So you are looking for a corporate mental health platform for employees, but don’t know which one to choose? Headspace vs Calm are two of the biggest names in the industry. Both offer guided meditations, sleep aids, stress management tools, and corporate wellness programs—but which one is the better fit for your needs?
In this blog, we will offer a detailed comparison to help you understand their unique features, strengths, and limitations to make an informed decision about which platform might best suit your organizational needs.
For Individuals
When choosing a meditation app for personal use, it's essential to consider factors like content variety, teaching approach, user experience, languages available, and pricing. Let's examine how Calm vs Headspace compare in these areas.
Calm
Founded in 2012, Calm has established itself as a leading meditation app with a nature-focused approach and entertaining celebrity collaborations. The app combines meditation guidance with sleep stories, music, and masterclasses, appealing to users seeking both meditation instruction and lifestyle content.
Pros of Calm
- Extensive library of sleep stories, some featuring celebrity narrators like Matthew McConaughey and LeBron James
- Rich selection of ambient sounds and music for relaxation
- Content for children is available
- Comprehensive mood tracking and progress monitoring
- Accessibility across multiple platforms including iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple TV
Cons of Calm
- Some users find Calm's yearly and lifetime subscription fee (€49,99 and €349,99 respectively) to be expensive
- Limited customization of meditation sequences
- Basic free version with restricted features
- Available only in 10 languages (users’ reviews indicate the content in English is more vast than the others)
- No online therapy and coaching features available
Headspace
Founded in 2010, Headspace stands out as a beginner-friendly app for meditation. Their step-by-step programs are designed to make meditation simple, with a focus on educational content and progressive learning. The app emphasizes building fundamental meditation skills through guided sequences and animation-enhanced lessons.
Pros of Headspace
- Structured learning path for beginners
- Clear, science-based approach to meditation
- Special prices for college and university students
- Strong focus on technique fundamentals
- Monthly and yearly payment subscription plans (€12.99 and €57.99 respectively)
- Beyond meditation, it includes features like mindful workouts, sleepcasts, and focus music
Cons of Headspace
- Limited music and ambient sound options (especially during the free trials)
- Structured approach that may not suit experienced practitioners
- Some users find the animation style and colors to be distracting
- Lack of personalized recommendations based on individual user needs or preferences
- Only 6 languages available (users’ reviews indicate the content in English is more vast than the others)
An Overview for Individuals: Headspace vs Calm vs Meditopia
Now, both apps offer unique approaches to meditation and mindfulness, but Meditopia also provides an alternative with a special focus on personalization. Here's a detailed feature comparison:
Conclusion: Which One Is Right for Individuals?
The choice between these platforms depends largely on your specific needs and preferences for meditation and mindfulness practice. For example, if you are sort of new to meditation, you may prioritize apps with 101 programs. Here's a guide to help you decide:
Choose Calm if you:
- Enjoy aesthetic, relaxing soundscapes and music
- Value high-quality audio and soothing visuals
- Enjoy celebrity-guided content and masterclasses
- Prefer a lifetime membership
Choose Headspace if you:
- Need a strong focus on technique fundamentals
- Want a habit-building experience
- Like animated explanations and visual learning
- Are looking for child-friendly meditation programs
Choose Meditopia if you:
- Value beginner and veteran practice styles
- Seek affordable pricing while still accessing a large content library
- Prefer a highly personalized meditation journey
- Are interested in AI-powered mental health and business coaching
For Businesses
Studies suggest that organizations that invest in employee mental health through EAPs improve their productivity, performance, and loyalty. Both Calm and Headspace offer business solutions similar to EAPs with varying approaches and features. Let’s check some.
Calm Business
Calm Business is a corporate wellness solution designed to enhance employee mental health and productivity. It offers organizations access to Calm's comprehensive content library, including guided meditations, sleep stories, and mindfulness programs, aiming to reduce stress at work and promote overall well-being among teams.
