cons of Headspace first.

Pros

• Easy to use and visually appealing.
• Meditations can be downloaded for use offline (only for paid subscriptions).
• It is possible to get a well-adjusted practice of meditation for about any particular focus that you might have.
• The app has meditation courses for personal growth, compassion, sleep, self-esteem, relationships, productivity, grief, anxiety and more.
• Apps are compatible with iOS and Android smartphones.

Cons

• The free version is very limited.
• Monthly subscriptions are somewhat pricey at $12.99 per month.
• Some guides are keep repeating.
• For people who are at an advanced level of meditation, the time limitation of sessions to 20 minutes can appear to be a setback.

If you’re beginning to meditate and can easily afford a subscription, a Headspace subscription provides an easy way to get started learning about meditation. It may help you lower stress and anxiety.

If you’re still not sure whether Headspace is for you, go ahead and try it out. You can try the first 10 beginner sessions for free along with a limited selection of the other guided meditations.

Finally, don’t forget to check out our review of the Calm meditation app!