# Waking Up: Meditation & Wisdom — user reviews > 1,799 indexed App Store user reviews of Waking Up by Waking Up Course, LLC, rated 4.90/5 from 42,564 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/waking-up-meditation-and-wisdom/id1307736395/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/waking-up-meditation-and-wisdom/id1307736395.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 40,691 · 4★ 1,134 · 3★ 267 · 2★ 122 · 1★ 350 ## What do users think of Waking Up? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 🙏 Life changing - 👍 Exactly what I needed - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Amazing - 🙏 2 years in. Still enjoying. - 🙏 Excellent Tool - 🙏 Changed my life - 🙏 Authentic - 👍 Want to meditate - Start here - 👍 Totally satisfied! - 🙏 Kindness at its highest level - 🙏 Très bon guide - 🙏 Such a gift! - 🙏 Life changing is no overestimation - 🙏 Worth the Investment - 🙏 Life-changing - 👍 Beginner friendly but highly informative! - 🙏 Grateful for this app - 👍 The best meditation guide - 🙏 I could cry at how much Sam Harris and this app has changed my life - 👍 Not your usual meditation app - 🙏 Amazing!! - 🙏 Thank you! This is not a meditation App. - 🙏 The most important piece of software available - 🙏 Best drug I've ever had - 🙏 A new chapter - 🙏 Highly recommend (for the benefit of all beings) - 🙏 Genuine!! - 🙏 Grateful for this app - 🙏 Enlighten yourself! - 🙏 Beautiful App - 🙏 Potentially life-changing - 🙏 Peace of mind - 🙏 DAY 23 - TEARS OF AWE & REVERENCE - 👍 Excellent app! - 🙏 Simply magnificent - 🙏 Really really good - 🙏 The Most Useful Option - 🙏 Actual improvement - 🙏 JOY IN THE MAKING, JUST DO IT. - 🙏 Profoundly good - my best meditation training ever. - 🙏 Something real out of this virtual - 👍 Well thought out and structured step by step course on meditation - 🙏 A tool to sharpen your mind - 👍 Real Meditation Instruction - 👍 Best and most useful app I have ever downloaded - 🙏 Enlighten yourself! - 👍 Beautiful App **Cons** - 💰 $200 Annually - 🐛 Suspicious space hog - 🐛 Having unexpected technical issues - 🤔 Shame on Sam **Commonly reported bugs** - Audio won't play unless screen is on and app is open - Unexpected data usage **Most requested features** - Weekly charts showing meditation progress - Housekeeping meditation - More conversations with women ## Newest reviews (14 of 1,799) ### 3/5 — Payment required for first episode. *2026-08-22, version 3.25* I did not get to use the app. The very first episode cost money. I know there is a 7 day trial but I don’t want to sign up for something that I didn’t even get to listen to 1 episode. This is more of a feedback than a review. Make the first 2 episodes free. ### 2/5 — Know before you download *2026-07-27, version 3.23* Look up Sam Harris and his beliefs before downloading. Especially if you care about Gaza. ### 5/5 — Sam is a Wonderful Guide *2026-07-23, version 3.23* I’ve been a fairly close admirer of Sam’s work since I was in college studying the humanities. This app has been extremely helpful getting back into the practice of meditation. Sam is a master of language and uses guiding principles that universalize the wide variety of experiences one may have in this practice. I’ve listened to more religious or more mystical guides, and ironically enough I find myself—or lack thereof—more mystified by Sam’s approach. Also a lot of really great clips and pieces of wisdom that can keep you occupied and thinking constructively for hours. Can’t express my gratitude enough for this app! ### 5/5 — Best meditation app ! *2026-07-23, version 3.23* The best meditation app I’ve ever used. Waking Up goes far beyond meditation—it’s a masterclass in mindfulness, consciousness, and living with greater clarity. Highly recommended. ### 5/5 — SCAM!!!! *2026-07-21, version 3.23* I got the 7 day free trial and immediately cancelled my subscription through Apple subscriptions. However, after the 7 days went by I was unfairly charged 160 dollars for the yearly plan. When I try to open the app now it crashes and I am unable to figure out the problem. ### 5/5 — Amazing *2026-07-20, version 3.23* Absolutely amazing app. A treasure trove of content, you will not be disappointed! ### 5/5 — Hold On *2026-07-17, version 3.23* I’ve been surprised by how impactful this app has been. It’s not so much the thoughtfulness of the app itself, and it is thoughtfully designed, it’s more the content and guidance of Sam’s voice that I’ve come to trust in some sense. Nearly everything these days has an agenda for me. Sometimes it’s subtle, but it’s usually