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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Calm vs Balance

Calm 4.8★ · Free + IAP 65
Winner Balance
Balance 4.9★ · Free + IAP 80

Balance offers a more personalized and consistent meditation experience, especially for those committed to a paid subscription, while Calm struggles with content organization and aggressive monetization despite its wider variety of celebrity-led content.

Full reviews: Calm · Balance

Calm and Balance both offer guided meditations and sleep aids, but Calm faces criticism for its confusing interface, repetitive content, and aggressive paywalls. Balance, while also having subscription issues for some, is praised for its personalized approach, streak tracking, and consistent positive impact on users' mental health.

Head to head

Content Variety and Quality edge: BalanceR3R6R23R27
Calm Calm offers a wide variety of content, including celebrity-narrated sleep stories like Harry Styles and Matthew McConaughey, which some users find very relaxing R3R23. However, many users report that the content repeats too often and that there isn't enough new material, especially for sleep stories and kids' content R6R27R30.
Balance Balance is praised for its high-quality, personalized meditations and a good variety of choices, including singles and training modules . Users appreciate the ability to select time options and customize meditations . While some users wish for more new content and voices, others note that new meditations are consistently added .
Ease of Use and Interface edge: BalanceR7R10R18R24
Calm Calm's interface is frequently criticized for being disorganized, confusing, and busy, making it difficult to find content R7R10. Users also complain about too many pop-ups and notifications, which detract from a 'calming' experience R10R18R24.
Balance Balance is generally considered simple and easy to use, with a well-built app . However, some users report slow startup times and issues with the app freezing or quitting, preventing them from advancing . A few users also found the onboarding experience poor .
Reliability and Performance tieR15R25R33R44
Calm Calm users report issues with glitches, the app kicking them off, meditations dropping in between sessions, and broken playlists R25R33R44. There are also complaints about streak tracking errors R15.
Balance Balance users also experience reliability issues, including the app quitting, freezing during meditations, and not working after updates . Some users note slow startup times .
Price and Value tieR4R10R13R16
Calm Calm is heavily criticized for its aggressive paywalls, with many users feeling that barely anything is free and that they are forced to subscribe R4R10R13R16. The app is considered expensive, with an annual subscription costing around $80 R48.
Balance Balance also faces significant criticism regarding its pricing and subscription practices. Many users, especially those on free trials, report being charged unexpectedly after cancellation or without clear notification, with charges around $70 R67R73R76R82. Recent updates have also moved previously free content behind paywalls, disappointing long-time users .
Customer Support and Subscription Management tieR1R19R31R48
Calm Calm's customer service is widely criticized for being difficult to access, with users frustrated by AI chat support and an inability to speak to a person about payment or cancellation issues R1R19. Many report problems with unauthorized renewals and difficulty getting refunds R19R31R48.
Balance Balance also receives strong negative feedback regarding customer service, with users reporting difficulty contacting support, navigating cancellation, and getting refunds, even when canceling within minutes of accidental subscription R73R76R99. Many users claim they were charged after canceling free trials or subscriptions R67R82R95.
Impact on Well-being edge: BalanceR2R5R20R26
Calm Calm is effective for many users, helping them fall asleep, reduce anxiety, and improve mental health R2R5R20R26. Daily practices are noted to bring a sense of calm R2.
Balance Balance is highly effective for many users, with claims of it being 'life-changing' and helping with anxiety, stress, emotional regulation, and sleep . The streak counter motivates consistent use .
Pick Calm if

you prioritize a wide range of content, including celebrity narrators, and are willing to navigate a busy interface and pay for a premium subscription R3R23R26.

Pick Balance if

you seek a highly personalized meditation experience with effective guidance for anxiety, stress, and sleep, and value features like streak tracking, even if it means committing to a paid subscription .

Evidence note: Both apps receive substantial criticism regarding their pricing models, free trial practices, and customer service. While Balance has a slightly higher lifetime rating, recent reviews for both apps show significant user frustration, particularly concerning subscriptions and access to content.

