Comparison

Insight Timer vs Calmind

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Insight Timer

Access thousands of guided meditations, music tracks, and talks from world-renowned experts to calm your mind, reduce anxiety, and improve sleep. Daily new content is added, catering to both beginners and experienced practitioners.

Highlights
  • Thousands of guided meditations
  • Music tracks and ambient sounds
  • Meditation timer
  • Community discussion groups
  • Progress tracking
  • Offline listening (premium)
Features
Read full description

* Apps of the Year Winner - TIME magazine and Womens Health * * More time is spent meditating on Insight Timer than all other meditation apps * * Happiest App in the World - Tristan Harris * The number 1 free meditation app. Guided meditations and talks led by the world's top meditation and mindfulness experts, neuroscientists, psychologists and teachers from Stanford, Harvard, the University of Oxford and more. Music tracks from world-renowned artists. Join millions learning to meditate on Insight Timer to help calm the mind, reduce anxiety, manage stress, sleep deeply and improve happiness. With 80+ new free guided meditations added daily, more meditation is practiced on Insight Timer than anywhere else. Great for both beginners and experienced practitioners. FREE FEATURES: * Thousands of guided meditations * Select by time for short meditations when on the go, helping you to build a simple daily habit * Thousands of music tracks and ambient sounds to calm the mind, focus, sleep better and relax * The world's most popular meditation Timer * Follow your favourite teachers * Thousands of discussion groups and community features * Stats and milestones for tracking your progress * Integration with Apple Health Mindful Minutes Browse popular topics including: * Sleep deeply * Dealing with Anxiety and Reducing Stress * Getting through Recovery and Addictions * Self-love and Compassion * Focus and Concentration * Leadership * Better Relationships * Loving-Kindness * And much more.. Join leading meditation teachers and musicians including: * Tara Brach, Ph.D, founder of Insight Meditation Community of Washington * Mark Williams, Emeritus Professor at Oxford University * Jack Kornfield, Dartmouth, co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society alongside fellow Insight Timer teachers Sharon Salzberg, and Joseph Goldstein of Columbia * Gil Fronsdal, Ph.D. at Stanford University * Ram Das aka Dr Richard Alpert, Doctorate at Stanford and Harvard University teacher * Sadhguru, Indian yogi, founder of non-profit Isha Foundation * Mooji, disciple of Papaji, and devotee of the master Ramana Maharshi * Moby, international recording artist, DJ, record producer, singer, songwriter * As well as Sarah Blondin, Mary Maddux, Ajahn Achalo, Melissa Ambrosini, Bodhipaksa, Jonathan Lehmann, Jennifer Piercy, Bethany Auriel-Hagan, Kate James and many more.. Practice the following meditation types: * Secular Mindfulness * Buddhist Mindfulness * Zen * Insight Meditation * Vipassana * MBSR * Walking Meditation * Breathing Meditation * Kundalini Yoga * Metta * Advaita Vedanta * And many more.. Join community groups for: * Beginners * Poetry * Atheism * Christianity * Hinduism * Transcendental Meditation * And many more.. PAID FEATURE - INSIGHT PREMIUM MEDITATION We have one optional in-app subscription. * Insight Courses * Listen offline (download guided meditations to your device) * Advanced Player (Repeat mode, Fast forward and Rewind, Pick-up where you left off) * High-Quality audio The subscription is available annually for US$59.99/year, or monthly for US$9.99/month. Payment will be charged through your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase, and will automatically renew at the end of each term unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. You can turn off auto-renew at any time from your iTunes account settings, but refunds will not be provided for unused portions of the term. Prices and currency will vary by location. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription, where applicable. The subscription will renew at the same cost. If you have any questions, please reach out to us over here: https://help.insighttimer.com Privacy Policy - https://insighttimer.com/legal/privacy-policy Terms and Conditions - https://insighttimer.com/legal/terms-of-service

About

Calmind

This app uses science-backed flashlight stimulation and binaural beats to guide users into deep relaxation and sleep. It offers a structured daily wellness plan including guided breathing, journaling, and nature sounds. Designed for those who struggle with stress, sleep, or quieting their minds, it provides a unique approach to mental wellness.

Highlights
  • Flickering Light Stimulation (FLS)
  • Binaural beats and ASMR
  • Structured daily wellness plan
  • Guided breathing exercises
  • Gratitude journal
  • Nature soundscapes
  • 500+ customizable sessions
Features
Read full description

