10 Best Mindfulness Apps UK 2024 | Calm, Headspace and More

If apps were places, Calm would be a luxury spa - welcoming you into a tranquil state from the moment you open the app. Hailed by millions worldwide as one of the best apps for meditation, Calm has a huge library of introductory guides, as well as courses for the more advanced. 

But it's not just meditation, try Calm's famous Bedtime Stories  featuring actors like Stephen Fry and Matthew McConaughey reading classic tales in soothing, hypnotic voices. Or check out their journalling section, where you can set reminders to reflect on gratitude and feelings throughout the day.

With its childlike interface and straightforward guidance, Headspace was one of the first apps to make meditation accessible. From simple daily nuggets of helpful advice, to advanced, multiple week-long courses, this is an excellent app for any level. 

Headspace also has a sleep function - including sleep casts read by ultra-soothing voices, relaxing breathing exercises, natural soundscapes and calming music. As well as meditations to help prepare your mind for sleep. There’s even an SOS function for those times when you can't nod back off! 

Aura was created by a group of trained therapists, teachers and experts to be an accessible program to help users manage stress and anxiety. Choose a pathway and it will provide you with a personalised selection of meditations and short exercises. You can even track your mood or keep a gratitude journal!

Gamifying mindfulness and meditation, Aura serves you challenges to complete in order to reveal the next level and meditation. Each meditation only lasts 3 minutes, with a library of short motivational stories, soundscapes and calming nature sounds.

MyLife Meditation takes a more streamlined approach to organising content. Once you've registered your details, you'll be kindly prompted to take ten deep breaths. Having created a calm space for yourself, you'll be asked a few questions on how you and your body currently feel. These answers will then determine the recommended content that you receive.

The ability to connect the app to an Alexa-enabled device is a great option if you struggle with self-motivation. You can sync the two to alert you with motivational moments and reminders throughout the day.

After opening the Insight Timer app, you're prompted to choose a category (or path) for your focus, whether that's sleep, anxiety or morning routine. It will then serve you personalised content based on your decisions, delineating a route to address your issue.

There are multiple courses to choose from, including classes for advanced practitioners and the option of unguided meditation. With one payment of £4.99 you will gain access to daily meditations with no hassle, extra fees or commitments - a rare find indeed! 

10% Happier is one of the best apps if you're after guidance, but are sceptical of the more spiritually-led apps. This content is heavily based on neuroscience, with a library packed full of philosophical discussions, offering practical tips to apply to your life.

It provides a detailed, personalised experience that kicks off with a question to test how familiar you are with mindfulness and meditation. You then go on to choose your goal of your journey - be that to reduce stress, or increase your quality of sleep.

The Mindfulness App was created by a duo of yoga and mindfulness professionals on a mission to make the world a friendlier, healthier place. It's one of the most accessible and user-friendly apps out there, with a simple, pleasing design that is easy to use. 

The app gives you a gentle, straight-forward introduction, and has a huge catalogue of 3-30 minute video meditations on a range of topics. If you just want to dip in and out, you can pay 99p per session. But if you're planning on using it regularly, the monthly fee of £3.75 will deliver new, exclusive content daily.

Geared towards teens and children, Smiling Mind categorises its programs into age-relevant groups. Its simple design might not be as slick as the other apps, but for a totally free App, it's pretty good! 

You begin by inputting data as soon as you launch the app. This narrows down and tailors their content for your needs - which can save you a huge amount of time if you often get lost making choices. The Smiling Mind also asks you to check-in before and after each meditation, which allows you to view your journey and progression. 

The mediation app Buddhify has a sizeable content library, although it's organised in a slightly different manner. Their meditations are categorised by certain parts of your day, such as 'waking up', 'travelling', or 'can’t sleep'. Their meditation rituals and videos are created by professionals, teachers and leaders in the field with some of the highest-quality content out there.

One of the best things about Buddhify is that there are no hidden costs. Just a one-off payment of £4.99 for life! Unfortunately, it's a bit of a gamble, as there is no preview or trial. 

If you're searching for inner peace, but meditation just isn’t your bag, try Portal. Portal invites you to escape to the far-flung corners of the earth. Wish you were lying in a hammock on a beach in Thailand, listening to the gentle waves? Or curled up in a blanket by a crackling fire? Portal frees you from stress and chaos, transporting you to a moment of calm. 

Relax to the sounds of nature, even if you're on the dreaded London underground commute! Portal can even be integrated with other apps if you want to add some soothing sounds to an audiobook before bed.