Comparison

Calm vs Meditation Timer-ZenMinder

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

Head to head
About

Calm

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
Read full description

Calm is the #1 app for sleep, meditation, and relaxation. Find anxiety relief, stress relief, and better sleep through breathing exercises, sleep sounds, deep sleep music, and mindfulness programs for insomnia, beginner meditation, and beyond. Downloaded by 180 million people worldwide. Fall asleep faster with Sleep Stories, bedtime stories for adults narrated by Matthew McConaughey, Stephen Fry, P\!nk, Bob Ross, and more. Only on Calm. Manage stress, relieve anxiety, improve your sleep cycle, and refocus your attention. Apple App of the Year. Apple Editors' Choice. Happiest App in the World (Center for Humane Technology). 3M+ five-star reviews. Recommended by top psychologists, therapists, and mental health experts. SLEEP STORIES — ONLY ON CALM * Drift off to Matthew McConaughey's Wonder — a dreamy journey through the mysteries of the universe * Travel through the village of Provence with master storyteller Stephen Fry in Blue Gold * Fall asleep to the soothing brush strokes of beloved painter Bob Ross in Happy Little Zzzs * Tackle insomnia with 100+ exclusive Sleep Stories, new content added every month MEDITATION & MINDFULNESS * Beginner meditation to advanced practice — guided sessions for every experience level * Daily Calm with Tamara Levitt, Daily Jay with Jay Shetty, Daily Trip with Jeff Warren * Mindfulness topics: deep sleep, anxiety relief, stress relief, focus, breaking habits, self-care, personal growth, and more * 7- and 21-day mindfulness programs to build a lasting practice ANXIETY RELIEF & RELAXATION * Breathing exercises and breathwork to ease anxiety, stress, and insomnia * Bilateral stimulation music and neuroacoustic sounds for nervous system regulation and somatic relaxation * Guided breathwork for stress relief, anxiety relief, and deep calm * Stress management and self-healing through Dailies: programs for social anxiety, personal growth, and mood balance * Mindful movement and stretching with Daily Move SLEEP SOUNDS, MUSIC & SOUNDSCAPES * Calming music, nature sounds, and sleep sounds: ocean waves, heavy rain, campfire, and more * Exclusive focus and sleep music from top artists * Full soundscapes and sleep sounds to help you relax, meditate, and sleep soundly ALSO FEATURING * Daily Streaks & Mindful Minutes — emotion and mental health tracker * Calm saves your meditation and sleep sessions to your Apple Health app. Mental health is health. Calm is for anyone looking to improve their sleep, manage stress, and address everyday anxiety. Meditation novice or seasoned expert. Take a deep breath and find your Calm. Calm is free to download and use. There are never any ads and some of the programs and features are free forever. Some content is only available through an optional paid subscription. Be sure to check out our Apple Watch app to quick-start breathing exercises and track your meditations. Subscription pricing and terms: Calm offers an auto-renewing monthly subscription at $14.99/month and an auto-renewing yearly subscription at $69.99/year to provide you with unlimited access to the Calm Collection while you maintain an active subscription. Payment will be charged to the credit card connected to your iTunes Account when you confirm the initial subscription purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current subscription period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and the cost of the renewal will be identified. You may manage your subscription and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to your Account Settings after the purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription, where applicable. Read more about our terms and conditions here: Terms of service: https://www.calm.com/terms Privacy policy: https://www.calm.com/privacy

About

Meditation Timer-ZenMinder

Develop awareness and peace of mind with tools designed to help you achieve calm and focus. This app offers guided sessions, goal setting, daily reminders, and progress tracking to enhance your meditation journey. Personalize your experience with user-friendly themes and enjoy a mindful practice.

Highlights
  • Guided meditation sessions
  • Meditation goal setting
  • Daily reminders and affirmations
  • Progress tracking
  • Customizable themes
  • Light mode option
Features
Read full description

