# The Mindfulness App vs Calm

The clearest difference is ads: The Mindfulness App at none against Calm's shown. The Mindfulness App also leads on review sentiment (76% vs 64%) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). Calm's advantage is ratings volume (2M vs 7.6K) and update cadence (every 4 days vs fortnightly). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Mindfulness App sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Calm sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for The Mindfulness App against 4.8 for Calm. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Calm has 2M ratings behind it against 7.6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of The Mindfulness App's written reviews are positive against 64% of Calm's.

The Mindfulness App ships an update fortnightly, Calm every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Mindfulness App | Calm |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (7.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-mindfulness-app/id417071430/reviews) | **[4.8 (2M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calm/id571800810/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7.6K | **2M** |
| Positive reviews | **76.2% of reviews** | 64.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#7** |
| Size | 107 MB | 167 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Reflective Technologies ApS](https://appshunter.io/developer/469957278) | [Calm.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/571800813) |

## What reviewers say

### The Mindfulness App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-mindfulness-app/id417071430)

Access over 500 guided meditations, sleep stories, and courses from global experts. Customize silent or guided sessions with various background sounds and durations. Track your progress and integrate with Apple Health and Apple Watch.

**Highlights:** 500+ guided meditations and courses, Sleep stories for relaxation, Customizable silent or guided sessions, Multiple background sounds, Personalized user statistics, Apple Health and Apple Watch integration

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stress Relief with Mindfulness | $2.99 | per month |
| Sleep Better | $2.99 | per month |
| Monthly Membership | $4.99 | per month |
| 1 Month Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium Library | $44.99 | per year |
| 1 Year Premium | $59.99 | per year |
| Annual Membership | $59.99 | per year |
| 1 Year Premium | $59.99 | per year |
| Premium Full Access | $59.99 | per year |
| Annual Membership | $79.99 | per year |
| Annual Membership | $79.99 | per year |
| Annual Membership | $99.99 | per year |


### Calm

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calm/id571800810)

**Currently charting:** #7 Top Grossing · Health & Fitness, #48 Top Free · Health & Fitness, #130 Top Grossing (US App Store)

This app offers guided meditations, sleep stories, music, and breathing exercises to help users reduce stress, anxiety, and improve sleep. It caters to all experience levels, integrating mindfulness into daily routines for enhanced mental well-being.

**Highlights:** Guided meditations, Sleep Stories, Breathwork exercises, Relaxing music, Stretching exercises, Mindfulness programs

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Calm Subscription | $14.99 | per month |
| Calm Premium | $14.99 | per month |
| Calm Premium | $16.99 | per month |
| Calm Premium | $29.99 | per month |
| Calm Premium | $69.99 | per year |
| Calm Premium | $69.99 | per year |
| Calm Premium | $79.99 | per year |
| Calm Premium | $79.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💤 Helpful for sleep
- 🧘‍♀️ Effective for meditation and relaxation
- 🎨 Variety of content (sleep stories, meditations, music)
- 🙏 Positive impact on mental health
- 🤗 Soothing narrators

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔒 Limited free content
- 🕰️ Difficulty finding specific content
- 🔁 Repetitive sleep stories
- 🙃 Accessibility issues for disabled users

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes
- Playback issues with audio and video
- Difficulty cancelling subscription

**Requested features**

- Add repeat button for sleep stories
- Separate kids and adult content
- Allow creating custom playlists
- Improve search and navigation
- Add more diverse narrator voices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Mindfulness App free?

The Mindfulness App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Calm free?

Calm is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, The Mindfulness App or Calm?

Calm is rated higher. The Mindfulness App averages 4.7 out of 5 from 7.6K ratings, while Calm averages 4.8 from 2M ratings.

### Do The Mindfulness App or Calm have ads?

Calm shows ads; The Mindfulness App does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Mindfulness App or Calm?

The Mindfulness App ships an update fortnightly, and Calm every 4 days. Most recently, The Mindfulness App was updated on September 27, 2026 and Calm on September 28, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*