One of the best parts about having a smartphone is the endless supply of apps you can use to make your life as easy as possible. But with so many apps out there, it can sometimes be hard to find the ones that are actually worth downloading.
We’ve compiled a list of the best apps for relaxing, because we know how hard it can be to put your feet up and really unwind after a long day (or week!). All of these apps are guaranteed to help you chill out and get into the zen zone. So grab your phone and download these babies, because relaxation time is waiting for you!
Table of Contents
Best Apps For Relaxing
JUMP DOWN:
- MINDBODY
- 10% HAPPIER
- SLEEP CYCLE
- PZIZZ
- 7 CUPS
- CALM
- HEADSPACE UP
THE BEST RELAXATION APPS YOU NEED TO WIND DOWN
What’s keeping you up at night? Tomorrow’s life-or-death presentation? One too many cold brews? Is your significant other mad at you—again? Do you wish you could, at the tap of a button, escape? So do we, just about daily. The modern age—rife with oppressive deadlines, mounting social pressures, and destructive politics—takes its toll on all of us. That is why some students spend time studying during the night instead of relaxing. Few of them have even tried out Modafinil which is a good on safe dosages. There are Canadian Modafinil vendors online if you happen to reside in the US or Canada. Still, we move forward (with a little extra help). Read on for the best relaxation apps that will rekindle your inner calm, combat anxiety and stress, and offer that extra push you need to tackle this world head-on.
MINDBODY
Who hasn’t been advised to take care of your body during a particularly trying time? Mindbody celebrates the physical side of wellness, offering an array of local fitness classes and beauty appointments. Exercise classes are sorted by category, ensuring that there’s something for everyone. Not much of a lifter? Try pole-dancing, or keep it low-key (but sweat-fueled) with pilates. The app doesn’t limit you to pampering yourself or working out, though; access nutritionists in your area to track and improve your eating habits. Trust us on this: looking good has never looked better.
best relaxation apps mindbody
10% HAPPIER
This app, according to its website, offers “meditation for fidgety skeptics.” Unlike similar apps, 10% Happier features world-renowned meditation teachers, so rest assured that you’re learning from the best. Squeeze mindfulness into your daily routine by watching videos of guided meditations, designed for small blocks of free time throughout your day: your morning and evening commutes, lunch break, and more. Being busy is hard, but meditation doesn’t have to be with this relaxation meditation app.
best relaxation apps 10% happy
SLEEP CYCLE
Nobody doubts the importance of sleep—what better way to escape and recharge? If you’re looking to make your sleep cycle more regular, or if you just hate conventional alarms, Sleep Cycle is for you. Set your wake-up phase—the period of time before your actual alarm—between 10 and 90 minutes, during which the app will wake you when it detects light sleep. How does it know? Through your phone’s accelerometer, which tracks movement—you’re far less likely to be mobile during periods of deep sleep. The result? You’ll feel significantly more refreshed upon waking up. So please, get some rest and use this relaxation app for sleep.
best relaxation apps sleepcycle
PZIZZ
Not only is Pzizz chock-full of useful functions, but it’s also one of the most visually stunning apps on the market. The nap module is a standout feature that allows you to journey through the universe with the help of either a male or female narrator, as well as calming (and volume-adjustable) music. There’s a science behind it, too: according to the app’s CEO, Rockwell Shah, Pzizz’s “dreamscapes”—calculated sound sequences—and layered voice narrations are designed to boost somatic awareness, relax muscles, and target issues with heart rate variability breathing. Even J.K. Rowling endorsed it as one of the best relaxation apps out there—how’s that for a sweet dream?
best relaxation apps screenshot
7 CUPS
Real-life therapy is often expensive and time-consuming, so why not take the digital route? 7 Cups lets you speak with a trained listener or therapist for free, anonymously, and on your own schedule. It’s certainly one of the best relaxation apps for those who prefer human interaction to a pre-recorded voice or standardized visuals—a surprisingly difficult find nowadays. The best part? You can choose your own listener based on life experience or background, making for a truly personalized safe space. If you’re hesitant about trying therapy, or if you’re looking for a free and convenient alternative, then 7 Cups might be for you. Cheers to that!
