Interested in diving into mindfulness and meditation, but not sure where to start?
Headspace could be your answer, it’s an app that specializes in meditation and mindfulness techniques that assist in relaxation, stress management, sharpening focus, and releasing tension in both your mind and body. Its guided meditations, courses and mindfulness exercises are for every experience level. Established in 2010 by Andy Puddicombe and Richard Pierson, Headspace has one mission to enhance global health and well-being.
Interested in giving it a try?
Before jumping in, you’ll likely have a few questions such as: Is it suitable for beginners? Is there a monthly subscription option? Does it offer a free trial?
Let’s delve deep into this in-depth Headspace Review to find out more.
Headspace Review Verdict
Headspace is a popular mindfulness and meditation app that offers 500+ meditation and mindfulness tools to help you stress less, focus more and get happy. It offers both guided and unguided mediation and mindfulness exercises, that are designed to aid you from the moment you wake up in the morning until the time you go to bed.
Many of its videos are short and bite sized, making it easy to fit into a busy day, or if you’re on the go or travelling. A monthly and annual subscription is available along with a free trial, so you can try out the app for free before you financially commit. Headspace is a user-friendly app that ideal for complete beginners, kids and teens or for those experienced users looking for advanced meditations, there is something for all.
Headspace Pros & Cons
- Free Trial: Headspace offers a free trial on its monthly (7 days for free) and annual subscription (14 days for free) plans, which you can cancel 24 hours before the trial ends and you won’t be charged anything.
- Expert Teachers: The guides on headspace are trained mindfulness and meditation practitioners.
- Beginner Friendly: Headspace is a great place to start with mediation as it’s taught in a non-intimidating way and is easy to follow.
- Engaging: It’s a really engaging app, that’s very intuitive, and its video content is a pleasure to watch.
- Variety: Its wide variety of content guided mediations, mindfulness activities and sleep casts means there is always something to accompany you throughout the day.
- Tracking: Headspace gives you gentle nudges and reminders to practice daily which you can track to see your progress.
- Family Friendly: Headspace offers plans for the family as well as offering content that is suitable for children.
- Lack of Personalization: Sadly, the app doesn’t provide personalized recommendations based on a user’s individual needs or preferences.
- Repetitive: If you really maximize your membership plan and use Headspace daily, you may find some of its mindfulness tools become repetitive.
- Commitment: The free trial requires entering a credit card which will be charged once the free trial ends, some users maybe hesitate to sign up.
Who Is Headspace For?
Headspace can be beneficial to a wide range of people who are looking to explore meditation and mindfulness. If you are looking to catch your breath, relax your mind and feel less stressed, then Headspace maybe the right option for you. Headspace claims that within 10 days it will increase your happiness and reduce your stress levels.
Headspace for beginners
If you are a beginner looking to make your first steps in creating life-changing habits to support your mental health and improve your all round happiness, you’re in the right place. As a beginner, you can try some of the guided 5-minute meditations, which feel less intimidating as a complete novice. I myself have been there, so I know how daunting it can feel the first time round, but once you put that time aside each day, I find first thing in the morning is the best time for me, it will start to feel second nature, just like brushing your teeth.
Over time, you will begin to notice the positive impact it has on all aspects of your life, feeling less stressed, better sleep, more focused and even improving relationships. It is believed that each time you meditate, you are taking steps towards creating healthier habits, which in turn create a happier you.
Headspace for Sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep is easier said than done. So, when I found that Headspace offered a wide variety of sleep content I was thrilled. As for anyone who knows me, knows that getting my 8 hours is a must. Its sleep content includes Sleepcasts, White Noise, Wind Downs, Sleep Music, Soundscapes, Sleep Radio and more.
The Wind Downs are excellent, as they incorporate mediation and breathing to help prepare you for sleep. Some of the classic wind downs only last 3-10 minutes or if you are looking for something a little longer, a Wind down with nature lasts 45 minutes.
If a guided session piques your interest, then Sleepcasts would be your answer. I would really recommend giving one a go if you haven’t tried it before. Each Sleepcast focuses on a story that is ever-changing and narrated by a relaxing, soothing voice lasting 45 minutes. A nice feature is the ability to adjust the slider to balance the ambiance and voice, so you can personalize it to your preference.
And if a non-stop sleep audio is what is needed, then the Sleep Radio has you covered. A 500-minute (8 hours) of non-stop rain, night or ocean sound mixes accompanying you whilst you fall into a deep slumber.
