Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Calm vs Headspace

Calm 4.8★ · Free + IAP 75
Winner Calm
Headspace 4.8★ · Free + IAP 60

Calm offers a wider variety of content and celebrity voices, making it a better choice for those seeking diverse sleep stories and meditations, while Headspace struggles with recent app changes and a perceived shift away from its core meditation focus.

Full reviews: Calm · Headspace

Calm generally receives praise for its diverse content, including celebrity-narrated sleep stories and effective meditation guides, despite some complaints about app organization and paywalls. Headspace, while historically strong, faces significant criticism for recent app updates, a cluttered interface, and a perceived overemphasis on AI and other wellness features over core meditation.

Head to head

Content Variety & Quality edge: CalmR3R6R8R11
Calm Calm is praised for its wide selection of sleep stories, including popular celebrity narrators like Harry Styles and Matthew McConaughey, and effective meditation guides like Tamara Levitt and Jeff Warren R3R8R14. Users appreciate the app's ability to help with sleep and reduce anxiety R11R14R26. However, some users wish for more frequent updates to sleep stories and a broader selection of certain types of content R3R6.
Headspace Headspace users historically valued its content, particularly meditations led by Andy Puddicombe, but many recent reviews lament his departure and a decline in content quality or focus . While some find the sleepcasts helpful, others feel the meditations are repetitive or lack depth . The app is seen as having a wide range of content, but this can also lead to feeling overwhelmed .
Ease of Use & Interface tieR7R10R15R18
Calm Calm's interface is a point of contention; many users find it busy, disorganized, and confusing, making it difficult to find specific content R7R10. Pop-ups and constant requests to rate or share also detract from the calming experience R10R18. Some report issues with features like background noise, playlists, and streak tracking R15R21.
Headspace Headspace's app interface has seen a significant decline in user satisfaction following recent updates. Users describe it as slow, not intuitive, and disorganized, with too much content leading to decision fatigue . Many miss the older, simpler daily routine layout . Technical issues like login problems, glitches, and notifications are also frequently reported .
Reliability & Performance edge: CalmR15R21R24R25
Calm Calm users report issues such as the app crashing, content dropping mid-meditation, and music not playing for the stated duration R24R25. Some also experience problems with streak tracking and background noise functionality R15R21.
Headspace Headspace has significant reliability issues, with users reporting slow loading times, frequent login failures, and the app freezing or not opening after updates . There are also complaints about downloaded content disappearing and the app requiring an online connection even for downloaded material .
Price & Value tieR4R10R13R16
Calm Calm is frequently criticized for having most of its content behind a paywall, with very little available for free R4R10R13R16. Users feel forced to subscribe, and the annual subscription can be expensive, around $80 R49. Some express disappointment that features previously free now require payment R4.
Headspace Headspace also faces strong criticism for its aggressive paywall, with many users stating that almost everything is locked behind a subscription . Former users are particularly upset that content once free is now paid-only . The price is considered unnecessary by some, especially when similar content can be found for free elsewhere .
Customer Support & Business Practices tieR1R19R31R43
Calm Calm's customer support is a significant pain point, with users reporting difficulty reaching a human, issues with subscription renewals, unauthorized charges, and problems with cancellations and refunds R1R19R31R49. The reliance on AI for support is a major frustration R1. Some users also feel the company uses manipulative promotional techniques R43.
Headspace Headspace also receives negative feedback regarding customer service, with users struggling to get refunds or resolve issues . The use of AI for customer service is a common complaint . There are also concerns about the app collecting too much private information . Some users feel the company has become a "money grabber" and is more income-driven than user-focused .
AI Integration edge: CalmR1R68R95R96
Calm Calm users express strong dissatisfaction with the use of AI in customer support, finding it unnatural and unhelpful for payment or subscription issues R1.
Headspace Headspace's integration of AI, particularly the 'Ebb' virtual therapist, is a major source of user frustration and anxiety R68R96. Many users feel AI doesn't belong in mental health care, find it harmful, and are annoyed by constant prompts to interact with it . While some find Ebb helpful, the overall sentiment is negative R68R95.
Pick Calm if

you prioritize a wide variety of sleep stories, including celebrity narrations, and diverse meditation guides, and are willing to navigate a sometimes-cluttered interface for the content R3R8R14.

