Calm vs Talkspace
An honest side-by-side comparison of two of our top mental health apps picks — pricing, strengths, weaknesses, and who each one is really for.
Calm
Ranked #3 of 15 in this directory
The number one app for sleep, meditation, and relaxation
Talkspace
Ranked #2 of 15 in this directory
Therapy and psychiatry that fits your life and schedule
Our pick: Talkspace. Our editors rank Talkspace higher overall in Mental Health Apps — but Calm can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case below. How we review
Compare the details
| Calm | Talkspace | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Freemium | Paid |
| Starting price | See website | See website |
| Category | Meditation Mindfulness | Therapy Counseling |
| Editorial rank | #3 of 15 | #2 of 15 |
Strengths
Calm
- ✓Highest-rated meditation app with extensive content library
- ✓Sleep stories narrated by well-known voices aid falling asleep
- ✓Daily Calm feature builds a consistent 10-minute meditation habit
- ✓Programs for specific needs: anxiety, focus, self-esteem, and relationships
- ✓Calm for Business makes it available as an employee wellness benefit
Talkspace
- ✓Accepts insurance from major carriers, significantly reducing out-of-pocket costs
- ✓Psychiatric services available for medication management alongside therapy
- ✓Couples therapy and teen therapy options expand family coverage
- ✓Enterprise partnerships make it available as a free employee benefit
Watch out for
Calm
- !Premium subscription required for most content beyond basic meditations
- !Annual pricing of $69.99 is higher than some competitors
- !Content depth for advanced practitioners is limited
- !Offline download capability requires premium subscription
Talkspace
- !Therapist response times for messaging can be slow between sessions
- !Insurance coverage availability varies significantly by plan and state
- !Platform navigation and session scheduling could be more intuitive
- !Provider availability is more limited than BetterHelp's larger network
Best use cases
Calm
- →Listen to a Sleep Story after a stressful day to wind down and fall asleep faster
- →Complete the 7 Days of Calm beginner program to establish a daily meditation habit
- →Use the 5-minute anxiety SOS meditation during a panic attack at work
Talkspace
- →Use your Cigna insurance to get therapy sessions at your standard copay rate
- →Add psychiatric medication management for depression alongside weekly therapy
- →Enroll in couples therapy to work through communication issues with a partner
About each tool
Calm
Calm is the leading meditation and sleep app, offering guided meditations, sleep stories narrated by celebrities, breathing exercises, and calming music. The app covers stress reduction, focus improvement, anxiety management, and sleep quality with programs ranging from beginner to advanced. Calm's Daily Calm feature provides a new 10-minute meditation each day, building a consistent mindfulness habit.
Talkspace
Talkspace provides online therapy and psychiatry through text, audio, and video sessions with licensed providers. Unlike BetterHelp, Talkspace accepts insurance from many major carriers including Aetna, Cigna, and Optum, making it more affordable for insured users. The platform also offers psychiatric services with medication management, couples therapy, and teen therapy. Talkspace's enterprise partnerships make it available as an employee benefit at many large companies.
Still deciding? Browse all 15 options with honest pros, cons, and pricing.
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