Plum Village review

Plum Village is a free app from the community founded by Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, and it is the best choice here for people who want meditation inside a living tradition. The app collects guided meditations, deep relaxations, practice songs and chants, along with Dharma Talks on subjects such as difficult feelings, loss and relationships. There are hundreds of recorded answers from Thich Nhat Hanh to questions from students, which gives regular practitioners plenty to study. A mindfulness bell can be set to ring at intervals, a reminder to stop and take a few mindful breaths during the day. Because some recordings come from retreats, the sound is not always studio quality, which the team notes itself. Beginners will find fewer step-by-step courses, sleep tools and personalization than in Headspace or Calm, and the Buddhist framing is central rather than optional. For those it suits, it costs nothing.

Who it is for

Practitioners who want mindfulness taught in a Zen Buddhist context, at no cost.

Price

Free.

A free app with guided meditations, deep relaxations and other practices offered by Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh and his monastic community.
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 8, 2026.

Key features

• Guided meditations and deep relaxations
• Dharma Talks on many topics
• Hundreds of answers from Thich Nhat Hanh to student questions
• Practice songs and chants
• A mindfulness bell to pause during the day

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Completely free
• Strength: Rich teaching from one coherent tradition
• Strength: Mindfulness bell supports practice throughout the day
• Weakness: Some retreat audio is not studio quality
• Weakness: Fewer beginner courses and sleep tools than paid apps
• Weakness: Buddhist framing will not suit everyone

Key facts

• Price: Free
• Tradition: Plum Village, Zen Buddhism
• Teachers: Thich Nhat Hanh and his monastic community
• Platforms: iPhone, Android
• Reminders: Mindfulness bell

Where it ranks

Plum Village is No. 9 in our Best Meditation Apps verdict.