14 Meditation Apps to Help You Keep Your Cool All Day, Every Day

Meditation, despite all its mood-boosting and mind-soothing benefits, isn't the easiest habit to start—but there are plenty of meditation apps out there to help pave the way. Whether you're looking for a tried-and-true meditation app, one that covers just the basics, or one that offers guided meditations, your perfect meditation app is out there; finding it might just take a little patience. (Good thing all this meditation will give your patience level a healthy boost.)

When comparing meditation apps, consider what you want from your ideal app. Do you want a good, consistent experience, no matter the cost? Or are you trying to save as much as possible (and avoid annoying in-app purchases)? Do you want a guided meditation app that will walk you through the process, or do you just want to hear soothing sounds? Should the app focus exclusively on meditation, or do you want it to explore other areas of self-care, too? Answering these questions will help you find the best meditation app for you, which will hopefully help you stick to your meditation practice.

Now for some hard truths: Most quality meditation apps aren't free. Many are free to download and then offer subscription models with recurring payments; others charge a one-time fee to download. Free meditation apps are out there, but they may offer a different quality experience or more limited options than you might get from a paid app. If you plan to make a habit out of meditation with an app, paying a small price may be worth it. (If you're just trying it, stick to meditation apps with free trials until you're sure it's worth any investment.)

When you know what you're looking for, take a look at these top meditation apps, assuming your phone has room to download another app (click here to learn how to clean out your phone if that's not the case). Your new go-to trick for calming down or keeping your cool might be just a tap away.