Meditation app
A meditation app guides you through sitting, breathing or relaxing, usually with audio. Smiling Mind and Medito listed no in-app purchases on 20 October 2026, while Calm's tiers ran from A$19.99 to A$99.99.
You can meditate for free with a timer and your own breath, and two of the best known apps are free too. What paid apps sell is a library of guided audio. The Daily Journal does not have audio or a timer yet; it has the part around it, a place to write what you noticed. Here is the honest comparison, the breathing counts worked out, and our plan.
- Free options named, with the price of the paid apps read 20 October 2026
- Box breathing and 4-7-8 with the counts and the minutes worked out
- A place to write one line after you sit
- A meditation timer is planned, and your sign up is the vote
What a meditation app gives you, and what you can do without one
Meditation is a practice of paying attention on purpose, often to the breath, a sound or the body. The simplest version needs nothing: a quiet place, a timer and five minutes. An app earns its place by helping you start, which is the hard part, and by offering guidance for people who find silence difficult.
The paid apps in our read mostly sell a library of guided sessions for sleep, anxiety and focus, plus courses by named teachers. That is real value for some people. It is also worth saying that Smiling Mind and Medito, two well known apps, listed no in-app purchases when we read them.
What is included
- Mantra: a swipe feed of kind words and reminders
- A Thoughts of the day box for what you noticed
- Mood and gratitude lines on Today
- Free breathing and grounding guides on this site
Who it is for
- Beginners who want to start for free and keep it simple
- Anyone who has stopped using a meditation app subscription
- People who like to write down what comes up after sitting
- People who want a calm minute without an hour of audio
Two breathing exercises with the counts done
Box breathing is four equal steps: breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4, breathe out for 4, hold for 4. One round takes 16 seconds, so five minutes is just under 19 rounds. 4-7-8 breathing is in for 4, hold for 7, out for 8, which is 19 seconds a round, so four rounds take 76 seconds.
Both are slow, gentle patterns and are for healthy adults. Breathe through the nose, keep it comfortable and stop if you feel light headed. If you have a breathing or heart condition, check with a doctor first.
| Exercise | Pattern in seconds | One round | Rounds in 5 minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box breathing | in 4, hold 4, out 4, hold 4 | 16 seconds | about 19 |
| 4-7-8 breathing | in 4, hold 7, out 8 | 19 seconds | about 16 |
| Simple slow breath | in 4, out 6 | 10 seconds | 30 |
Arithmetic worked on 23 October 2026. The patterns are common practice, not a recommendation from a study.
A first week of five minutes
This works with any timer and no app at all.
- 1Day 1: sit and breathe
Set a timer for five minutes. Sit comfortably, breathe in a way that feels natural and count ten breaths, then start again at one.
- 2Day 2: expect a busy mind
Thoughts will come. Noticing that you drifted and coming back is the practice, not a failure.
- 3Day 3: try box breathing
Use the 4 4 4 4 pattern for five minutes. Keep it gentle.
- 4Day 4: try a body scan
Move your attention slowly from your feet to your head, noticing each part without trying to change it.
- 5Days 5 to 7: same time, same place
Attach it to something you already do, like the first coffee. After sitting, write one line in your journal about what you noticed.
What is in the app today, and what is not
The position on 23 October 2026. A meditation timer and audio are not built.
| Feature | In the app today | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Write what you noticed | Yes | Thoughts of the day on Today takes one line, and Overall day takes a mood. |
| Kind words and reminders | Yes | Mantra, a swipe feed of written affirmations and reminders. |
| A gratitude line | Yes | I am grateful for, on Today. |
| A streak of days you showed up | Yes | Home counts current streak, days active and weeks in a row. |
| A meditation timer with a bell | Not yet | Not built. This page is where we count how many people want it. |
| Breathing guide that paces you | Not yet | Not built. Free written versions are on this site. |
| Guided audio | Not yet | Not built. Audio is costly to make well, so we would start with the timer. |
Sign up to your own free journal
- Free to start, no card needed
- Private by default, and you choose who you share with
- Your account opens straight away, on your phone or computer
Free to start. Takes about a minute.
What meditation apps charge, and which are free
Read from each app's Australian App Store listing, and Headspace's own page, on 20 October 2026. A range is a spread of monthly, yearly and lifetime purchases, not one price. Rating counts show how widely each is used.
| App | What we read | Read on |
|---|---|---|
| Calm | In-app purchases A$19.99 to A$99.99. 149,423 ratings. | 20 Oct 2026 |
| Headspace | Its own page showed no price. App Store AU in-app A$9.99 to A$149.99. 124,342 ratings. | 20 Oct 2026 |
| Insight Timer | In-app purchases A$2.99 to A$299.99. 59,646 ratings. | 20 Oct 2026 |
| Waking Up | In-app purchases A$29.99 to A$399.99. | 20 Oct 2026 |
| Smiling Mind | No in-app purchases listed: free. | 20 Oct 2026 |
| Medito | No in-app purchases listed: free. | 20 Oct 2026 |
| Daily Journal | Free to start. No paid plan is set, and there is no timer or audio yet. | 23 Oct 2026 |
We have not asked ChatGPT which meditation apps people name, so no extra names are shown. Prices change, so check the app's own page before you pay.
