Smarter Living: How to pick a good meditation app

June 22, 2020

Mark Pernice

By Tim Herrera

This week I’ve invited S.L. contributor Anna Goldfarb to show us how to pick a meditation app.

If you want to steal a few minutes of Zen and achieve something like contentment in the face of chaos and uncertainty, you might be tempted to download a meditation app.

Studies show that meditation can decrease stress and reduce symptoms associated with depression, anxiety, pain and insomnia. The vast majority of meditation apps are relatively affordable and convenient. But it can be overwhelming to know where to start, especially if your goal is to find one that will meet your individual needs.

Before you download one of these apps, however, be aware of what these meditation apps can — and can’t — do. Here’s some advice.

How do I pick one?

Identify your goal. Just as you’d probably head to a department store with an idea of what you want to buy, have an objective in mind before you wade into the app store. Experts said some goals could be: reducing stress, minimizing anxiety, quitting smoking, fighting insomnia and cultivating mindfulness. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, you could get overwhelmed with the choices.

Make sure the app is transparent with its privacy settings. Some apps will exploit sensitive personal data. Your private information could be sold to third parties or stored in places you may not want it to be stored. “There are very few apps that have no risks,” said Sabine Wilhelm, the chief of psychology at Massachusetts General Hospital and a professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School.

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Before you download an app, review its privacy policy. Look for transparency with how data you input is collected, stored and exchanged. If there’s any confusion or an absence of a transparent privacy policy, then reconsider downloading it.

Look for access to a live coach, if possible. “Inevitably, you will have questions,” said Amishi Jha, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Miami and a neuroscientist who studies attention. In the same way you talk with a trainer to make sure your form is not off at the gym, you want somebody to consult to see if you’re practicing meditation properly.

Seek out a diversity of offerings. This is helpful because then you can try different modules at different times, said Diana Winston, director of mindfulness education at the U.C.L.A. Mindful Awareness Research Center and author of “The Little Book of Being.” Some apps offer guided meditations, breathing exercises or even just timers and you may appreciate the variety.

Look for an off-ramp. Hopefully, any app you download will be a supplement to a meditation habit you’re looking to grow. You shouldn’t think about buying this app to depend on forever, Dr. Jha said. Over time, try to reduce the amount of guidance you need to get to the point where you might just have a bell ring at the beginning and at the end.

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Try a few out. Ms. Winston recommends listening to a variety of teachers from each app and seeing if you connect with any of them. “No one person is going to be for everybody,” Ms. Winston said. “Different people are attracted to different teachers.”

Do we have a favorite?

Wirecutter, a New York Times Company that reviews and recommends products, selected Headspace as its favorite all-around meditation app. In addition to a charming interface, there’s a robust library of guided courses and a variety of targeted meditations to please both beginners and experts alike. After a free two-week trial, it costs $69.99 a year to access the full programming.

Click here for more advice about choosing a meditation app.

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