recognizable if I listen to the sensations in my body. For me, Sam is one of a few people I can sit under and allow his voice to guide me deeper. And deeper this rabbit hole seems to go. I can sense an unraveling in my mind that’s both scary and thrilling because it feels like real change. It feels like freedom. Thanks Sam & team. ### 5/5 — The Best! *2026-07-11, version 3.22* This is the best site for meditators and for those interested in discussions about the Dharma. ### 5/5 — I was only scratching the surface … *2026-07-09, version 3.22* … of what it is to meditate and why until I gave this app a couple weeks of daily use. Harris is an expert teacher and his neutral, calm and steady demeanor makes it easy to keep going each day. I especially appreciate the recordings by other well known teachers of philosophy and spirituality. No where else have I come across such a catalog. I’m confident continuing my daily practice in the app will improve my life in many ways. ### 5/5 — Simply wonderful, and grateful there is a way to use it for free. Beyond a simple meditation app. *2026-07-09, version 3.22* So many incredible guided meditations, talks, conversations, life lessons etc. from so many smart and wise people. It’s all been just so useful and beneficial in all aspects of my life. **If you can’t afford a subscription you can get one for free through the website! Just google waking up scholarship ### 5/5 — Thanks a lot *2026-07-08, version 3.22* Best app to practice meditation. No distractions only valuable knowledge. I am so glad I came to know about this app and tried it. ### 5/5 — This is the one *2026-07-08, version 3.22* Honestly the best meditation app out there to cut through the noise of new age spirituality and the din of old timey religiosity. Fantastic customer service too. ### 5/5 — A new beginning *2026-07-04, version 3.22* Waking up is part of my daily routine. It has helped me immensely to work on myself and remove my worrying and anxious thoughts. ### 2/5 — Found *2026-07-02, version 3.22* Sam - there is no objectivity on genocide. I had to delete this app. Very useful tool. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Playback constantly stalls *2026-08-18, version 3.25* The constant stalling of the playback is extremely frustrating and overshadows the other good qualities of the app ### 1/5 — Course ends after 30 days *2026-08-12, version 3.24.1* I subscribed to this app based on the introductory course that builds each lesson on the previous lessons. $150 for a year of what I thought was going to be lessons that would take me deeper into my meditation practice. 30 days later, after they have your money they cleverly change the format to a generic daily 10 minute meditation. There are free apps that offer the same thing. They also claim they will refund your money if you email support. I did so on July 19. It’s now July 30 and they are still “processing” the refund, which I’ve come to expect will not be sent. I’ll update this if they do refund my remaining 11 months but would never recommend this deceptive app to anyone. Edit: Refund finally received on August 6 ### 1/5 — Course ends after 30 days *2026-07-30, version 3.24* I subscribed to this app based on the introductory course that builds each lesson on the previous lessons. $150 for a year of what I thought was going to be lessons that would take me deeper into my meditation practice. 30 days later, after they have your money they cleverly change the format to a generic daily 10 minute meditation. There are free apps that offer the same thing. They also claim they will refund your money if you email support. I did so on July 19. It’s now July 30 and they are still “processing” the refund, which I’ve come to expect will not be sent. I’ll update this if they do refund my remaining 11 months but would never recommend this deceptive app to anyone. ### 1/5 — Sam is famously pro genocide *2026-07-28, version 3.24* I canceled my subscription after learning that Sam is supports Israel’s genocide. This app also contains usage tracking software for no good reason. Look elsewhere. ### 1/5 — Sam Harris is creepy *2026-07-08, version 3.22* I would not recommend this app, there are much better meditation apps available ### 1/5 — Scammy *2026-07-05, version 3.22* They make it virtually impossible to cancel your membership. There is no way to do it on the app or on the site. Also, the UX is horrible. I expect better. ### 1/5 — White Men *2026-06-29, version 3.22* I got an ad for this app and thought I’d give it a try. After downloading it I looked