As a tapped-in mother of two with a plate full of freelance work, I’m under more pressure than ever. And although science suggests that social media is a ticking stress bomb that contributes to anxiety, depression, and insomnia, I’m unwilling to part with my feeds or my phone.

So, in the same way I’d solve any other problem, I turned to my device for help: I tried five of the highest rated meditation apps with the hope that research on the calming effects of meditation would take all my worries away—all without taking me away from my phone.

But because meditation is highly personal, my favorite app (Stop, Breathe, & Think) might not be yours. Here's the one you should try based on your specific needs:

If you want to create a daily habit, try:
HEADSPACE

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Free 30-day trial; $13/month or $95/year
iTunes Google Play

Founded and narrated by a trained Buddhist monk with a pleasant English accent, this accessible app offers hundreds of guided meditation tracks that tells you exactly what to do—i.e., “feel your body relax, the weight of your arms and legs release”—so you’re not left in the lurch with your own breath.

“After my 5-minute morning sessions, I definitely felt calmer.”

The app's simple interface, which features cheeky animations, allows you to browse through sessions easily: There are three 10-day meditation packs to help users learn the basics through 3-, 5-, or 10-minute meditations, and many other packs of 10 or 30 pre-recorded meditations on specific topics, like managing anxiety, productivity, or mindful eating, most of which last between 10 and 15 minutes.

There are also single sessions for various situations, like falling back asleep, taking a city walk, or cleaning your place; 1-minute mini-sessions for different states of mind like "panicking" or "flustered"; meditation sessions for kids; and animated videos to help you troubleshoot if the whole meditation thing just isn’t working for you.

Based on the idea that fitting new behaviors into existing routines is the best way to make sure they stick, the app serves up daily meditation reminders at the time of your choosing.

If you just need to take a moment, try:
STOP, BREATHE, & THINK

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Free 30-session trial; $9.99/month or $58.99/year for premium subscription
iTUNES GOOGLE PLAY

To take the guesswork out of choosing what kind of guided meditation suites you at any particular moment, this app prompts you with physical, mental, and emotional check-ins before curating a selection of themed audio tracks such as, "Relax, Ground, and Clear" or "Gratitude." Sessions vary in length, lasting between 2 and 15 minutes.

"The visualizations are more fun than sitting quietly."

With cues such as "close your eyes, feel the weight of your body, and take deep breaths," offered in both male and female voices, you can pick the sounds that sooth you most, or toggle between them. Unique features include visualization exercises to help you pretend you're, say, on a white sand beach; a breathing timer that guides you through inhales and exhales; and a meditation timer that provides a free nature scape to listen to and look at during unguided, freestyle sessions, with an alert (choose from zen sounds like a gong or bowl) when the time you've allotted—up to four hours, lol—is up.

If you seriously need help sleeping, try:
CALM

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Free 7-day trial; $60/ year
iTUNES GOOGLE PLAY

Be warned that you can't use this app until you "take a deep breath" as per the opening screen's prompt—meaning it's helpful from the get-go. Once you reach the app's home screen, which features a pretty image of a valley and mountains reflected in flowing water, you can sort through meditation sessions that range from 3 to 35 minutes led by a male or female—your preference—on topics such as focus, stress, and inner peace.

"The old French guy's story about a winery in France immediately put me to sleep."

There are also kids' sessions and mostly silent meditations, in case instruction irks you, plus an extensive music section with sounds like "nightlight" and "water falling," all of which will make you forget where you are.

The most impressive feature is the assortment of sleep stories, which include classic children's books like The Velveteen Rabbit, completely random readings in soothing voices, and a Bob Ross painting soundtrack thrown in for good measure. While these audio experiences don't necessarily teach mindfulness, they'll calm you down and help you doze off, without a doubt.

If you want to master mindfulness, try:
SMILING MIND

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Free
iTUNES GOOGLE PLAY

Run by an Australian not-for-profit, this app offers structured mindfulness training programs with audio lessons ranging from roughly 90 seconds and to 20 minutes.

"The sessions are easy to follow each day to help you really get good at your practice."

While there are many programs designed for children of all ages, adults can jump into a 42-session mindfulness curriculum categorized topically by modules such as breath, sounds and tastes, and stress with sessions that vary in length but typically last no more than 5 or 10 minutes. (And yes, they all feature an Australian accent!)

Alternatively, you could dip your toes into 1- to 3-minute bite-sized sessions like "exploring thoughts" and "internal weather"; or try the app's 12-session commuting program, which helps you practice mindfulness while in transit. An in-app dashboard can help you track improvements in your mood, which you're prompted to report on before each session. A cool function is the meditation player screen itself, which features a pulsing orb play button that visually cues inhales and exhales to relaxing effect.

If you prefer to crowdsource recommendations, try:
INSIGHT TIMER

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Free
iTUNES GOOGLE PLAY

This app's name refers to its simplest feature: Its timer, which can be used to add ambient sounds, interval alerts, and an ending bell to unguided meditations. But the scale of its meditation library is even more impressive: It offers more than 11,000 free guided sessions of varying lengths from more than 2,000 teachers. To make your selection, you can sort through the most popular options based on the amount of time you have.

"It felt the most hippy-dippy, but I felt like I was jumping into some secret digital world of mega-meditators."

In addition to the free timer and meditation tracks, you can pay $4.99 for 10-minute courses on Ted-talk-like topics such as "The Art of Timefulness: Transform The Way You Manage Time" and "Overcome Obsessive Thinking"—and get a sense of if other users are feeling them: The app's unique social integrations include a map to show you where other users are based; a real-time newsfeed that shares which users are listening to which sessions; and a feedback system that encourages meditators to leave comments and up to five stars—perfect if you're picky.

With additional reporting by Elizabeth Narins.

Headshot of Jenna Autuori Dedic
Jenna Autuori Dedic
Freelance Writer
Jenna Autuori Dedic is a freelance writer with a focus on writing health features, workouts, training plans, weight-loss, and nutrition features. She also writes on topics like parenting, pregnancy, and education, including profiles and personal essays. Jenna is the former fitness editor at Fitness and Shape magazine. Her work has appeared in Parents, Shape, Redbook, Hudson Valley Magazine, Family Circle, Glamour, Self, and Health. Websites include redbookmag.com, refinery29.com, prevention.com, shape.com, fitnessmagazine.com, realsimple.com, vogue.com, romper.com, and thecut.com.