Pick Headspace if

you are a beginner meditator looking for a structured approach, though be aware that recent changes have made the app less intuitive and more focused on a broader range of wellness features .

Evidence note: Both apps have a significant number of negative reviews related to paywalls and app changes. Headspace's recent reviews show a stronger negative skew regarding app usability and AI integration compared to Calm.

Frequently asked

Is Calm better for sleep than Headspace?
Based on user reviews, Calm appears to be more consistently praised for its effectiveness in helping users fall asleep, with many highlighting its sleep stories and soundscapes as highly beneficial R11R14R26R29. Headspace also offers sleepcasts, which some users find helpful, but the overall sentiment regarding its sleep content is less enthusiastic compared to Calm .
Do Calm and Headspace offer free content?
Both Calm and Headspace are primarily subscription-based, with most content locked behind a paywall after a limited free trial or a very small selection of free items (R4, R10, R13, R16, , , for Calm; , , , , , , , for Headspace). Users of both apps frequently express frustration over the lack of free content and the necessity to pay for basic features.
Which app has better customer support?
Neither Calm nor Headspace receives positive reviews for their customer support; both are heavily criticized for relying on AI, making it difficult to speak to a human, and for issues with subscription management, cancellations, and refunds (R1, R19, R31, R49 for Calm; , , for Headspace). Users of both apps report frustrating and unhelpful experiences when trying to resolve payment or technical issues.

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. [R8] Calm 5/5 · US Tamara Levitt 🤘☯️❤️🌊: Tamara Levitt is my go to! Brings me back to my center core self. 🤘☯️❤️🌊
  4. [R11] Calm 5/5 · US Dreamweaver: This App has helped me fall asleep. I’m very satisfied.
  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. [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,
  8. [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.
  9. [R21] Calm 3/5 · GB Scene background noise: I use the Daily Calm part of the app regularly and always enjoyed listening to the background scene noise I had selected, but it seems to no longer play in the background, and now between the narration there is just silence. Not being able to find how to get this function back is leaving me feeling anything but calm. Before this I have had no complaints
  10. [R24] Calm 3/5 · GB Would have been higher: My review would have been higher but the music that’s meant to last 7 hours lets say doesn’t. Plays one song.
  11. [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.
  12. [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.
  13. [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.
  14. [R16] Calm 1/5 · US Frustrating: I cant access only 2/3 meditations. All i see is more adds and locked screens
  15. [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
  16. [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.
  17. [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
  18. [R43] Calm 2/5 · US Avoid!: This company appears to be income driven as opposed to user experience and satisfaction driven. They do not use ratings or reviews for any of the content most of which deals directly with the users mental health. Additionally they use manipulative techniques for promotional goals, and the cancellation process is drawn out and confusing. There are better apps out there which would be better
  19. [R68] Headspace 5/5 · US Incredible: This app has been so amazing and helpful to me. I have struggled with anxiety and depression for years, and this app has been amazing to help me calm down when I’m spiraling. Ebb (virtual therapist) has helped me more than my therapist has in a long time. I am able to talk things through when I am in a spot where I can’t grasp what is going on. The fact that this is available to me at
  20. [R95] Headspace 4/5 · US Love this app! Recent problem.: Hiii! I love this app! I have been using it for years. I love the addition of Ebb. Ebb has really helped me! I really recommend the app! One recent problem has been happening since yesterday. It will tell me to update the app and there is no “x” button to click out so you are forced to update. I NEVER mind updating! So of course I clicked on the update button and u
  21. [R96] Headspace 3/5 · US Good meditation but the app is SO SLOW.: The app takes too long to load, to the point it's unacceptable in 2026. There are so many meditations and categories it's tough to chose or understand. Most meditations have no real depth. It feels like this app is going out of scope a bit from what it set out to do initially. There's an AI but it just repeats what you tell it, and then suggests a med
  22. [R14] 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
  23. [R26] Calm 5/5 · US The best app ever !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!: This app helps a lot and it even has breathing sessions and we’re my kid is hyper before bed it always calms theme down
  24. [R29] Calm 5/5 · US BEST app for sleep soundscapes and daily reflections + meditations🧘‍♀️, Amazing app!!!!!: ★★★★★
  25. [R49] 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 “

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