Calm review

Calm is built around sleep as much as meditation, which makes it a natural fit for people who come to mindfulness because they cannot switch off at night. Its Sleep Stories are the signature feature, with more than 100 exclusive titles read by narrators including Matthew McConaughey and Stephen Fry, and new ones every month. For meditation, Calm offers guided sessions for every level, the Daily Calm with Tamara Levitt, the Daily Jay with Jay Shetty and the Daily Trip with Jeff Warren, plus 7- and 21-day programs to build a habit. Breathing exercises, nature sounds and focus music fill out the library. The free version has no ads and includes some programs, but most content sits behind Premium. A web trial runs 14 days and converts to an annual subscription of $79.99 unless you cancel. Calm is easy to use, though it explains meditation technique less than Waking Up or Healthy Minds.

Who it is for

Beginners whose main goal is better sleep and less stress, with meditation as part of the routine.

Price

$79.99 per year (about $6.67 per month) after a 14-day web trial; some content free with no ads.

If you do not cancel, the trial automatically converts into a paid Annual Subscription ($79.99/year) on Day 15.
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 8, 2026.

Key features

• 100+ exclusive Sleep Stories, with new ones added every month
• Daily Calm, Daily Jay and Daily Trip sessions
• 7- and 21-day mindfulness programs
• Breathing exercises, sleep sounds and focus music
• Apple Watch app and Apple Health logging

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: The strongest sleep content in this list
• Strength: Free version has no ads
• Strength: Daily sessions make a routine easy
• Weakness: Most of the library needs Premium
• Weakness: Annual price is higher than Headspace or Insight Timer
• Weakness: Less teaching on technique than Waking Up or Healthy Minds

Key facts

• US price: $79.99 a year
• Free trial: 14 days on calm.com
• Free version: Some programs and features, no ads
• Sleep Stories: 100+ exclusive titles
• Downloads: 180 million, per Calm

Where it ranks

Calm is No. 3 in our Best Meditation Apps verdict.