Alternatives to Waking Up
Sam Harris' theory-plus-practice course
Waking Up ranks #5 of 7 in Meditation apps, with an Alt Score of 75. It is proprietary, freemium from $19.99/mo and available on iOS and Android. 8 of 9 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
People who want to build a daily meditation practice as well as those curious about the underlying theory of mind and consciousness — from complete beginners to experienced meditators. It takes a secular approach, requiring no religious or spiritual belief.
A 30-day guided introductory course taught by Sam Harris, followed by an ongoing daily meditation practice. The library also includes theory lessons and conversations on consciousness, philosophy, and living well, taught by Harris and other teachers, researchers, and philosophers. Sessions cover topics like sleep, anxiety, relationships, and specific meditative traditions (Zen, Vipassana, etc.), organized into browsable courses and playlists.
You practice through guided audio meditations in the app, moving from the foundational course into a self-directed mix of daily practice and theory content. Access is via annual subscription with a free trial and scholarship memberships for those who can't afford it.
Why people leave Waking Up
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
Sign in to add a reason — new reasons go through moderation before appearing.
Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
Rows come from the Meditation apps checklist (13 rows). Human-verified cells only. ? means the value has not been verified.
| Meditation apps checklist | Waking Up | Insight Timer | Calm | Headspace | Medito | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| Guided session library | ||||||
| Sleep content | ||||||
| Courses & programs | ||||||
| Offline downloads | ||||||
| Free tier depth | ||||||
| Background sounds | ||||||
| Wearable integration | ||||||
| One-time purchase option | ||||||
| Teacher variety |
Every fact and feature listed for Waking Up is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
-
Starts at $19.99/mo verified 2026-07-09
Monthly Subscription $19.99
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/waking-up-meditation-wisdom/id1307736395 -
Status active verified 2026-07-09
Version 3.22 Jun 3
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/waking-up-meditation-wisdom/id1307736395 -
License Proprietary verified 2026-07-09
Copyright © Waking Up LLC
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/waking-up-meditation-wisdom/id1307736395 -
Pricing model Freemium verified 2026-07-09
Free · In‑App Purchases
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/waking-up-meditation-wisdom/id1307736395 -
Platforms iOS, Android verified 2026-07-09
Waking Up: Meditation & Wisdom Waking Up LLC In-app purchases 4.6 star 41.6K reviews Everyone info 1M+ Downloads Install
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.wakingup.android -
Guided session library Yes verified 2026-07-09
A vast library of meditations, theory sessions, life courses, conversations, and Q&As
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/waking-up-meditation-wisdom/id1307736395 -
Sleep content Yes verified 2026-07-09
Sleep Talks—drift off while listening to calming lessons and background sounds - Guided Sleep Meditations—structured practices for deep and restorative rest
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/waking-up-meditation-wisdom/id1307736395 -
Courses & programs Yes verified 2026-07-09
Introductory Course—a transformative 28-day program, for both beginners and experienced meditators
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/waking-up-meditation-wisdom/id1307736395 -
Free tier depth Partial verified 2026-07-09
the app is free to download and the first 5 sessions are completely free … To unlock the full app you have to pay for membership
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/waking-up-meditation-wisdom/id1307736395 -
Background sounds Yes verified 2026-07-09
set one background sound for Practice sessions and a different one for Theory and Life
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/waking-up-meditation-wisdom/id1307736395 -
Wearable integration Yes verified 2026-07-09
:"Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad","operatingSystem":"Requires iOS 16.0 and watchOS 6.0 or later"
availableOnDevice
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/waking-up-meditation-wisdom/id1307736395 -
One-time purchase option No verified 2026-07-09
,"Monthly Subscription $19.99","Family Yearly Subscription $229.99" — Only subscription tiers; no one-time purchase.
Waking Up Yearly Subscription $149.99
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/waking-up-meditation-wisdom/id1307736395 -
Teacher variety Yes verified 2026-07-09
Practice—Vipassana, Zen, Dzogchen, Advaita Vedanta (Joseph Goldstein, Diana Winston, Adyashanti, Henry Shukman, Richard Lang) • Theory—(Alan Watts, Charlotte Joko Beck …)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.wakingup.android
FAQ
Yes. Insight Timer, Calm and Headspace have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Medito — every license claim links its source.