Frequently asked

Is Calm really free?
No, Calm is not truly free; while it offers some limited free content, most features and content are locked behind a paywall, with users reporting that 'barely anything is free' and that the app 'forces you to subscribe' for around $80 per year R4R10R13R22.
Does Balance offer a free trial?
Yes, Balance offers free trials, but many users report issues with these trials, including being charged unexpectedly after cancellation or not receiving the advertised free year, with charges around $70 R67R82R95R99.
Which app has better customer support?
Neither app is praised for its customer support; both Calm and Balance receive significant criticism for difficult-to-access support, reliance on AI, and issues with processing cancellations and refunds R1R19R73R76.
Do these apps have enough new content?
Calm users frequently complain about repetitive content and a lack of new sleep stories and meditations R6R27R30R56, while Balance users sometimes wish for more new programs and voices, but others note that new content is consistently added .

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R3] Calm 3/5 · US Sleep: Wow, I like a few of the sleep stories, most of them are annoying. They do not relax you at all. Harry Styles has a good one because it’s joined with some background music and it’s very relaxing.. It it would be nice to have more his sleep story. Matthew McConaughey is pretty good too. The rest of them are just either bad or mediocre. Please offer more of a selection.!
  2. [R6] Calm 3/5 · US Too much repeating!: I am hearing repeats, need new ones!!!
  3. [R23] Calm 5/5 · US Get now: This app is amazing it has really helped me to sleep better and they have so many voices to listen to they even have harry styles this is the best
  4. [R27] Calm 3/5 · GB Helpful app: Been using this for well over a year. Has helped with sleep. Discovered Tamara who seems to be a great host for stories and relaxation. The only issue I have is the lack of sleep story updates. I’m considering going elsewhere and cancelling subscription. Sorry to say this.
  5. [R7] Calm 2/5 · US Disorganized: Please please please fix the organization because it is impossible to find anything in this app. I used to love Calm, but now it’s just random lists of different options with no useful organization. And the search function is useless.
  6. [R10] Calm 1/5 · US Anxiety-inducing: The layout is confusing and VERY busy. The opposite of “calm.” There are so many pop-ups, and almost everything is hidden behind a paywall. I downloaded the app to help diminish stress, but it only made it worse. Just download Headspace.
  7. [R18] Calm 3/5 · US Pop ups: Always asking to rate to share. I would like to use the app to help myself first without the interruption s.
  8. [R24] Calm 3/5 · GB 😒: Too many notifications
  9. [R15] Calm 3/5 · US Frustrated, but mostly happy: The app has been great for my mental health… until now. I have been on a long streak of daily meditations, but even though I’ve use the app every day, the app ended my streak… all my days are checked and everything! Why did you end my streak? This is disheartening and totally blows my motivation. They could design a way for us to fix this. Maybe have the app ask,
  10. [R25] Calm 1/5 · US Glitching on Day 1: This is not with the money as glitchy as this thinks is. I downloaded the recent app and it should be updated???? This is not worth the cash.
  11. [R33] Calm 3/5 · GB It broke: Basically whenever I go on calm it Immediately kicks me off . I’ve been on calm for 6 years and now it’s just broken so I have no calm and just prerecorded stuff (1/2 a sleep story).
  12. [R44] Calm 2/5 · US Playlists broken: Can’t add content to playlists anymore. Reported to Support and was sent a link to a list of new bug fixes, none of which reference playlists. Documentation on playlists hasn’t updated since 2024.
  13. [R4] Calm 2/5 · US $$$: Years ago when calm first started they actually had inspirational quotes after you finished a meditation. But now that version costs money lol. I get app developers need to make money, but the concept of charging to stay “calm” is just lame to me. Barely anything is free on this app.
  14. [R13] Calm 1/5 · US Forces you to subscribe: If you don’t save items to your favorites in the first few days, you won’t be able to access them once your free days end. Now, they’ve limited the number of free items and the number of times you can listen to them too, so you’re forced to pay.
  15. [R16] Calm 1/5 · US Frustrating: I cant access only 2/3 meditations. All i see is more adds and locked screens
  16. [R1] Calm 2/5 · US DITCH THE AI, PLEASE: I simply wanted to talk to a person about a payment issue on your support page. But after clicking the little chat box, the issue became something more. There is NOTHING natural or CALMing about talking to a freaking AI! Get rid of it!! I signed up for a year subscription on a promotion, thinking this app might help ground me, this app might help me better connect with those