For many of us, creating the ideal sleep conditions can feel complicated, trying this section of the Headspace app may help you to accomplish a restful night’s sleep.
Headspace for Stress
If you are looking to relieve stress and anxiety from your life, Headspace offers a whole range of coping meditations which can you help you be better prepared for stressful thoughts and situations.
Getting Started with Headspace?
After signing up to Headspace you’ll find it’s very intuitive and easy to navigate. You will have the option to move through the 3 icons at the bottom of the app: Today, Explore and Profile. The Today tab offers daily mindfulness videos which show different meditations and mindful activities to Start your day, Your afternoon lift and At night.
The Explore tab offers all the categories; Meditate, Sleep, Move and Music where you can find a wide variety of content from guided mediations, mindfulness activities and sleep casts to support you from the moment you wake up to the time you go to bed.
The profile tab shows ‘My progress’ so you can keep an eye on your stress and anxiety with monthly check-ins. An Activity History is available where you can view all your completed sessions.
A 30-Day Guest Pass is available for a friend or loved one, just by sending them the Guest Pass they will get free access to the Headspace app for one month. Keep in mind they will need to add their payment details and the membership will renew at the end of those 30 days unless they decide to cancel.
How Much Is Headspace?
Headspace offers a couple of subscription plans, either an annual plan or a monthly option. It is more cost-effective to opt for the annual plan, but if you are hesitant and prefer to just give Headspace a try, then the monthly option would make sense.
- Headspace Annual: $69.99 USD per year
- Headspace Monthly: $12.99 USD per month
How Much is Headspace in Different Currencies?
We took a look at how much the Headspace plans cost in other currencies.
| Currency | Annual Plan | Monthly Plan |
|---|---|---|
| US Dollars ($) | $69.99 | $12.99 |
| Pounds (£) | £49.99 | £9.99 |
| Euros (€) | €57.99 | €12.99 |
Does Headspace offer a free trial?
The answer is Yes! A 14-day free trial is available on the annual plan and a 7-day free trial is available on the monthly one. So for anyone who isn’t 100% ready to financially commit, this gives you the opportunity to try out the app, and then you can decide if it’s right for you.
Note: If you don’t want to continue with an annual or monthly Headspace plan, you must cancel your free trial within 24 hours of it ending; otherwise you will be charged.
Headspace Family Plan
The Headspace family plan is for 6 accounts for anyone in your chosen family. That could be family members, roommates or even teammates.
- Headspace Family Plan: $99.99 USD per year
The Headspace Family plan is for 6 members of your chosen family, who all need to enter the same address to be eligible. One person will be the owner of the plan, then they can invite other members to join, with the other option of swapping members if necessary.
Headspace Student Plan
The Headspace Student Plan costs just a fraction of a regular Headspace plan with a whooping 85% off an annual plan.
- Headspace Student Plan: $9.99 USD per year
A free trial isn’t available on the student plan, due to the fact you’re getting the plan at such a discounted price. The plan is currently available for students within the US, UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Portugal, and Spain who are attending a post-secondary program or University and are aged 18+.
Headspace Cancellation
To cancel your Headspace subscription directly though its website, you just need to follow these easy steps;
- Login to your account from desktop or mobile browser (not the mobile app)
- Check the option click ‘TURN OFF AUTO RENEWAL’ from your subscription dashboard.
- You can leave a reason if you like, then click ‘Continue with cancellation’
- If you are having any issues cancelling, you can email help@headspace.com
Note: Depending on where you purchased your Headspace subscription; directly through Headspace, Apple Store or Google Play, the cancellation steps can differ.
Headspace Refunds
Headspace doesn’t offer refunds after your free trial finishes. If you are subscribed to a monthly or annual plan and don’t want to be billed for the next subscription fee (e.g. the next month or next year), you must cancel before that date. Otherwise, the monthly or yearly renewal subscription fees will continue to be billed to the payment method you provided until cancelled.
How to sign up to the Headspace?
You can either choose to subscribe to Headspace through the website or via the app. In my experience, it’s best to sign up through the Headspace website here, in case they have any offers, or you have any issues via the app.
1. Go to www.headspace.com
2. On the homepage select either the annual or monthly plan
3. Click ‘Try for free’
4. Add Name, Email, Password
5. Click ‘Create an account’
Download the Headspace App on Apple Store or with Google Play:
1. Download Headspace App
2. Create an account using (Apple, Google, Facebook or Email)
3. Select your preferred plan (Annual or Monthly)
4. Click ‘Start your free trial’
What Categories Can I find on Headspace?
