Let’s face it: Finding peace and calm in the chaos of life can be a real challenge, especially when you’re trying to balance work, social obligations, family, and personal life. That’s where guided meditation can help. In as little as 10 minutes a day, you can develop a meditation practice that fits your schedule and gives you the space to relax both your mind and body.The benefits ofmeditationextend far beyond relaxation. In fact, a regular practice of meditation could help reduce anxiety, depression, insomnia, general pain, and high blood pressure.And the best part? It’s safe, accessible, and fits easily into your day. And don’t worry about sorting through thousands of YouTube videos and websites to find one to try: We did the work for you. Here are the best guided meditations for you to choose from.
Let’s face it: Finding peace and calm in the chaos of life can be a real challenge, especially when you’re trying to balance work, social obligations, family, and personal life. That’s where guided meditation can help. In as little as 10 minutes a day, you can develop a meditation practice that fits your schedule and gives you the space to relax both your mind and body.
The benefits ofmeditationextend far beyond relaxation. In fact, a regular practice of meditation could help reduce anxiety, depression, insomnia, general pain, and high blood pressure.And the best part? It’s safe, accessible, and fits easily into your day. And don’t worry about sorting through thousands of YouTube videos and websites to find one to try: We did the work for you. Here are the best guided meditations for you to choose from.
Best Guided MeditationsView All
View All
Best Guided Meditations
Final Verdict
Compare Providers
FAQs
Methodology
Best Overall:CalmDaily CalmSign Up NowKey SpecsCost:$69.99/year or $399.99/lifetime membershipNotable Features:Calm background waves, individual exercisesLength: Three to 25 minutesWhy We Chose ItCalm offers a quick and easy guided meditation for anxiety on its flexible app, and has a free trial so you can check it out before subscribing.Pros & ConsProsApp offers more individual exercises in addition to this guided meditationLess structured than some othersClass gets right to what helps anxietyCalming waves in backgroundSimple to followConsNeed a subscriptionApp isn’t the most intuitiveOverviewIf you live with anxiety, adding one more thing to your day is enough to trigger thoughts of worry, stress, and panic. The good news?Calm offers guided meditationsspecifically for anxiety, and they only take three to 25 minutes.The meditations are perfect in the morning to help prepare your mind for the day ahead or at the end of a hectic day to help ease stress and anxiety. There are lessons that focus on body awareness and deep belly breathing as well as ones that focus on calming racing thoughts. The meditations often pause to let you just focus on breathing (while listening to waves), which can be useful for someone with anxiety.
Best Overall:Calm
Daily CalmSign Up NowKey SpecsCost:$69.99/year or $399.99/lifetime membershipNotable Features:Calm background waves, individual exercisesLength: Three to 25 minutesWhy We Chose ItCalm offers a quick and easy guided meditation for anxiety on its flexible app, and has a free trial so you can check it out before subscribing.Pros & ConsProsApp offers more individual exercises in addition to this guided meditationLess structured than some othersClass gets right to what helps anxietyCalming waves in backgroundSimple to followConsNeed a subscriptionApp isn’t the most intuitiveOverviewIf you live with anxiety, adding one more thing to your day is enough to trigger thoughts of worry, stress, and panic. The good news?Calm offers guided meditationsspecifically for anxiety, and they only take three to 25 minutes.The meditations are perfect in the morning to help prepare your mind for the day ahead or at the end of a hectic day to help ease stress and anxiety. There are lessons that focus on body awareness and deep belly breathing as well as ones that focus on calming racing thoughts. The meditations often pause to let you just focus on breathing (while listening to waves), which can be useful for someone with anxiety.
