Headspace is the flagship mental health app for guided meditation, sleep, and stress relief — founded in 2010, holding 4.7 stars across 1.28M reviews.
Headspace popularized structured meditation for the smartphone era. Its formula: charming animations and short, expert-led sessions that build mindfulness progressively — from the beginner-friendly Basics course through themed packs on anxiety, focus, relationships, and productivity. Each session is forgiving, focusing on observing thoughts rather than controlling them.
Sleep is the other pillar. Wind-downs, soundscapes, and fan-favorite Sleepcasts are engineered to carry you from the day into rest, and the app tracks your stress monthly with the validated Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) plus optional journaling. The “Move” feature extends mindfulness into low-impact workouts led by Olympians.
Headspace has also expanded into clinical territory: 24/7 text-based mental health coaching connects in minutes, and Headspace Care (through employers) adds licensed therapy and psychiatry, EAP, and organizational partnerships — bridging self-care and professional care. Kids content, guest passes (30 free days for a friend), and availability in 7 languages round out the package.
Annual plan $69.99/year (about $5.83/month) with a 14-day free trial; monthly plan $12.99/month with a 7-day trial. Student plan $9.99/year and family plan $99.99/year for 6 accounts. K-12 teachers get free memberships in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. Pricing verified via 2026 reviews.
Ideal for meditation beginners, anxious minds, and poor sleepers who want structured guidance in short sessions. Less suitable for advanced meditators wanting open-ended practice, or for clinical mental health treatment beyond what coaching and therapy add-ons cover.