Headspace vs Calm
And when you would rather talk it through
Updated
Headspace calls itself a guide to mental health, mindfulness and meditation; Calm, an app for sleep, meditation and relaxation. Stella is your emotional wellness AI, for when you'd rather talk it through.
Stella is not therapy and is not a substitute for professional care.
At a glance
Stella
A conversation with an AI, by voice or text. Not a meditation library.
$9.99 a month or $59.99 a year in the US
Headspace
An expert-led guide to mental health, mindfulness and meditation, with an AI companion, Ebb.
In-app purchases from $12.99 to $94.99 on the US App Store, as of October 2026
Calm
An app for sleep, meditation and relaxation, with Sleep Stories and breathing exercises.
$16.99 a month or $79.99 a year on its subscribe page, as of October 2026
What is the difference between Headspace and Calm?
They overlap on meditation and mindfulness, and they start from different places. Headspace describes itself as an expert-led guide to mental health, mindfulness and meditation, and gives members an AI companion, Ebb. Calm describes itself as an app for sleep, meditation and relaxation, with sleep sounds, breathing exercises, mindfulness programs and Sleep Stories. Neither company says which one suits you, so that part is your call.
How much do Headspace and Calm cost?
Calm lists $16.99 a month or $79.99 a year on its own subscribe page, as of October 2026. Headspace shows no dollar price on its own subscriptions page, so its only amounts here come from its US App Store listing: in-app purchases from $12.99 to $94.99. Those cover several plans, so they are a range, not one monthly or yearly price.
- Calm: its US App Store listing shows ten in-app purchases from $14.99 to $79.99, nine of them named Calm Premium, and its subscribe page describes monthly, yearly or lifetime subscription.
- Headspace: its listing shows ten in-app purchases named Monthly Subscription, Annual Subscription, Headspace and Headspace Plus, and its subscriptions page says the annual subscription renews each year after a trial period.
- Stella: $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year in the US.
What does Headspace offer?
Headspace's listing says members also have access to Ebb, its AI companion. You can speak to Ebb out loud or text your thoughts, and Headspace describes it as an empathetic conversational AI chatbot that helps members reflect on their thoughts and suggests Headspace activities.
Its press page dates Ebb's launch to October 2024 and a voice feature to December 2025. Ebb is for paid members in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Canada, aged 18 and up, in English only. For Ebb next to Stella, read Headspace cost and Ebb AI.
What does Calm offer?
Calm describes itself as an app for sleep, meditation and relaxation, with sleep sounds, breathing exercises and mindfulness programs.
Its Sleep Stories are bedtime stories for adults, narrated by Matthew McConaughey, Stephen Fry, P!nk, Bob Ross and others. Calm says they are only on Calm. For Calm next to Stella, read Calm price and apps like Calm.
Headspace or Calm: which fits you?
Pick Calm if you want Sleep Stories read aloud or a lifetime option. Pick Headspace if you want an AI chat in the same app.
The key difference
Choose by what you have: something to listen to, or something to say.
Stella is your emotional wellness AI. Tell Stella what happened, or what you keep putting off, by voice or text. She keeps what you've told her in mind, tells you straight but kindly, and helps you find the words or choose a small step when you're ready. No streaks, nothing to log.
Tell Stella what happened. Even the part you're still figuring out.
When to choose each
I want Sleep Stories read aloud
Calm (fits better)
It lists Sleep Stories narrated by Matthew McConaughey, Stephen Fry and others.
Stella
Stella has no sleep audio. She is a conversation.
I want an AI chat in the same app
Headspace (fits better)
It has Ebb, for paid members in the US, UK, Australia and Canada.
Stella
A conversation only, by voice or text, with no meditation library.
I'd rather talk than listen
Stella (fits better)
Tell her what happened, by voice or text. She keeps what you've told her in mind and tells you straight but kindly.
Headspace
Ebb is an AI chat inside the app, for paid members.
Not sure which to pick? Get a second take by text
Headspace vs Calm vs Stella, feature by feature
| Feature | Stella | Headspace | Calm |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Your emotional wellness AI | Mental health, mindfulness and meditation | Sleep, meditation and relaxation |
| Meditation and mindfulness | None. A conversation. | Mindfulness and meditation (fits better) | Mindfulness programs, breathing exercises (fits better) |
| Sleep | No sleep audio | Sleep and meditation content (fits better) | Sleep sounds and Sleep Stories (fits better) |
| Best for | Talking it through as it happens | Meditation, plus its Ebb AI chat | Sleep and relaxation |
| Price | $9.99/month or $59.99/year (US) | $12.99 to $94.99 in-app (US) | $16.99/mo or $79.99/yr |
How does Stella compare with meditation apps?