Daily CalmSign Up Now
Daily Calm
Sign Up Now
Key SpecsCost:$69.99/year or $399.99/lifetime membershipNotable Features:Calm background waves, individual exercisesLength: Three to 25 minutesWhy We Chose ItCalm offers a quick and easy guided meditation for anxiety on its flexible app, and has a free trial so you can check it out before subscribing.Pros & ConsProsApp offers more individual exercises in addition to this guided meditationLess structured than some othersClass gets right to what helps anxietyCalming waves in backgroundSimple to followConsNeed a subscriptionApp isn’t the most intuitiveOverviewIf you live with anxiety, adding one more thing to your day is enough to trigger thoughts of worry, stress, and panic. The good news?Calm offers guided meditationsspecifically for anxiety, and they only take three to 25 minutes.The meditations are perfect in the morning to help prepare your mind for the day ahead or at the end of a hectic day to help ease stress and anxiety. There are lessons that focus on body awareness and deep belly breathing as well as ones that focus on calming racing thoughts. The meditations often pause to let you just focus on breathing (while listening to waves), which can be useful for someone with anxiety.
Key Specs
Cost:$69.99/year or $399.99/lifetime membershipNotable Features:Calm background waves, individual exercisesLength: Three to 25 minutes
Why We Chose It
Calm offers a quick and easy guided meditation for anxiety on its flexible app, and has a free trial so you can check it out before subscribing.
Pros & Cons
ProsApp offers more individual exercises in addition to this guided meditationLess structured than some othersClass gets right to what helps anxietyCalming waves in backgroundSimple to followConsNeed a subscriptionApp isn’t the most intuitive
ProsApp offers more individual exercises in addition to this guided meditationLess structured than some othersClass gets right to what helps anxietyCalming waves in backgroundSimple to follow
App offers more individual exercises in addition to this guided meditation
Less structured than some others
Class gets right to what helps anxiety
Calming waves in background
Simple to follow
ConsNeed a subscriptionApp isn’t the most intuitive
Need a subscription
App isn’t the most intuitive
Overview
If you live with anxiety, adding one more thing to your day is enough to trigger thoughts of worry, stress, and panic. The good news?Calm offers guided meditationsspecifically for anxiety, and they only take three to 25 minutes.The meditations are perfect in the morning to help prepare your mind for the day ahead or at the end of a hectic day to help ease stress and anxiety. There are lessons that focus on body awareness and deep belly breathing as well as ones that focus on calming racing thoughts. The meditations often pause to let you just focus on breathing (while listening to waves), which can be useful for someone with anxiety.
If you live with anxiety, adding one more thing to your day is enough to trigger thoughts of worry, stress, and panic. The good news?Calm offers guided meditationsspecifically for anxiety, and they only take three to 25 minutes.
The meditations are perfect in the morning to help prepare your mind for the day ahead or at the end of a hectic day to help ease stress and anxiety. There are lessons that focus on body awareness and deep belly breathing as well as ones that focus on calming racing thoughts. The meditations often pause to let you just focus on breathing (while listening to waves), which can be useful for someone with anxiety.
Best for Deepening Your Practice:Tara Brach
Tara BrachSign Up Now
Tara Brach
Cost:Free, but donations are suggestedNotable Features:Website with video classesLength:One to 40 minutes
ProsHas a therapeutic slantSeveral categories to choose fromMeditations are freeConsNot the most user-friendly websiteNot ideal for beginners
ProsHas a therapeutic slantSeveral categories to choose fromMeditations are free
Has a therapeutic slant
Several categories to choose from
Meditations are free
ConsNot the most user-friendly websiteNot ideal for beginners
Not the most user-friendly website
Not ideal for beginners
If you’re looking for a deeper practice that also feels like you’re getting a dose of therapy, then Tara Brach is for you. Brach, who has a doctorate in clinical psychology, will guide you through a peaceful, yet cathartic, meditation that helps you discover how self-compassion can relieve emotional suffering.There are four meditation categories to choose from: Basic, Heart, Open Awareness, and Special Meditations/Reflections. Pre-recorded meditations include Relaxing Back Into Natural Awareness, A Calm Refuge, Touching Peace, Embracing Life With an Open Heart, and more.Some meditations feature guidance with just a few silent pauses, while others feature gentle rain or birds singing in the background. Most meditations are around 10 to 25 minutes long. All of the meditations are free, but Brach asks for donations to make them as widely available as possible.