Pros of Calm Business
- A wide range of content featuring narrators from various backgrounds, ensuring cultural relevance and inclusivity
- Detailed analytics and engagement reporting
- Custom onboarding support for organizations
- Dedicated customer success manager
- Group meditation features for team building
- Enterprise-grade security and privacy measures
- Workshops and screenings
Cons of Calm Business
- For smaller organizations with limited budgets, the annual subscription fee per employee ($63.78) could be a significant investment
- Limited customization of organizational content
- Requires additional setup for SSO integration
- Primarily offers pre-recorded content, which may not cater to employees seeking live or interactive mental health sessions
- Usage tracking can be complex for larger organizations
- Limited multilingual support for global teams
Headspace for Work
Headspace offers a comprehensive corporate wellness program known as Headspace for Work. This solution provides employees with access to a vast library of guided meditations, mindfulness exercises, sleep aids, and focus tools
Pros of Headspace Organizations
- User-friendly interface
- Focus on workplace-specific meditation content
- Phone and critical incident support
- Engagement strategies and administrative tools to track participation and outcomes.
- Dedicated workplace meditation collections
- In-person and video therapy and psychiatry services
Cons of Headspace for Work
- The platform primarily offers pre-recorded sessions, which may not meet the needs of employees seeking live or interactive mental health support
- Limited integration options with other platforms
- Basic analytics compared to competitors
- Structured approach may not suit all workplace cultures
- Minimum seat requirements may not suit smaller teams
An Overview for Businesses: Headspace vs Calm vs Meditopia
When selecting mindfulness and wellbeing solutions for your organization, it's crucial to consider factors like implementation ease, employee engagement rates, and measurable outcomes. Here's a detailed comparison of business features:
Conclusion: Which One is Right For Your Businesses?
The ideal platform for your organization depends on various factors including team size, workplace culture, and specific wellbeing objectives. Consider these recommendations:
Choose Calm Business if you:
- Need comprehensive sleep and stress management solutions
- Seek a platform with diverse and inclusive content, featuring narrators from various backgrounds to ensure cultural relevance
- Value easy implementation with a user-friendly interface
- Don’t need personalized webinars or workshops
Choose Headspace for Work if you:
- Prefer structured, education-focused meditation programs
- Want strong team-based meditation features
- Need clear, science-backed mental health resources
Choose Meditopia for Work if you:
- Require a multilingual platform to cater to a diverse workforce, ensuring accessibility for employees across different cultural backgrounds
- Value advanced customization and personalization options regarding corporate mental health webinars, trainings, and content
- Need a holistic approach including a wide range of experts at your team’s disposition
FAQs: Calm vs Headspace
What are the main differences between Calm and Headspace?
The primary distinction lies in their teaching approaches and content focus. Headspace offers a more structured, educational approach with progressive courses and animated content, while Calm provides a more flexible experience with extensive sleep content and nature-focused meditation sessions. Headspace emphasizes technique building, whereas Calm offers more variety in content types including celebrity collaborations and masterclasses.
How does Meditopia compare to Calm and Headspace for mental health support?
Each platform approaches mental health support differently. Calm focuses on sleep and relaxation, Headspace emphasizes structured learning and meditation fundamentals, while Meditopia offers a blend of approaches with multilingual support and personalized progression paths. The choice depends on individual preferences for learning style and content delivery.
Which is more affordable: Calm or Headspace?
Both platforms offer similar pricing structures for individual users, with annual subscriptions. Business pricing varies based on team size and required features. It's recommended to contact each provider directly for current enterprise pricing as it can be customized based on organizational needs.
Does Meditopia offer personalized meditation plans for individuals and businesses?
Meditopia provides personalized meditation experiences through adaptive technology that considers user preferences, goals, and progress. For businesses, this extends to team-based customization and detailed analytics that help organizations track and optimize employee engagement with the platform.
Which app offers better customer support: Calm or Headspace?
Both platforms provide comprehensive customer support, with slight variations in approach. Calm offers dedicated customer success managers for business clients and email support for individual users. Headspace provides detailed help documentation and responsive email support. Response times and support quality can vary based on subscription type and specific needs.