best relaxation apps 7 cups app screenshot
CALM
This app serves up the full package: it targets anxiety, induces deep sleep, improves concentration, breaks bad habits, and much more. If you experience trouble falling asleep, the in-app coach guides you through easy-to-follow breathing exercises and teaches meditation classes for users of all levels. Everything is customizable, too—don’t like your narrator’s voice? Choose from a list of options, or opt for some soothing music instead. Beyond relaxation exercises, Calm also offers a Mindful Eating series, which aims to cultivate healthy eating habits. While certainly ambitious, Calm has most definitely proved itself: it’s the #1 app for meditation and sleep, and it was chosen by Apple as one of the best apps of 2017. Keep Calm and download on with this relaxation app for anxiety!
best relaxation apps calm
HEADSPACE
Because, well, of course—no relaxation list is complete without this one. Founder Andy Puddicombe, a former Buddhist monk, has created a remarkably genuine blend of timeless meditative teachings and the modern digital space, resulting in a feature-packed, ultra-sophisticated product. From guided meditations to anxiety-targeting “SOS” sessions, Headspace is sure to have something for everyone, even the most skeptical of users. The Basics pack, a ten-day foundational course, is free; the full library, containing hundreds of exercises, is available through paid subscription. There’s a reason why so many people call it one of the best relaxation apps ever created—we believe it, too. More than one million subscribers have entered a whole new Headspace—will you?
free apps for stress and anxiety
Anxiety affects millions of individuals and can negatively impact their quality of life.1 Seeking help from a mental health professional is a good idea, but exploring some tools on your own can be beneficial as well. There are countless mobile apps available for anyone to use, and the most useful ones can bring evidence-based treatments to individuals who do not have access to specialized care, may be used in conjunction with ongoing treatment, or promote continued progress after the conclusion of a course of psychotherapy.
We researched the best apps for anxiety based on cost, platform availability, ease of use, programs offered, results, and more.
Best Apps for Anxiety of 2022
Best Overall: Calm
Best Free App: Insight Timer
Best for Beginners: iBreathe
Best for Sleep Disruption: Tide
Best for Adults: Headspace
Best for Teens: Colorfy
Best for ACT Approach: ACT Companion: Happiness Trap
Best Apps for Anxiety
Calm
Insight Timer
IBreathe
Tide
Headspace
Colorfy
ACT Companion
Final Verdict
Compare Providers
Frequently Asked Questions
How We Chose The Best Apps For Anxiety
BEST OVERALL
Calm
Calm
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Why We Chose It: Calm is our top pick for best overall anxiety app because of its wide range of offerings and affordable price point.
WHAT WE LIKE
More than 100 million downloads and upward of 1.5 million 5-star reviews
A variety of basic offerings and tools for free
Inspires growth, habit changes, and self-care
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
Must enroll in a paid subscription to unlock all of the app’s features
Calm’s free version includes timed meditation options, day one of all multi-day meditation programs (such as seven days of focus or 21 days of calm), the Breathe Bubble, and a sleep story called Blue Gold. The app also has a large number of free scenes users can select from to play nature sounds and/or music in the background, on both the guided and unguided meditation.
A premium subscription includes an original Daily Calm meditation session every day, several hours of guided meditations covering sleep, anxiety, stress, and gratitude, and much more. It also grants users access to a library of more than 120 sleep stories. New stories are added every week, along with exclusive music tracks for focus, relaxation, sleep, and Masterclasses featuring world-renowned mindfulness experts. An annual subscription is $69.99.
BEST FREE APP
Insight Timer
Insight Timer
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Why we chose it: Insight Timer offers guided meditations of various lengths led by mental health professionals.
WHAT WE LIKE
Large variety of meditation styles
Renowned teachers and guides
Thousands of meditations available, including more than 1,500 specifically for anxiety
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
Access to meditations is only available offline if using a premium account
Picking up where you left off in a session is only available for premium members
Some audio is not of ideal quality
More time is spent meditating on Insight Timer than all other meditation apps, and it’s easy to see why. This app offers guided meditations and talks led by the world’s top meditation and mindfulness experts, neuroscientists, psychologists, and instructors from Stanford, Harvard, the University of Oxford, and more. Over 1,500 meditations for anxiety are offered for free, a list that includes close to 400 music selections for anxiety and nearly 200 anxiety talks.