Headspace has 4 main categories; Mediation, Sleep, Stress and Mindfulness, but within those main categories are dozens of subcategories which may resonate with you, if you are in need of something more specific like Mindful Eating or The Wake-Up Meditation.
Meditation
This section of the app is what Headspace is best known for, offering hundreds to choose from, like a simple Breathe meditation for beginners or a ‘Letting Go of Stress’ for someone having a difficult day.
Sleep
The sleep focused mediations, calming soundscapes, sleepcasts and wind downs for your mind to help aid you for the best night’s sleep.
Collections
Headspace offers a collection of mediations and resources on a particular topic. A couple of its most popular collections are ‘The Shine Collection’ and the ‘Women’s Collection’.
Podcasts
Its eclectic mix of podcasts, are for anyone looking to learn something new or looking to hear advice from an expert teacher.
What's Included in the Headspace App?
The Headspace App offers a wide range of offerings and features to help individuals cultivate mental well-being, reduce stress and improve their quality of life. The key offerings that Headspace provides are the following:
- Guided Meditations: Headspace provides a vast library of guided meditation sessions led by experienced instructors. These meditations cover various topics such as stress reduction, sleep, focus, anxiety management, self-esteem, and relationships. Users can choose from different durations and styles to suit their preferences and needs.
- Mindfulness Exercises: The app offers mindfulness exercises that can be incorporated into daily life, helping individuals cultivate present-moment awareness and bring mindfulness into everyday activities. These exercises include mindful eating, mindful walking, and mindful breathing, among others.
- Sleep Support: Headspace features a collection of guided meditations and sleep-related content specifically designed to help users relax, unwind, and improve their sleep quality. These sleep-focused sessions include calming music, bedtime stories, and soothing sounds to aid in falling asleep and achieving restful sleep.
- Personalized Recommendations: Based on user input and preferences, Headspace provides personalized recommendations for meditation sessions and mindfulness exercises. This feature helps users discover content that aligns with their specific goals, interests, and areas they want to focus on.
- Mini Meditation Moments: Headspace recognizes that even a few minutes of mindfulness can make a difference. The app offers “Mini Meditation Moments,” which are brief guided meditations that can be completed in as little as a few minutes. These moments are designed to provide quick relaxation and stress relief, making it easier to incorporate mindfulness into a busy schedule.
- Meditation Courses: Headspace offers structured meditation courses that guide users through a series of sessions focused on a particular theme or goal. These courses provide a step-by-step progression, allowing users to deepen their meditation practice and explore specific topics like resilience, self-esteem, happiness, and relationships.
- SOS Exercises: In times of high stress or anxiety, Headspace provides SOS exercises that offer immediate support and help users find calm and relaxation. These exercises are designed to be used on the go and can assist in managing moments of overwhelm or panic.
- Breathing Exercises: Headspace includes a variety of breathing exercises that can be used to promote relaxation, reduce anxiety, and improve focus. These exercises guide users through different breathing techniques, helping them connect with their breath and find a sense of calm.
5 Reasons Why Headspace Is Worth it
1- Free Trial
The perfect way to get started with Headspace is by trying out its 7 or 14 day free trial, so you get the opportunity to experience the app in full before deciding you want to commit financially either monthly or annually.
2- Plans
Headspace offers a variety of specialty plans alongside the standard Annual and Monthly plans. The Family plan allows 6 accounts on the same plan which includes parents and kids content. The Teens plan is free for any teens in the US and the Educators plan is also free for any K-12 primary teachers and supporting staff based in the US, UK, Canada and Australia.
Headspace does an excellent job of offering such a selection of plans for all, but especially the fact that plans are free for Teens, Educators and at a really discounted rate for Students.
3- Headspace Stories
Headspace has a handful of testimonials on its homepage, which is a positive indication that users are happy with the app. Headspace has had 70M downloads and an average of a 4.9 stars rating.
My suggestion for anyone curious to try Headspace out is that you should take advantage of its free trial and if you decide it isn’t for you, then you can cancel before your subscription renews and you won’t be charged anything.
4- Variety of Content
Headspace offers a wide variety of content, with a library boosting 500+ guided meditations, courses and mindfulness exercises.
