Headspace is one of the most popular meditation apps on the market today. It’s been featured in major magazines, television shows, and even by Oprah Winfrey herself! So it’s natural to wonder if it really works and how much it costs. Here’s everything you need to know about this app and how it can help you achieve more happiness, peace, and contentment in your life! Headspace: Does it Really Work and is it Worth the Cost?
The Basics
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Most of us are familiar with meditation. Our grandparents talked about it, our mothers tried to get us to do it, but we really didn’t want to sit there doing nothing for 10 minutes. I have stuff to do! we screamed as we walked away from meditation class after only five minutes in middle school. But with so many studies showing its health benefits over time, you may start wondering if paying for a service is worth it or if you can do it all on your own. The answer: It depends on what you want out of meditation. If you’re looking for that zen state where your mind stops racing and focusing on one thing feels natural, then try Headspace first before opting for a paid option like Calm.
No, there is no Free Version
Headspace offers a 10-day free trial, but there’s no free version. After that, users pay a monthly fee of $12.95 or a yearly fee of $95 (it breaks down to $9.33 per month). Since you can use Headspace on all your devices – including Android and iOS smartphones, tablets, laptops and more – most people opt for the year membership. But if you’re not sure if it’s right for you, go with their free trial first. It doesn’t lock you into anything so if after 10 days you don’t think Headspace works for you – then just cancel. There are no contracts or commitments so getting started is really easy!
The cost
A standard Headspace subscription costs $12.95 per month, or $97 for an annual plan. However, there are a number of offers for discounts or trials so make sure to check them out before making a purchase. For example, you can get a 7-day free trial by signing up with your credit card information. After that 7-day trial is over, your card will be automatically charged $12.95 per month unless you cancel online prior to that date. If you’re not happy with Headspace after trying it out (or just don’t want to pay full price), we recommend visiting our post on 12 meditation apps better than Headspace in order to find something more budget-friendly instead!
Payment options
Headspace recently changed its pricing structure, rolling out a freemium option that allows users to choose from two programs, Calm and Focus. Calm offers 10 sessions for free; once those are gone, you can choose to pay $12.95 per month or $95 for an annual subscription. The Focus program—which helps users with meditation techniques for sports performance—is always free, but has fewer options than its sister app (the company says it wants to keep things simple). If you’re not sure whether Headspace will work for you and your busy schedule—or if you just don’t want to commit to a full year of unlimited meditations—it might be worth sampling both apps before making a decision.
3 things to know before you decide
First, there’s a free version of Headspace that gives you access to three meditations (about five minutes each) on your phone. There are also apps for iOS and Android that offer a full experience; however, they cost $12.99 per month or $93.88 per year. If you want to try an app with more than 10 introductory sessions, or if you have your eye on one of their packs (more on those in a bit), then there will be additional costs. Second, buying all of Headspace’s content upfront means paying about $160 for about 50 meditation packs at about three months’ worth of daily meditation each; otherwise, buying packs individually costs about $8 apiece.
The Pros and Cons
It’s not cheap to make meditation part of your daily routine, but if you’re looking for a deeper way to heal from stress, Headspace can be a great investment. A 7-day free trial of each app includes voice-over instructions from Andy Puddicombe, founder of Headspace, along with music by Moby. However, unless you choose a subscription for either Apple or Android devices (both are available), after your first week ends, you won’t have access to any more sessions for that day. Instead of pushing forward through all 10 stations in one sitting like some other apps require you to do, Headspace forces users to take breaks at regular intervals while they meditate.
What’s next?
If you’re looking for an alternative to Headspace but aren’t ready to commit, try out one of our favorite free guided meditation apps. Insight Timer (iPhone) offers a vast library of meditations covering everything from improving sleep to developing self-confidence. And even if you pay for a premium subscription ($12/month), other features like timed reminders, music playlists, social support, and integration with third-party apps are all still included at no cost. Try that with other mindfulness programs!