If you’re looking for a deeper practice that also feels like you’re getting a dose of therapy, then Tara Brach is for you. Brach, who has a doctorate in clinical psychology, will guide you through a peaceful, yet cathartic, meditation that helps you discover how self-compassion can relieve emotional suffering.
There are four meditation categories to choose from: Basic, Heart, Open Awareness, and Special Meditations/Reflections. Pre-recorded meditations include Relaxing Back Into Natural Awareness, A Calm Refuge, Touching Peace, Embracing Life With an Open Heart, and more.
Some meditations feature guidance with just a few silent pauses, while others feature gentle rain or birds singing in the background. Most meditations are around 10 to 25 minutes long. All of the meditations are free, but Brach asks for donations to make them as widely available as possible.
A Verywell Report: Americans Find Strength in Online Therapy
Best for Beginners:HeadspaceHeadspaceSign Up NowKey SpecsCost:$69.99/year or $12.99/monthNotable Features:User-friendly app with guides for beginnersLength:One to 20 minutes, on averageWhy We Chose ItHeadspace has a user-friendly interface with hundreds of guided meditations suitable for everyone from beginners to experts.Pros & ConsProsUser-friendly appOptions for beginnersCues to cope with external soundsHundreds of meditations to choose fromConsMembership is a bit expensiveNot great for the less tech-mindedOverviewWith Headspace, you will learn deep breathing. The app walks you through how your breath should feel throughout your body and what you should be noticing about your breath. At the same time, it will also help you find where in the body you feel your breath and the rhythm of your breath (long, short, deep, or shallow).Headspace provides helpful cues for when external sounds appear. You can choose from a variety of meditations based on your needs and how long you want to focus on the practice.
Best for Beginners:Headspace
HeadspaceSign Up NowKey SpecsCost:$69.99/year or $12.99/monthNotable Features:User-friendly app with guides for beginnersLength:One to 20 minutes, on averageWhy We Chose ItHeadspace has a user-friendly interface with hundreds of guided meditations suitable for everyone from beginners to experts.Pros & ConsProsUser-friendly appOptions for beginnersCues to cope with external soundsHundreds of meditations to choose fromConsMembership is a bit expensiveNot great for the less tech-mindedOverviewWith Headspace, you will learn deep breathing. The app walks you through how your breath should feel throughout your body and what you should be noticing about your breath. At the same time, it will also help you find where in the body you feel your breath and the rhythm of your breath (long, short, deep, or shallow).Headspace provides helpful cues for when external sounds appear. You can choose from a variety of meditations based on your needs and how long you want to focus on the practice.
HeadspaceSign Up Now
Headspace
Key SpecsCost:$69.99/year or $12.99/monthNotable Features:User-friendly app with guides for beginnersLength:One to 20 minutes, on averageWhy We Chose ItHeadspace has a user-friendly interface with hundreds of guided meditations suitable for everyone from beginners to experts.Pros & ConsProsUser-friendly appOptions for beginnersCues to cope with external soundsHundreds of meditations to choose fromConsMembership is a bit expensiveNot great for the less tech-mindedOverviewWith Headspace, you will learn deep breathing. The app walks you through how your breath should feel throughout your body and what you should be noticing about your breath. At the same time, it will also help you find where in the body you feel your breath and the rhythm of your breath (long, short, deep, or shallow).Headspace provides helpful cues for when external sounds appear. You can choose from a variety of meditations based on your needs and how long you want to focus on the practice.
Cost:$69.99/year or $12.99/monthNotable Features:User-friendly app with guides for beginnersLength:One to 20 minutes, on average
Headspace has a user-friendly interface with hundreds of guided meditations suitable for everyone from beginners to experts.
