Verdict
Happier Meditation gets consistent praise for its teachers and ease of use, but the subscription structure is a recurring sore point, with reviewers unable to get a monthly option and some reporting billing or access problems.
Best for
Someone who already listens to the Ten Percent Happier podcast and wants that same teaching style in a daily practice app, and who is fine paying annually.
Dealbreaker
There's no monthly plan mentioned in reviews, only a yearly commitment priced high enough that multiple reviewers call it too expensive, and a few report paying but then losing access or struggling to reach support.
The facts.
Pulled from the App Store, not written by hand. unverified
Price
Free
In-app purchases
Unknown
Ads
Unknown
Platforms
iPhone, iPad
Rating
4.8★ (143,071)
Version
2026.910.1
Last updated
Sep 11, 2026
Released
Jun 7, 2015
Attributes
Native app
Category
Health & Fitness, Lifestyle
What reviews consistently say.
Themes grouped from 150 App Store reviews. Source feed ›
Praised for
Ease of use and design7 reviews
Value for money4 reviews
Import and export2 reviews
Subscription pricing and paywalls2 reviews
Complained about
Subscription pricing and paywalls4 reviews
Crashes and stability2 reviews
Customer support2 reviews
Too expensive2 reviews
Where this comes from
7 of 150 recent reviews raised: Ease of use and designApp Store reviews ›
4 of 150 recent reviews raised: Value for moneyApp Store reviews ›
4 of 150 recent reviews raised: Subscription pricing and paywallsApp Store reviews ›
2 of 150 recent reviews raised: Crashes and stabilityApp Store reviews ›
2 of 150 recent reviews raised: Customer supportApp Store reviews ›
2 of 150 recent reviews raised: Too expensiveApp Store reviews ›
Listed at Free on the App StoreApp Store listing ›
Where we recommend it
The best meditation apps ›Meditation and breathing apps that are well rated and still maintained, each with its catch.
Alternatives with the same rule.
Every app here is rated 4.2 or better, has been updated in the last eighteen months, and has no significant number of reviewers reporting it broken. Price is not the rule on this list — some are free, some are not. Also with a catch.
Free · 4.8★ (1,980,808) · Updated Sep 4, 2026
Verdict. Calm has a huge, loyal user base and people describe it as a daily habit, but recent updates have broken basic features like background sounds during meditation, and complaints about the subscription and customer service are frequent.
Best for. Someone who already wants a subscription-based sleep and meditation app and doesn't mind paying an ongoing fee for guided content and soundscapes.
Dealbreaker. Recent updates have broken core functionality like background sounds during meditation sessions, and multiple reviewers report unresponsive customer support when they hit billing or technical problems.
Free · 4.9★ (446,279) · Updated Sep 4, 2026
Verdict. Insight Timer has a huge library of free meditations and a well-liked timer, but the free tier keeps shrinking as more content moves behind a subscription, and some reviewers report increasingly pushy notifications.
Best for. Someone who wants a large, varied library of guided meditations from many different teachers and is willing to sort through paywalled content to find the free ones worth using.
Dealbreaker. Features and tracks that used to be free have been progressively moved behind a paid subscription, and multiple reviewers describe unwanted notifications and challenge alerts that are hard to turn off.
Free · 4.9★ (121,826) · Updated Sep 2, 2026
Verdict. Abide is a Christian prayer and meditation app that many reviewers say genuinely helps them slow down, but its subscription billing draws frequent complaints about surprise renewal charges and aggressive upsell emails.
Best for. Someone who wants faith-based meditation content specifically, and is comfortable tracking a subscription renewal date closely to avoid being charged automatically.
Dealbreaker. Multiple reviewers report being caught off guard by subscription charges and renewal notices, and some call the premium paywall pointless without paying, so free use is limited.