Regular and daily meditation for anxiety relief helps affected people to focus on staying in the present moment and recognize a situation for what it is. Users can sort through meditations based on length of the session and the gender, popularity, and other information about the teacher. For users who wish to take their meditations offline or tune into courses, they can choose to upgrade to Insight Premium for $9.99 per month or $59.99 per year.
BEST FOR BEGINNERS
iBreathe
iBreathe
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Why We Chose It: Whether you are struggling with stress, anxiety, insomnia, or are trying to meditate and relax, iBreathe provides an easy-to-use, beautifully designed user interface that is excellent for beginners.
WHAT WE LIKE
Free, with in-app purchases available
Clean and simple interface
Syncs with Apple Health
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
Only available on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch
For those who are just beginning their healing journey, iBreathe makes it easier than ever. iBreathe syncs with quick actions via haptic touch (a long press from your iPhone or Apple Watch home screen) to quickly start your breathing exercises, which is great when anxiety peaks. Customizable reminders that tell you to breathe throughout the day can be set, and there are predefined presets specifically designed to help with stress and anxiety.
This app has a 4.9-star rating with over 9,000 reviews on the Apple App Store as of January 2022. One reviewer noted, “Downloading this was the best thing I did for myself and my path to balanced mental health.”
BEST FOR SLEEP DISRUPTION
Tide
Tide
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We Chose It: Tide is a free app with in-app purchases designed to help users sleep better. Unique to this app is a gentle wake alarm feature.
WHAT WE LIKE
Available to users on a variety of devices and platforms
Beautiful interface and graphics
Free with in-app purchases
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
Most sleep meditations and sounds are only available to paid users
Disrupted sleep can make anxiety worse both in the moment and throughout the day ahead. Tide helps users sleep and nap with sounds of nature. The app is available for iPhone, Android, iPad, and Google Chrome users. Aiming to support physical and mental care, Tide’s goal is to get listeners away from their fast-paced life and into calm, peaceful moments.
Tide offers sleep analysis, light wake-up alarms, nap modes, and calming nature sounds for users looking to optimize their sleep. Specific sleep meditations are available for Tide Plus subscribers at $11.99 per month or $59.99 per year.
BEST FOR ADULTS
Headspace
Headspace
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Why We Chose It: Headspace is all about being kind to your mind. With topics ranging from stress about politics, death, and aging anxiety, body anxiety, and so much more, Headspace takes our pick for the best app for adults.
WHAT WE LIKE
Individual, family, and student subscription plans available
Anxiety-specific course offered
Free two-week trial
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
Subscription needed to unlock a variety of meditations most useful for anxiety
App focuses mostly on meditation rather than anxiety-specific therapeutic techniques
Headspace has one mission: to improve the health and happiness of the world. And with millions of users in more than 190 countries, it is certainly making strides toward that goal.
New users can try a two-week free trial of Headspace Plus and get access to hundreds of guided meditations on everything from stress to sleep. There are short meditations you can do anytime, along with expert guidance from Headspace co-founder Andy Puddicombe, a former monk, and sleep sounds to ease the mind into a truly restful sleep.
Headspace’s website cites a University of Oxford study that “found that eight weeks of using the [Headspace] app (for 10–20 minute sessions) resulted in a 31% decrease in symptoms of anxiety and a 46% decrease in depression symptoms.” As of January 2022, Headspace had more than 870,000 ratings on the Apple App store and 4.9 stars. The app is available on Apple iOS or Android devices and can be downloaded from the Apple iTunes App Store or Google Play Store.
Monthly ($12.99) and annual ($69.99) subscriptions are available, and both can be canceled anytime. A family account linking six users can be purchased for $99.99 a year.