Unlock deep relaxation in 10 minutes using science-backed flashlight meditation. Turn your phone into a mental wellness device – no meditation experience needed. Calmind uses scientifically-designed Flickering Light Stimulation (FLS) to guide your brain into deep relaxation in minutes. Unlike any other app, Calmind transforms your phone's flash into a personal wellness tool that quiets mental noise instantly – no sitting still, no clearing your mind required. Not peace of mind. Peace FROM mind. ———————————— HOW IT WORKS Your phone's flashlight emits precise light patterns that gently synchronize your brainwaves – guiding you into a semi-meditative state within minutes. Paired with binaural beats, ASMR, and ambient soundscapes, each session delivers a deeply immersive experience you have to feel to believe. ———————————— YOUR DAILY WELLNESS PLAN Calmind structures your day so you never have to guess what to do: → Vision: Your daily FLS light session (Relax, Sleep, Focus, Migraine Relief, Mind Exploration, Mood Elevation, Cognitive Clarity, Neuronal Health) → Breathe: Science-backed breathing exercises to calm your nervous system instantly → Safeplace: Your private gratitude journal for daily reflection and emotional clarity → Stories: Guided audio experiences for winding down before sleep → Nature: Relaxing nature sounds and ambient soundscapes 500+ customizable sessions. One structured daily plan. ———————————— WHO IT'S FOR Calmind was built for people who: - Have tried meditation and couldn't stick with it - Struggle to fall asleep or quiet racing thoughts - Want fast stress relief without pharmaceutical solutions - Are curious about altered states of consciousness – drug-free - Deal with anxiety, burnout, or chronic mental fatigue ———————————— WHAT USERS ARE SAYING "As a psychonaut, I found Calmind to be incredibly rewarding. During my first session, I experienced an unexpected emotional release." — Matthew M. "I've tried many relaxation apps, but nothing compares to Calmind. It helped me achieve a deeper connection with myself." — Anna W. "It's like having a reset button for my brain." — Grace K. ———————————— GO PREMIUM Unlock the full Calmind experience with Premium: - Unlimited access to all 8 FLS programs and 500+ sessions - Full library of binaural beats, ASMR, and nature soundscapes - Exclusive sleep stories and guided audio experiences - Regular new content and program updates Your first FLS session is always free. Your Safeplace journal is free forever. ———————————— START YOUR RESET TODAY Download Calmind and experience deep relaxation in your first session. Whether you're battling insomnia, anxiety, burnout, or just need a mental reset – Calmind is the most uniquely effective wellness app you haven't tried yet. ———————————— IMPORTANT: Not suitable for individuals with epilepsy or photosensitive conditions. Recommended for users 18+. Consult a healthcare professional if you have concerns. Terms: https://calmind.com/terms-and-conditions/

Screenshots

Insight Timer4 screens
Calmind4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Insight Timer at 4.9 against Calmind's 4.4. Insight Timer also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks) and ratings volume (447K vs 49). Calmind's advantage is review sentiment (88% vs 70%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Insight Timer sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Calmind sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Insight Timer holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Insight Timer has 447K ratings behind it against 49, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 70% of Insight Timer's written reviews are positive against 88% of Calmind's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Insight Timer ships an update weekly, Calmind every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and August 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Insight Timer versus Calmind: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterInsight TimerCalmind
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (447K ratings) — better4.4 (49 ratings)
Positive reviews70.0% of reviews88.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings447K — better49
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#15 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size243 MB82 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperInsight Network IncBrainmedia

Customer experience

Insight Timer

All ratings446,623 ratings
Positive98.2%
Neutral1.0%
Negative0.8%
Written reviews2,819 reviews
Positive70.0%
Neutral7.0%
Negative23.1%

Calmind

All ratings45 ratings
Positive91.1%
Neutral4.4%
Negative4.4%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive88.2%
Neutral5.9%
Negative5.9%

Bugs and requests

Insight Timer

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Timer frequently pausing or shutting down during use
  • Inconsistent tracking of meditation streaks and progress
  • Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
  • Inability to leave reviews for meditations

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to sort/filter bookmarked meditations
  • Option to disable opening quotes and mood check-ins
  • Improved offline functionality and caching
  • More customization options for the timer
  • Better community features and social integration

Calmind

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

12 purchases

Insight Timer

Subscriptions4
  • Insight Premium Meditation$9.991 Month
  • Insight Premium Meditation7 Days trial2 variants$59.991 Year
  • Insight Premium Meditation1 Month trial$59.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • MemberPlus Family7 Days trial$89.991 Year
One-time8
  • Teacher Donation (XS)$1.99
  • Meditation Course: Single Use$4.99
  • Teacher Donation (S)$4.99
Show 5 more
  • Meditation Course: Multi Use$19.99
  • Truth Anxiety course – Own$19.99
  • Teacher Donation (M)$19.99
  • Teacher Donation (L)$49.99
  • Teacher Donation (XL)$99.99
9 purchases

Calmind

Subscriptions8
  • Calmind Premium$9.997 Days
  • Calmind Subscription3 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • Calmind premium$14.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • Calmind Premium3 Days trial$44.993 Months
  • Calmind premium 1yr7 Days trial$69.991 Year
  • Calmind Premium3 Days trial$89.991 Year
  • Calmind Premium1 Year trial$89.991 Year
  • Calmind Premium$89.991 Year
One-time1
  • Calmind Premium$299.00

Questions

Is Insight Timer free?
Insight Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Calmind free?
Calmind is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Insight Timer or Calmind?
Insight Timer is rated higher. Insight Timer averages 4.9 out of 5 from 447K ratings, while Calmind averages 4.4 from 49 ratings.
Do Insight Timer or Calmind have ads?
Neither Insight Timer nor Calmind shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Insight Timer or Calmind?
Insight Timer ships an update weekly, and Calmind every 6 weeks. Most recently, Insight Timer was updated on September 24, 2026 and Calmind on August 6, 2026.

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