  17. [R19] Calm 1/5 · US Problematic Subscription Renewals: Unauthorized renewal charges, impossible to speak to customer service, navigate cancellation, or get refunds. Feels purposefully difficult and deceptive. Many, many complaints across the web from other customers concerning these very same issues. I do not recommend this company.
  18. [R31] Calm 1/5 · US Don’t Sign Up Through Social Media!: Don’t sign up through social media! I signed up through Facebook. It gave me a deal. I signed in using the same Apple ID I used to pay for the prescription. Locked out. Asking for a subscription. Then they said to check my email and it was 40% off a subscription, but I had already PAID at this point! After two days my payment is still pending. I’m contacting my
  19. [R48] Calm 1/5 · US Don’t try the Trial: Don’t attempt to try this app out. Apple will charge you before the trial is up then you’re stuck paying $80 for a service you might not like. That’s what happened with me and support is a joke. So if their so called “30 day money back guarantee “
  20. [R2] Calm 5/5 · US Great daily practice: I love Tamara's daily calms. My husband and I start our day with it, and have noticed more that when we do not do it we miss the sense of calm it brings. It's like a balm that is missed.
  21. [R5] Calm 5/5 · US Calm: Calm is exactly what I want when I fall asleep and wake up
  22. [R20] Calm 5/5 · US Dreamweaver: This App has helped me fall asleep. I’m very satisfied.
  23. [R26] Calm 5/5 · US Calm app: I just started using Calm Premium today, and my first experience was amazing. After only 10 minutes of meditation, I felt more relaxed, clear-minded, and present. The sounds and guided sessions helped me slow down and take a moment for myself. I’m excited to keep using Calm as part of my daily routine for focus, studying, and improving my mindset. Definitely a 10/10 experience so far.
  24. [R22] Calm 1/5 · US ugh stupid expensive: almost everything is locked behind a paywall. better off with something free like smiling mind, which has no dumb paywalls.
  25. [R67] Balance 1/5 · US Horrible: I never used this app. I seen an ad for it on Snapchat and I just answered some questions and that was it and then it showed me like very little information about me, but that’s all it said I needed to do so from there on forward I will start realizing that I’m getting build like $70 and it’s saying balance app balance app balance app every month and I could never figure it out until jus
  26. [R82] Balance 1/5 · US Vile service and scammy: They gave me a free year, so I signed up. I don't recall it ever saying it was a free trial which now trying to tell me it was got no notification from Apple or this company that it was going to renew. Used it twice didn't like it. They refused to refund me "because I'm outside the refund window" but holding somebody hostage to a product. They didn't really want in the
  27. [R95] Balance 1/5 · US Do Not Download!: I received a year free trial for this app and I signed up for it. I cancelled my subscription a week before the trial ended and they have still attempted to charge my card multiple times for $69.99! I would not recommend this trial to anyone!
  28. [R99] Balance 1/5 · GB Charged me £65 even though I cancelled: I cancelled my Balance Mind and Meditation subscription well before the renewal date, yet the app still charged me £64.99. That is unacceptable. I then tried to contact support to request a refund and could not find clear contact details or a working support route in the app. The billing process lacks transparency and the support experience is poor. I expect
  29. [R73] Balance 2/5 · US Poor customer service: This is not a criticism of the app itself but the customer service. I downloaded and subscribed to this app by accident. I thought it was another app that a friend recommended. When I realized it was the wrong app I canceled and requested a refund. This was all within 10 minutes but they rejected my refund itself.
  30. [R76] Balance 1/5 · US Release me from this app.: Look I’m not even subscribed anymore to this app. Yet it keeps trying to take money from my account and not letting me update my other apps until i pay for an app I am not even using. This is getting ridiculous. I’ve tried doing everything I can to fix this. But it’s on you all !! This wasn’t even a helpful app when I tried it free. Just fix it before I lose it
  31. [R30] Calm 3/5 · GB Good but small selection of content and poor search/filtering: I use the app mainly to help with sleep and it does have a decent selection of both guided meditation and stories, but they don’t seem to be updating much lately asks I have been through most of them. It is also lacking some features such as the ability to filter search for say meditation with/without music or by narrator. Some of the
  32. [R56] Calm 1/5 · US Not worth the price: Always the same menu & programs need better new material

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store