BEST FOR TEENS
Colorfy
Colorfy
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Why We Chose It: Meditations, breathing exercises, and visualization can be difficult for teens to access. Colorfy is our top pick for teens because it gives them a tangible task to work on with their hands while focusing their attention and mind through coloring.
WHAT WE LIKE
Focuses and calms the mind through art therapy
Weekly, monthly, and annual subscription options
More than 1,000 pictures available to paint
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
Artwork is lost if the app is deleted
Listed as a free app, but payment is necessary to access most pictures
Colorfy is an art and coloring game designed to help users pass the time, relax their mind, and have fun. Coloring comes in the form of a painting book with several designs to choose from. Users will find complex and simple art such as mandalas, animals, patterns, and florals in the coloring book and they have the option to upload their own drawings to color.
A 2012 study examined the use of art therapy to reduce anxiety with a group of undergraduate students. The results showed a decrease in anxiety levels for the students and suggested that the practice created a meditative state that is beneficial for reducing anxiety.2 Although the app is listed as free with in-app purchases, there are limited coloring pages available for non-subscribers.
BEST FOR ACT APPROACH
ACT Companion Happiness Trap
ACT Companion: Happiness Trap
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Why We Chose It: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a scientifically supported, mindfulness-based behavior therapy that has demonstrated effectiveness in helping anxiety. This app was designed by internationally acclaimed ACT trainer and bestselling author Dr. Russ Harris.
WHAT WE LIKE
Authored by psychologists and ACT trainers
Dozens of ACT exercises available
Affordable pricing for paid options
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
Only available on the Apple App Store
Limited amount of recorded mindfulness audio tracks
Must subscribe in order to unlock all features
Not only is this app excellent for those looking to take their ACT work on-the-go in app form, but it is an incredibly affordable option to accompany work with an ACT-focused clinician or coach. In this newer app, users will find simple defusion and acceptance techniques, easy values-clarification and goal-setting tools, powerful “observing self” and self-compassion exercises, and handy, easy-to-use tools like the Choice Point.
There are also traditional mindfulness exercises available such as mindfulness of the breath and body-scan meditations, exercises to inspire mindfully observing thoughts and emotions, and “active” mindfulness exercises such as mindful eating and mindful walking. This app is only available on the Apple App Store and is free with in-app purchases available. Three paid subscription options are available: One month ($1.99), three months ($3.99), and unlimited ($9.99).
Final Verdict
Millions of people are afflicted with various forms of anxiety, which can often be debilitating and can severely affect their lives. The good news is that there are myriad apps available to help bring the disorder under control. Calm is our pick for best overall because of its wide range of offerings and affordable price point. If you need help sleeping, check out Tide. However, keep in mind that an app will not resolve or treat anxiety and does not replace working with a mental health professional.
Compare Providers
Calm Best Overall 7-day free trial, $69.99/year
Insight Timer Best Free Free or Insight Premium for $59.99/year or $9.99/month
iBreathe Best for Beginners Free
Tide Best for Sleep Disruption Free or Tide Plus at $11.99/month or $59.99/year
Headspace Best for Adults 2-week free trial, plus monthly ($12.99) and annual ($69.99) options
Colorfy Best for Teens Weekly ($2.99), monthly ($7.99), and annual ($39.99) subscriptions available
ACT Companion Best for ACT $1.99/month or $9.99 for unlimited access
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do Apps for Anxiety Work?
Most of the apps we reviewed integrate meditation and breathwork, two interventions that are known to be useful for combatting anxiety. Some apps may offer specific courses to learn more about anxiety, whereas others will have specific meditations and exercises to decrease anxiety levels. There is an app for you, whether you are looking for a specific type of app or dipping your toe into new interventions.
How Much Do Apps for Anxiety Cost?
The price of apps for anxiety ranges from free to annual subscriptions that cost about $70. Many apps will offer a free trial period and some are free with in-app purchases available.
How We Chose the Best Apps for Anxiety
We looked at more than 10 apps for anxiety and assessed them based on the number of reviews, ratings, price, and variety of offerings. The apps that are made our roundup are affordable and offer a broad range of tools to combat anxiety.
Conclusion
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
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