Here is how Stella sits next to Headspace and Calm.
| Feature | Stella | Meditation apps |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | A conversation you have | Meditations, sleep sounds and stories to play |
| AI chat | Yes, the whole app, by voice or text | Headspace has Ebb, for paid members |
| When something just happened | Tell her, and she replies (fits better) | Breathing exercises, sleep sounds, meditations |
Apps like Headspace and Calm
If you want something other than a meditation library, people weigh apps like Wysa, Finch and Ash, each described the way its maker describes it. Prices are as of October 2026.
Compare: Wysa app cost and apps like WysaWysa
Calls itself "an emotionally intelligent chatbot that uses AI". In-app purchases run from $4.99 to $144.99.
Compare: Finch Plus cost and apps like FinchFinch
A self-care pet app. Its Help Center lists Finch Plus at $9.99 a month or $69.99 a year.
Compare: Stella vs. Ash AIAsh
Describes "an AI built from the ground up for mental health and emotional support", over voice and text. In-app purchases run from $9.99 to $169.99.
The honest take
Headspace suits you if you want an expert-led guide to mindfulness and meditation with an AI chat inside it. Calm suits you if you want Sleep Stories, sleep sounds and breathing exercises.
Stella suits you if what you want is to talk something through, by voice or text. She has no meditation library or sleep audio. She is for adults. She is not therapy and is not a substitute for professional care, and she is not for someone in crisis. You can use all three: a meditation app to wind down, and Stella when something is on your mind. If the day keeps replaying at night, start with Replaying the day in my head at 3am, and what to do instead.
How we made this comparison
StellaLabs makes Stella. Every statement here about another app comes from that company's own App Store listing, website or help pages (or an archived copy), or a regulator's public release, or, where the page says so, Apple's search results or whether a site loads, as of . Prices change, so check the listing before you buy; we did not test the other apps.
Sources (12)
- Headspace on the US App Store (opens in a new tab)
- Headspace Ebb page (opens in a new tab)
- Headspace press page (opens in a new tab)
- Headspace subscriptions page (opens in a new tab)
- Calm on the US App Store (opens in a new tab)
- Calm subscribe page (opens in a new tab)
- Calm terms (opens in a new tab)
- Wysa on the US App Store (opens in a new tab)
- Finch on the US App Store (opens in a new tab)
- Finch Help Center: Finch Plus Pricing (opens in a new tab)
- Finch About page (opens in a new tab)
- Ash on the US App Store (opens in a new tab)
Questions about Headspace and Calm
Is Headspace or Calm cheaper?
It isn't clear from the companies' own pages. As of October 2026, Calm's subscribe page lists $16.99 monthly and $79.99 yearly, and Headspace's subscriptions page shows no dollar price. On the US App Store, Headspace's in-app purchases run from $12.99 to $94.99 and Calm's from $14.99 to $79.99. Check both before you subscribe.
What is the difference between Headspace and Calm?
Both include meditation. Headspace describes itself as an expert-led guide to mental health, mindfulness and meditation, with an AI companion, Ebb. Calm describes itself as an app for sleep, meditation and relaxation, with sleep sounds, breathing exercises, mindfulness programs and Sleep Stories.
Does Headspace have an AI?
Yes. Headspace has an AI companion called Ebb, which its press page dates to October 2024, with a voice feature added in December 2025. Ebb is for paid members in the US, UK, Australia and Canada, aged 18 and up, in English only.
What is Stella?
Stella is your emotional wellness AI. Tell Stella what happened, or what you keep putting off, by voice or text. She keeps what you've told her in mind, tells you straight but kindly, and helps you find the words or choose a small step when you're ready. No streaks, nothing to log.
How much does Stella cost?
In the US, Stella is $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year. The App Store shows your local price and renewal terms before you buy.
Is Stella therapy?
No. Stella is not therapy and is not a substitute for professional care.
Tell Stella what happened.
Even the part you're still figuring out. Download the app or send her a text. The app is free to download; a subscription is required to keep using it.
Stella is not therapy and is not a substitute for professional care.
Keep comparing
Other tools people weigh against Stella when they are deciding the same thing.
- Calm price and apps like CalmCalm's subscribe page lists $16.99 a month or $79.99 a year as of Oct 2026. What Calm offers, who it fits, and apps like Calm, next to Stella.
- Headspace cost and Ebb AIHeadspace's AI, Ebb, launched in October 2024, per its press page. What Headspace costs, whether it fits, and apps like Headspace.
- AI journal apps comparedAI journal apps compared from their own US pages: Rosebud, Mindsera, Reflectly and Day One, and when to talk it through instead.
- Finch Plus cost and apps like FinchFinch Plus costs $9.99 a month or $69.99 a year per Finch's Help Center as of Oct 2026. What it adds and apps like Finch.
Read next
Two situations people bring to Stella, written up in full.