Free or paid: a way to decide
If you are new, start with a free app or a plain timer for two weeks. If you keep sitting, the question becomes what you miss. People who want guided audio for sleep or a structured course may find a paid library worth it. People who only wanted a timer and a bell usually do not.
Whatever you pick, beware of paying for a year before you have a habit. A monthly plan you cancel is cheaper than a yearly one you forget.
- Try two weeks free before you pay for anything
- Check whether the app you like is on a monthly or yearly plan
- A habit you keep matters more than the app you choose
Sit for five minutes, then write one line
Use any timer today. A free account gives you the place to write what you noticed.
Sign up to your own free journal
- Free to start, no card needed
- Private by default, and you choose who you share with
- Your account opens straight away, on your phone or computer
Free to start. Takes about a minute.
Grounding when your mind is racing
The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique brings attention back to the present using the senses: name five things you can see, four you can feel, three you can hear, two you can smell and one you can taste. That is 15 things in all and takes about a minute. It is a short, free exercise that needs no app.
If anxiety is frequent or severe, a meditation app is not enough on its own. Talk to a doctor or a psychologist, and call Lifeline on 13 11 14 any time you need to talk to someone.
Free calm tools on this site
Tell us you want the timer
Sign up free, and your sign up counts as a vote for a meditation timer in the Daily Journal.
Questions people ask
What is the best free meditation app?
Smiling Mind and Medito listed no in-app purchases when we read them on 20 October 2026, so both are free. Many paid apps also have a free trial. Pick one with a style of voice you like and keep it for two weeks.
Does the Daily Journal have a meditation timer?
Not yet. It has places to write what you noticed and Mantra for kind words, but no timer, audio or paced breathing. A timer is planned, and signing up counts as a vote.
How much does Calm cost?
Calm's in-app purchases ran from A$19.99 to A$99.99 in the Australian App Store on 20 October 2026, across several tiers and trials. Check the current price before you pay.
How long should I meditate each day?
Five minutes a day is a good start, and ten is common. Keep it short enough that you keep doing it. A short daily habit beats a long rare one.
What is box breathing?
Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4, breathe out for 4 and hold for 4. One round is 16 seconds, so five minutes is about 19 rounds. Keep it gentle and stop if you feel light headed.
What is 4-7-8 breathing?
Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7 and breathe out for 8. One round is 19 seconds, so four rounds take 76 seconds. Keep it comfortable and check with a doctor if you have a breathing or heart condition.
Can meditation replace therapy?
No. It is a wellbeing practice, not treatment. If you are struggling, talk to a doctor or a psychologist, and call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or 000 in an emergency. See the health disclaimer.
Do I need an app to meditate?
No. A timer, a quiet place and your breath are enough. Apps help you start and offer guidance, which some people value and others do not.
What should I do when my mind wanders?
Notice it and come back. That moment of noticing is the practice, not a sign you are doing it wrong.
Can I write about my meditation in the journal?
Yes. Thoughts of the day takes a line about what you noticed, and Overall day takes a mood. Over weeks Tracking shows your days side by side.
Who can see my entries?
Private by default. You can share with one person or a group and stop at any time. The people who run the app can see counts, such as how many days you wrote, but not what you wrote. If anyone is ever given access to read your entries, your Profile page says so. The privacy policy has the detail.
How much does the Daily Journal cost?
It is free to start and no paid plan is set. If one is added you will see the price before you pay.
Where these figures come from
- App prices and rating counts: Australian App Store listings for Calm, Headspace, Insight Timer, Waking Up, Smiling Mind and Medito, read on 20 October 2026 and saved in our files. Headspace's own page showed no price.
- Breathing patterns (box breathing, 4-7-8 and in 4, out 6) are common practice. The round lengths and counts are arithmetic worked on 23 October 2026, not findings from a study.
- The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise is a common technique. No claim of treatment effect is made.
- Support lines: Lifeline 13 11 14 (re-check before launch). We have not asked ChatGPT or SpyFu about this topic for the page text.
Updated 23 October 2026. A figure that was not read from a file is written as unknown. Prices change: check the supplier's own page before you rely on one. We are not affiliated with any app named here.
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