around a bit and saw nothing but white men. I was shocked to see the welcome message was by Zionist and Islamaphobe, Sam Harris. And then looking around more, a high percentage of the recordings are all with Sam Harris. No thanks! Sigh. I’m tired of only hearing from men and especially those who are justifying a genocide. How is this compassionate or enlightened??? ### 1/5 — Sam Harris support the genocide in Gaza *2026-06-27, version 3.22* The app is good overall but it's hard to try to take advice about inner peace when Sam Harris is a supporter of the genocide in Gaza. ### 1/5 — Worst meditation app *2026-06-23, version 3.22* Save your money and get the more popular proven apps like Calm. The meditation clips are guided by amateurs who speak in abrupt sentences without a calm and soothing voice. The instructions are not congruent and I often felt jarring experience with this app. ### 1/5 — Nothing is free *2026-06-19, version 3.22* I realize you’re operating a business… but c’mon. There ain’t even a calming ocean sound included as a teaser. Cheapskate much? Everything is locked upon downloading. Your responses to reviews that “Money shouldn’t keep you from meditating” means that you’re not even listening to your potential base. Ya gotta offer a “little” something to get “alotta” something, know what I’m saying here? $$ You just lost my potential subscription, regardless of what your geo-political views are! It does me no good to never know what you are so talented (as you proclaim). Make this make sense. Include some teaser clips and maybe I’ll be back. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Perfect *2026-08-27, version 3.25.1* I’ve been searching a long time for a meditation app where the person’s voice is not overly saccharine or annoying. This is it. Instructions are given in a matter of fact way. Plus there is heady theory to satisfy your cerebral side. So many meditation apps out there are just a lot of cloying fluff. This one isn’t. ### 5/5 — Great app *2026-08-25, version 3.25.1* I really enjoy this app. The mindful CBT sections are really good! ### 5/5 — life changer *2026-08-23, version 3.25* After a long time away from meditation I tried everything to get back. This app got me there. The depth it offers gives you something to get your teeth into. Hooked. I have no head. ### 5/5 — Enjoying practicing and sharing the Waking Up App *2026-08-22, version 3.25* I only tried the Waking Up App to see what my husband was doing every morning. I have what I call a spiritual practice, and felt a bit superior about it. I’ve been totally blown away by the immediate insights and sense of freedom I’ve been experiencing through this particular practice. It’s actually fun and I look forward to the daily meditations every morning. ### 5/5 — Great Customer Service! *2026-08-20, version 3.25* I had an issue with my account & billing and the customer service team fixed it right away! ### 5/5 — Excellent app *2026-08-11, version 3.24.1* If your trying to learn or sharpen you mind this app. ### 5/5 — Review *2026-08-07, version 3.24.1* Calming and mindful and the same time. The tone is great. And I have applied the meditations in my life. ### 5/5 — Brilliant app *2026-08-05, version 3.24.1* Excellent content and very well executed application to support meditation at any level. ### 5/5 — Amazing Company *2026-08-01, version 3.24* I don’t usually make reviews, but I absolutely felt that the support that my daughter and I got when we needed to sort out an issue with the subscription was exceptional. Karl from the support team got back to us immediately everytime . He was kind sympathetic, understanding 100% patient. Nothing was too much trouble. His approach exemplified the ethics of this company.. I haven’t even mentioned yet how brilliant the app itself is! it’s so well planned and set out if you’re new to meditation it’s an absolute gift. I’m a long time meditator and I can’t believe how good it is. Don’t hesitate to sign up. ### 5/5 — Waking Up has improved my practice and life *2026-07-27, version 3.24* Absolutely the best meditation app I have used. I enjoy the daily meditations and the different practice series which have allowed me to explore the different types of meditation. The theory courses are also highly informative. I love learning from Sam Harris and Joseph Goldstein in particular. Meditating has substantially improved my life and Waking Up has been the tool I’ve used to learn about meditation and implement a sustainable daily routine. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-05.*