ProsUser-friendly appOptions for beginnersCues to cope with external soundsHundreds of meditations to choose fromConsMembership is a bit expensiveNot great for the less tech-minded
ProsUser-friendly appOptions for beginnersCues to cope with external soundsHundreds of meditations to choose from
User-friendly app
Options for beginners
Cues to cope with external sounds
Hundreds of meditations to choose from
ConsMembership is a bit expensiveNot great for the less tech-minded
Membership is a bit expensive
Not great for the less tech-minded
With Headspace, you will learn deep breathing. The app walks you through how your breath should feel throughout your body and what you should be noticing about your breath. At the same time, it will also help you find where in the body you feel your breath and the rhythm of your breath (long, short, deep, or shallow).Headspace provides helpful cues for when external sounds appear. You can choose from a variety of meditations based on your needs and how long you want to focus on the practice.
With Headspace, you will learn deep breathing. The app walks you through how your breath should feel throughout your body and what you should be noticing about your breath. At the same time, it will also help you find where in the body you feel your breath and the rhythm of your breath (long, short, deep, or shallow).
Headspace provides helpful cues for when external sounds appear. You can choose from a variety of meditations based on your needs and how long you want to focus on the practice.
Best for Relaxation:The Honest Guys
The Honest GuysSign Up Now
The Honest Guys
Cost:Free on YouTubeNotable Features:Calming imagery and background soundsLength:10 to 40 minutes, on average
The Honest Guys offer free, simple meditations with breathing techniques to help quell anxiety.
ProsSoothing voice and background soundsReassuring for anxious usersCalming imageryFreeConsA bit generalized
ProsSoothing voice and background soundsReassuring for anxious usersCalming imageryFree
Soothing voice and background sounds
Reassuring for anxious users
Calming imagery
Free
ConsA bit generalized
A bit generalized
The key to success with these guided meditations is to allow yourself to be in total peace with your surroundings. As you feel more relaxed, Clarke walks you through peaceful journeys, taking you deeper into relaxation. As the journeys end and the only sound you hear is the calming nature sounds, you have the option of drifting off to sleep, continuing in this deeply relaxed state, or resuming your day.
Cost:Some offerings free with email sign-up; meditation albums cost about $11 to $18Features:Upbeat music, short meditationsLength:Six minutes
ProsCombines exercise with meditationGuided meditation helps connect mind and bodyUpbeat musicFree meditationsShort and sweetConsHave to sign up for newsletter for free meditationsNot traditional meditation
ProsCombines exercise with meditationGuided meditation helps connect mind and bodyUpbeat musicFree meditationsShort and sweet
Combines exercise with meditation
Guided meditation helps connect mind and body
Upbeat music
Free meditations
Short and sweet
ConsHave to sign up for newsletter for free meditationsNot traditional meditation
Have to sign up for newsletter for free meditations
Not traditional meditation
The overall goal of the meditation is to help you understand how to connect your mind with the body. After a few minutes of breath work, she asks listeners to repeat a simple mantra while walking: “My happiness is a choice I make.”
Whether it’s her voice or the beat of the music, this guided meditation will empower you to take action as it calms, eases stress, and helps you focus on your breath. Listen to this meditation each time you go for a walk and you’ll be amazed at how it changes your perspective on exercise.
Best for Sleep:Jason Stephenson
Jason StephensonSign Up Now
Jason Stephenson
Jason Stephenson offers super relaxing guided meditations designed to help you get to sleep.
ProsCalming guiding voiceGentle musicHelps target and release tensionFreeLearn about chakras and alignmentConsHave to subscribe to email list for more
ProsCalming guiding voiceGentle musicHelps target and release tensionFreeLearn about chakras and alignment
Calming guiding voice
Gentle music
Helps target and release tension
Learn about chakras and alignment
ConsHave to subscribe to email list for more
Have to subscribe to email list for more
In one of his meditations, Jason Stephenson will guide you through the seven chakras, or energy centers in your body. You will understand what parts of your life need energy healing. Stephenson’s voice, along with the accompanying gentle piano music, will help you release stress while sinking into your mattress.