You can get started with suggestions you are given in the Today tab, or you can begin by exploring more specific topics like a Wake-Up Stretch, How to Talk About Money or a Mindful eating session. There is content that is ideal for a complete beginner, or someone who is advancing in their mindfulness and meditation journey.
5- Downloadable Content
Headspace offers the option to download content, so you can watch whilst you’re on the go or travelling. This makes it really convenient if you know you will be without an internet connection and want to download specific content in advance.
Headspace Customer Reviews
To present a comprehensive Headspace review, I opted to explore feedback from two major customer review sites: Trustpilot and Amazon.
In order to give this Headspace review a well-rounded perspective, I decided to check out two of the biggest customer review sites, Trustpilot and Amazon. Using this approach, we can gather input from a diverse pool of customers and their thoughts on the platform.
On Trustpilot, there were a total of 524 user reviews. In the table below, you can see a breakdown of the ratings, which range from 1 to 5 stars. Interestingly, nearly 40% of users awarded the app a 5-star rating, while a similar percentage left a 1-star review. On Amazon feedback was provided by 97 users, and a comparable percentage of them gave a 5-star rating.
| Rating | Trustpilot | Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| 5-star | 38% | 38% |
| 4-star | 9% | 11% |
| 3-star | 6% | 13% |
| 2-star | 8% | 15% |
| 1-star | 39% | 23% |
| Overall | 1.9 out of 5 stars | 3.3 out of 5 stars |
Data gathered on 10/24/2023
After closer investigation, I found a significant portion of the 1-star ratings revolve around concerns related to technical problems, automatic renewals, difficulties with cancellations and a poor user experience. “Appalling customer service experience! I desperately tried to cancel my subscription, but their app lacked the feature. They charged me for an annual plan without warning”. an unhappy 1-star reviewer said.
To highlight the positive reviews, a substantial number of 5-star ratings applaud the life-changing user experience and exceptional customer support. “This app has changed my life. I could never stick to the habit of meditation, however this app made it possible & enjoyable”. a content 5-star customer.
My Headspace Experience
As a qualified yoga teacher and someone who has dabbled in meditation, but never had a consistent practice, I was excited to try out Headspace. I was looking to establish a daily meditation practice and improve my quality of sleep.
Once I downloaded the Headspace app and created an account, I immediately loved the interface and colours and found it really easy to navigate around the app. I got started with meditation for beginners.
I truly enjoyed the basics mediation course, which are between 3-10 minutes long, and you can pick your preferred teacher, who will guide you through it. I choose Andy Puddicombe, one of the founders of Headspace. This makes the initial starting point less overwhelming, and it almost feels really personalized.
The Today tab, became one of my favourite features of Headspace, as it recommends breathing exercises, meditations, which I may not have found if I was just navigating the app without these prompts. The sleepcasts, really helped me to wind down after a busy day.
After a few weeks of using Headspace each morning and before bedtime, I really started to get into a healthy consistent routine. It was so easy to fit it into my day and really didn’t get in the way, if anything, it helped me to focus, relax and feel calmer.
Headspace In Detail
| Criteria | Comment |
|---|---|
| Ease of use
4/5 |
Opening an account with Headspace is super easy. I did mine via my desktop, firstly selecting my preferred plan (monthly or annually) then clicking ‘Try for free’. Next with the Sign up form adding your name, email and creating a password. After clicking ‘Create an Account’ you’ll need to add your card details, but you won’t be charged anything.
Now that you are signed up, you can download the app from your Google Play or Apple App Store. The app is really intuitive, and the design is very aesthetically pleasing with clean and calming colors. You can easily navigate to your profile and explore different content. |
| Convenience
5/5 |
Headspace makes it really convenient, so you play its content offline by using the app. Then you can simply find your downloads all in one place under your Profile. This is ideal if you are taking a trip or on a journey without an internet connection.
Note: Sadly, Sleepcasts aren’t available for downloading. |
| Devices
5/5 |
Headspace is most commonly used via the IOS and Google Play app. It has an excellent rating with IOS at 4.8 rating and a 4.5 with Google Play.
Headspace can also be used via a desktop, but users are encouraged to access Headspace via the app to get the full user experience. |
| Categories
4/5 |
Headspace offers a wide variety of content covering 4 main categories Mediation, Sleep, Stress and Mindfulness.