ZenMinder is your ultimate mate in developing awareness and peace of mind in your daily life. It offers a set of tools that helps you attain a state of calm and focus in the midst of life's stressful situations. Designed with simplicity and efficiency, it is meant to transform your meditation journey. Key Features: Guided Meditation It offers a wide range of pre-recorded audio and video sessions that help you to practice effortlessly as a beginner. Immerse yourself in a moment of mindfulness with ZenMinder. Meditation Goals Set realistic goals with ZenMinder and cultivate healthy yoga practices in your daily routine. Select from a range of meditation lengths and ambient sounds to improve your practice and increase your level of relaxation. Daily reminders Get daily doses of knowledge, motivation, and inspiration sent directly to your device. Allow ZenMinder's inspirational sayings and affirmations to elevate your spirits and nourish your soul. You can also share it with your loved ones. User Friendly Themes Select your favorite theme that reflects your personality and keeps you connected with the app. These themes are designed to uplift your mood and take out some time for yourself. Progress Tracking Keep an eye on your mindfulness practice and record your advancements over time. ZenMinder helps you stay motivated and dedicated to your goals by offering insights into your overall well-being, gratitude practices, and meditation routines. Light Mode Now enjoy your favorite meditation app in light mode that helps you experience peace and ecstatic. It provides a calming aesthetic that improves your mindfulness practice and calms the senses. Personalized Experience You can change the themes, colors, and styles of Animation Mode to fit your own tastes. ZenMinder provides countless customisation options, regardless of your preference for simple or elaborate graphics. ZenMinder helps you to discover the power of mindfulness and be more peaceful, calmer and joyful in life. Take a step towards healthy life and inner content with our free meditation app. *Premium Upgrade required to unlock. Optional auto-renewing subscription is available (price varies by territory) located in the app Settings page. Payments will be charged to your iTunes Account after confirmation. Subscription automatically renewed unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the subscription period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. Subscriptions may be managed in your iTunes Account’s Settings after purchasing. Privacy Policy: https://www.iubenda.com/privacy-policy/7803420 Terms of Use: https://waterminder.com/terms.html Note: HealthKit integration is to read/write mindful minutes.

Screenshots

Calm4 screens
Meditation Timer-ZenMinder4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Meditation Timer-ZenMinder at none against Calm's shown. Meditation Timer-ZenMinder also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). Calm's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (2M vs 5). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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. Calm sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month and Meditation Timer-ZenMinder sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Calm holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Calm has 2M ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Calm's written reviews are positive against 50% of Meditation Timer-ZenMinder's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Calm ships an update every 4 days, Meditation Timer-ZenMinder every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Calm versus Meditation Timer-ZenMinder: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCalmMeditation Timer-ZenMinder
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (2M ratings) — better4.6 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews64.1% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2M — better5
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
Best chart rank#8 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS18.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size167 MB352 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCalm.comFunn Media, LLC

Customer experience

Calm

All ratings1,981,815 ratings
Positive94.9%
Neutral2.6%
Negative2.5%
Written reviews3,855 reviews
Positive64.1%
Neutral7.5%
Negative28.4%

Meditation Timer-ZenMinder

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

Calm

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add repeat button for sleep stories
  • Separate kids and adult content
  • Allow creating custom playlists
  • Improve search and navigation
  • Add more diverse narrator voices
Show 1 more
  • Provide text-based instructions for techniques

Meditation Timer-ZenMinder

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Calm

Subscriptions8
  • Calm Subscription$14.991 Month
  • Calm Premium$14.991 Month
  • Calm Premium$16.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • Calm Premium$29.991 Month
  • Calm Premium$69.991 Year
  • Calm Premium7 Days trial2 variants$69.991 Year
  • Calm Premium7 Days trial3 variants$79.991 Year
  • Calm Premium$79.991 Year
4 purchases

Meditation Timer-ZenMinder

Subscriptions3
  • ZenMinder Premium Monthly3 Days trial$1.491 Month
  • ZenMinder Premium Yearly7 Days trial$9.991 Year
  • Premium Plus Bundle1 Year trial$59.991 Year
One-time1
  • ZenMinder Premium One Time$14.99

Questions

Is Calm free?
Calm is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Meditation Timer-ZenMinder free?
Meditation Timer-ZenMinder is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Calm or Meditation Timer-ZenMinder?
Calm is rated higher. Calm averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2M ratings, while Meditation Timer-ZenMinder averages 4.6 from 5 ratings.
Do Calm or Meditation Timer-ZenMinder have ads?
Calm shows ads; Meditation Timer-ZenMinder does not.
Which is updated more often, Calm or Meditation Timer-ZenMinder?
Calm ships an update every 4 days, and Meditation Timer-ZenMinder every 2 months. Most recently, Calm was updated on September 27, 2026 and Meditation Timer-ZenMinder on September 26, 2026.

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