Best for Skeptics:HappierSign Up NowKey SpecsCost:$99.99/yearNotable Features:User-friendly app and websiteLength:UnclearWhy We Chose ItWe chose Happier because it offers beginning guides for people who aren’t sure about meditation.Pros & ConsProsSimple beginner guides for the less meditation-inclinedGood for sleep and stressExperts available for questionsHundreds of meditations availableEasy to useConsCostlier than most other optionsOverviewIf you’ve convinced yourself meditation isn’t for you, because you can’t focus or you’re skeptical of anything related to mindfulness, Happier will speak your language. It’s specifically marketed to “fidgety skeptics,” especially beginners who need more of a guiding hand.The app came out of theNew York Timesbest-selling book of the same name and features a number of expert guides who can walk you through all the meditation basics. If you have questions, the guides will even respond to you personally. It has hundreds of meditations that can help you sleep better,cope with anxiety, or find ways to be a little calmer, and yes, happier. And the premium version has even more. There are also several informative podcasts and a newsletter.
Best for Skeptics:Happier
Sign Up NowKey SpecsCost:$99.99/yearNotable Features:User-friendly app and websiteLength:UnclearWhy We Chose ItWe chose Happier because it offers beginning guides for people who aren’t sure about meditation.Pros & ConsProsSimple beginner guides for the less meditation-inclinedGood for sleep and stressExperts available for questionsHundreds of meditations availableEasy to useConsCostlier than most other optionsOverviewIf you’ve convinced yourself meditation isn’t for you, because you can’t focus or you’re skeptical of anything related to mindfulness, Happier will speak your language. It’s specifically marketed to “fidgety skeptics,” especially beginners who need more of a guiding hand.The app came out of theNew York Timesbest-selling book of the same name and features a number of expert guides who can walk you through all the meditation basics. If you have questions, the guides will even respond to you personally. It has hundreds of meditations that can help you sleep better,cope with anxiety, or find ways to be a little calmer, and yes, happier. And the premium version has even more. There are also several informative podcasts and a newsletter.
Key SpecsCost:$99.99/yearNotable Features:User-friendly app and websiteLength:UnclearWhy We Chose ItWe chose Happier because it offers beginning guides for people who aren’t sure about meditation.Pros & ConsProsSimple beginner guides for the less meditation-inclinedGood for sleep and stressExperts available for questionsHundreds of meditations availableEasy to useConsCostlier than most other optionsOverviewIf you’ve convinced yourself meditation isn’t for you, because you can’t focus or you’re skeptical of anything related to mindfulness, Happier will speak your language. It’s specifically marketed to “fidgety skeptics,” especially beginners who need more of a guiding hand.The app came out of theNew York Timesbest-selling book of the same name and features a number of expert guides who can walk you through all the meditation basics. If you have questions, the guides will even respond to you personally. It has hundreds of meditations that can help you sleep better,cope with anxiety, or find ways to be a little calmer, and yes, happier. And the premium version has even more. There are also several informative podcasts and a newsletter.
Cost:$99.99/yearNotable Features:User-friendly app and websiteLength:Unclear
We chose Happier because it offers beginning guides for people who aren’t sure about meditation.
ProsSimple beginner guides for the less meditation-inclinedGood for sleep and stressExperts available for questionsHundreds of meditations availableEasy to useConsCostlier than most other options
ProsSimple beginner guides for the less meditation-inclinedGood for sleep and stressExperts available for questionsHundreds of meditations availableEasy to use
Simple beginner guides for the less meditation-inclined
Good for sleep and stress
Experts available for questions
Hundreds of meditations available
Easy to use
ConsCostlier than most other options
Costlier than most other options
If you’ve convinced yourself meditation isn’t for you, because you can’t focus or you’re skeptical of anything related to mindfulness, Happier will speak your language. It’s specifically marketed to “fidgety skeptics,” especially beginners who need more of a guiding hand.The app came out of theNew York Timesbest-selling book of the same name and features a number of expert guides who can walk you through all the meditation basics. If you have questions, the guides will even respond to you personally. It has hundreds of meditations that can help you sleep better,cope with anxiety, or find ways to be a little calmer, and yes, happier. And the premium version has even more. There are also several informative podcasts and a newsletter.
If you’ve convinced yourself meditation isn’t for you, because you can’t focus or you’re skeptical of anything related to mindfulness, Happier will speak your language. It’s specifically marketed to “fidgety skeptics,” especially beginners who need more of a guiding hand.