It 500+ mediation and mindfulness tools can be anywhere from relaxing music, breathing exercises, guided mediations, sleepcasts and much more. |
| Free content
4/5 |
Headspace doesn’t offer free content, but it does have a 7 and 14 day free trial available when you choose either the monthly or annual plan. When you first sign up you won’t pay anything, it’s only after the free trial ends you will be charged. If you change your mind during the free trial, you won’t be charged anything. |
| Content Quality
5/5 |
Headspace has positive testimonials across its homepage and an average rating of 4.9 stars. It has more than 600K ratings on IOS and Google Play. |
| Languages
5/5 |
Headspace is available in English, French, German, Spanish and Portuguese.
You can easily change the language by opening the headspace app, clicking Profile, then the Gear icon and tapping on Language and finally selecting your preferred language. |
| Instructors
5/5 |
The headspace teachers are a team of highly qualified therapists, acupuncturist and certified mindfulness facilitator. Andy Puddicombe, who is the co-founder of Headspace, has guided people in meditation for over 20 years and is a former buddhist monk. |
| Course Requirements
4/5 |
There are no prior requirements with Headspace, it takes commit from you to get the most out of it. On your profile you can keep track of your progress with monthly check-ins on your stress and anxiety. You can also see your Activity History, so you easily revisit content you’ve enjoyed. |
| Beginner Friendly
5/5 |
Headspace offers content for beginners, that is as short as a 1-minute breathing exercise, then as you progress and develop, so does the time and depth of the content. |
| Payments and refunds
4/5 |
You can make a payment on Headspace with a Credit or Debit Cards; Visa, Mastercard, American Express (US only) and via Paypal.
There is no refund available on headspace. If you don’t want to continue your headspace subscription, you must cancel it before it renews, so you are charged for the following month or year. |
| Support
4/5 |
Headspace has a help and support where you can find answers to FAQs. Plus there is an email for any other questions or inquires you may have help@headspace.com. |
| Overall rating
4/5 |
Headspace offers everyday mediation and mindfulness content for stress, sleep, focus, movement and more. Its library of 500+ guided mediations, courses and mindfulness exercises are designed to help you make mindfulness part of your daily habit. Its generous free trial allows you to check out the app before deciding if you want to fully commit. |
| More information | Visit www.headspace.com |
Headspace Alternatives
Headspace Vs Calm
If you have heard of Headspace, then it’s likely you’ve heard of Calm. As both are leading meditation and mindfulness apps. Like Headspace, Calm offers a variety of guided meditations, sleep stories, music and sounds for relaxation, by expert teachers. Similarly, Calm has a couple of subscription plans, an annual plan for $69.99, that comes with a 7-day free trial and a lifetime plan for $399.99. Headspace is most popular for its structured meditation courses for beginners, Whereas Calm is most famous for its sleep-focused content. My advice though is to try out both apps using the free trials and decide for yourself which is best.
Headspace Vs Brain.fm
Headspace is best known for its guided mediations. Whereas Brain.fm is known for its focus music which is designed to help you focus, relax and sleep. It has been scientifically proven that Brain.fm stimulates the brain with gentle rhythmic pulses in the music that support sustained attention. Like Headspace, Brain.fm offers a monthly and yearly subscription plan which gives you access to unlimited sessions, access to all categories and offline access. Its plans are a little cheaper than Headspace, the monthly costs $6.99 per month and the yearly $49.99 annually, both include a free trial. If you change your mind on the annual subscription, a 60-day money-back guarantee is available.
Last Thoughts: Is Headspace Worth It?
Let’s round things up, it’s no doubt that Headspace is one of the leading apps in the mindfulness and meditation space and its reasonable price tag makes it even more of a catch.
If you are a complete beginner or looking to create healthy mindfulness habits within your day, headspace has something for all. A great way to get started is by trying out its free trial, which will give you access to the full library of content, and then if you decide it’s not for you, you can cancel your trial and you won’t be charged anything.
You will love Headspace for its:
- Free Trial
- Engaging and Visual Content
- Top Experts
- New Content regularly added
- Reasonable price tag
Headspace FAQs
Yes, Headspace is a completely legitimate and recognized meditation and mindfulness app. It was launched in 2010 by Andy Puddicombe and Richard Pierson with the aim of making meditation accessible to a wider audience.
Headspace has an average rating of 4.9 stars and over 70 million downloads. It has gained popularity and positive reviews across IOS and Google Play. On top of that, Headspace has been featured on both UK and US television shows like the BBC and NPR.
Anyways, Headspace is legit, and it’s safe to use, you won’t be scammed.