Calm vs Headspace

Q: What does Matthew McConaughey read on Calm, and does Headspace have sleep stories?

Matthew McConaughey reads Wonder, a Calm Sleep Story about the mysteries of the universe. Headspace has sleepcasts instead: a guided tour of a quiet place, like a campfire in the desert, that opens with a wind-down.

How Calm and Headspace compare on sleep, meditation, anxiety, sound and price.

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	Calm	Headspace
Best known for	Sleep Stories read by famous voices	Guided courses that teach meditation
Platforms	iOS, Android, the web, Apple TV and Apple Watch	iOS, Android, Apple Watch and the web
Sleep stories	More than 100 Sleep Stories, read by voices like Matthew McConaughey, Stephen Fry and P!nk	Sleepcasts: a 45- to 55-minute guided tour of a quiet place, like a campfire in the desert
Guided meditation	Beginner to advanced, with 7- and 21-day programs	More than 500 guided meditations, from a 3-minute reset to longer sessions, and courses that start with the Basics
Daily sessions	The Daily Calm with Tamara Levitt, the Daily Jay with Jay Shetty, the Daily Trip with Jeff Warren	Daily meditations and personalized recommendations
Breathing	Breathing exercises and guided breathwork	Breathwork and breathing techniques
Anxiety	Breathing for anxiety, programs for social anxiety and mood, bilateral stimulation music	Anxiety and stress programs, CBT techniques
Coaching and therapy	–	Text a mental health coach, or see a licensed therapist, priced by plan
AI companion	–	Ebb, which recommends what to try
Music	Focus and sleep music from well-known artists	Focus music and sleep music
Noise	White, green and brown noise	White, pink, brown, green, gray and orange noise
Binaural beats	–	Binaural Beats soundscapes for sleep, focus and mood
Nature sounds	Ocean waves, heavy rain, a campfire and more	Sleep sounds
Movement	Stretching with the Daily Move	Mindful movement sessions
Apple Health	Saves meditation and sleep sessions	Saves meditation sessions
App Store rating	4.8 from 2 million ratings	4.8 from 974,000 ratings
Free to use	Free to download, with some programs and features free for good	14 days free on the yearly plan at headspace.com
Price (US, App Store)	$14.99 a month or $69.99 a year	$12.99 a month or $69.99 a year

Details checked on November 6, 2026, from each app's App Store listing and website.

Where Calm shines

Falling asleep to a story.

Calm's Sleep Stories are read by actors, authors and musicians, with new ones every month.

A teacher every morning.

The Daily Calm with Tamara Levitt, the Daily Jay with Jay Shetty and the Daily Trip with Jeff Warren: a new session each day.

Nature sounds and music on the TV.

Ocean waves, heavy rain, a campfire, and focus and sleep music from well-known artists, on your phone, your watch or Apple TV.

Where Headspace shines

Learning to meditate.

Start with the Basics course, then move on to courses for stress, sleep and more, from a 3-minute reset to longer sessions.

Someone to talk to.

Text a mental health coach or book a licensed therapist in the same app, and ask Ebb what to try next.

Noise and beats for focus and sleep.

Six colors of noise and Binaural Beats soundscapes, from 45 minutes to a full night.

Calm or Headspace: which one for you

For sleep: Calm, if you want to be read to sleep by a voice you know. Headspace, if you'd rather drift off on a sleepcast or a long noise track.
For anxiety: Headspace, for a course, CBT techniques, or a coach or therapist. Calm, for a breathing exercise or a calming track in the moment.
For learning to meditate: Headspace, starting with the Basics. Calm, if you already sit and want a different teacher each morning.
For focus: both play focus music. Headspace adds binaural beats and six colors of noise.
For price: the yearly plan is $69.99 in both. Month to month, Headspace is $2 less.

Questions

Which is better, Calm or Headspace?

Calm is the one for sleep stories, nature sounds and a daily session from a familiar voice. Headspace is the one for learning to meditate through courses, with coaching and therapy if you want them. Both are rated 4.8 in the App Store and cost $69.99 a year.

Is Calm or Headspace better for sleep?

Calm has more than 100 Sleep Stories read by well-known voices, plus sleep music and nature sounds. Headspace has sleepcasts, sleep meditations, and noise tracks that run up to eight hours. If a voice helps you drift off, start with Calm. If a steady sound does, Headspace has more colors of noise.

Is Calm or Headspace better for anxiety?

Calm has breathing exercises for anxiety, programs for social anxiety and mood, and bilateral stimulation music. Headspace has anxiety and stress programs, CBT techniques, and a coach or licensed therapist in the app. If you want a person to talk to, choose Headspace.

Is Calm or Headspace better for beginners?

Calm runs from beginner meditation to advanced practice, with 7- and 21-day programs. Headspace starts you on its Basics course and goes on to courses for stress, sleep and more.

Are Calm and Headspace free?

Calm is free to download, and some of its programs and features stay free. Headspace gives you 14 days free on the yearly plan when you sign up at headspace.com. The full library of each needs a subscription.

How much do Calm and Headspace cost?

In the US App Store, Calm is $14.99 a month or $69.99 a year, and Headspace is $12.99 a month or $69.99 a year. Prices on each website and outside the US can differ.

What does Matthew McConaughey read on Calm, and does Headspace have sleep stories?

Matthew McConaughey reads Wonder, a Calm Sleep Story about the mysteries of the universe. Headspace has sleepcasts instead: a guided tour of a quiet place, like a campfire in the desert, that opens with a wind-down.

Do Calm and Headspace have white noise or binaural beats?

Calm has white, green and brown noise. Headspace has white, pink, brown, green, gray and orange noise, and Binaural Beats soundscapes for sleep, focus and mood.

Can I use Calm and Headspace on Android?

Yes. Calm plays on iOS, Android, the web, Apple TV and Apple Watch. Headspace plays on iOS, Android, Apple Watch and the web.

If you're here for the sound: Lissa

If the sound is what helps you most, Lissa builds a soundscape for the moment and lets you change every part of it.

A soundscape you shape.

Turn the beat up, swap pink noise for brown, add ambient sounds, or start from nothing. Save the mix and it's there tomorrow night.

Binaural beats under any soundscape.

Binaural, monaural or isochronic, from Delta for sleep to Gamma for focus, alone or layered under any soundscape. Or bring in your own Apple Music playlist as the music.

Breathing you follow with your eyes closed.

Choose Box, 4-7-8 or a longer exhale. Your phone pulses with every breath, and the soundscape rises and settles with you.

Sound until morning, and a gentle alarm.

Sound all night or just until you drift off, then a gentle Wake Alarm that rings even on silent.

Work blocks with your apps locked away.

Work in 25-minute Pomodoros with a bell at each break, and Block Distracting Apps keeps the apps you choose from opening until the session ends.