The app came out of theNew York Timesbest-selling book of the same name and features a number of expert guides who can walk you through all the meditation basics. If you have questions, the guides will even respond to you personally. It has hundreds of meditations that can help you sleep better,cope with anxiety, or find ways to be a little calmer, and yes, happier. And the premium version has even more. There are also several informative podcasts and a newsletter.
While many different meditation apps are useful, our top pick is Calm. Calm is incredibly user-friendly, offers the widest variety of guided meditations for every experience level—even short, targeted meditations for those anxiety emergencies. This is the sort of guidance you want when stepping into unfamiliar territory, aka your quiet mind.
Compare the Best Guided Meditations
Frequently Asked QuestionsMeditation is a mind and body practice that can help you focus on your breath, find clarity, develop concentration, and enhance emotional positivity, which allows you to remain in the present moment. Meditation focuses on the interactions among the brain, mind, body, and behavior.The benefits of meditation can come from practicing only a few minutes a day.With a guided meditation, you listen to narration from an instructor or guide (usually with accompanying soothing sounds, like waves) to help you focus while you are meditating. These can be found as videos on YouTube, independent websites, and through apps like Calm, Headspace, andThe Mindfulness App.When it comes to different types of meditation classes, there’s definitely not a shortage. Other than choosing between a guided and unguided (silent) meditation, the next step is to determine the type of meditation you want to do. Some of the more common types of meditation classes include: visualization, loving-kindness, reflection, Zen, transcendental, chakra, gazing, breathing, yoga, mindfulness, vipassana (self-transformation), and walking.Many guided meditation classes that made it into our top picks are available for free, but services like Headspace and Calm offer memberships in addition to free trials. The cost of in-person classes can range from $20 to $150, with an average of around $55 to $60 per class. This depends on the length of the meditation and the experience of the instructor. You can also download meditation apps, which range from free to $15 per month.The advantage of guided meditations is that the narrator or teacher walks you through how to meditate, what to expect from your mind and body, and how you can apply what you learned in the meditation to your life. If your mind tends to wander during meditation, the guidance of an experienced teacher can help you focus and bring you back to the present moment. Meditation on your own is a good idea once you’ve done a few guided meditations, and don’t need a guide to help get you to a focused place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Meditation is a mind and body practice that can help you focus on your breath, find clarity, develop concentration, and enhance emotional positivity, which allows you to remain in the present moment. Meditation focuses on the interactions among the brain, mind, body, and behavior.The benefits of meditation can come from practicing only a few minutes a day.With a guided meditation, you listen to narration from an instructor or guide (usually with accompanying soothing sounds, like waves) to help you focus while you are meditating. These can be found as videos on YouTube, independent websites, and through apps like Calm, Headspace, andThe Mindfulness App.
When it comes to different types of meditation classes, there’s definitely not a shortage. Other than choosing between a guided and unguided (silent) meditation, the next step is to determine the type of meditation you want to do. Some of the more common types of meditation classes include: visualization, loving-kindness, reflection, Zen, transcendental, chakra, gazing, breathing, yoga, mindfulness, vipassana (self-transformation), and walking.
Many guided meditation classes that made it into our top picks are available for free, but services like Headspace and Calm offer memberships in addition to free trials. The cost of in-person classes can range from $20 to $150, with an average of around $55 to $60 per class. This depends on the length of the meditation and the experience of the instructor. You can also download meditation apps, which range from free to $15 per month.
The advantage of guided meditations is that the narrator or teacher walks you through how to meditate, what to expect from your mind and body, and how you can apply what you learned in the meditation to your life. If your mind tends to wander during meditation, the guidance of an experienced teacher can help you focus and bring you back to the present moment. Meditation on your own is a good idea once you’ve done a few guided meditations, and don’t need a guide to help get you to a focused place.
Article SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Meditation and mindfulness: what you need to know.
Article Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Meditation and mindfulness: what you need to know.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Meditation and mindfulness: what you need to know.
Meet Our Review Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
What is your feedback?
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies
