Best Meditation Apps · pricing · Updated June 2026
Waking Up pricing (2026)
Waking Up starts at $0/mo (Scholarship (Free)), across 3 plans. Best for Philosophy- and science-minded users seeking secular, intellectually rigorous content. Every figure links to Waking Up's own page and the date we captured it.
At a glance
- Entry price: $0/mo (Scholarship (Free))
- Free tier: No · 7-day trial
- Compliance: HIPAA — · SOC 2 — · GDPR —
- Best for: Philosophy- and science-minded users seeking secular, intellectually rigorous content; Users who want theory and context alongside meditation practice; Practitioners exploring Stoicism, neuroscience, and interdisciplinary traditions; Users who value a money-back guarantee and scholarship access
Waking Up plans & pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Billing | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $19.99 | — | flat | Pay-as-you-go monthly plan. Full access to guided meditations, courses, theory content, and conversations. 7-day free trial. Risk-free money-back guarantee. | wakingup.com |
| Annual | $10.83 | −46% | flat | Billed as $129.99/year (~$10.83/month) via web-direct (wakingup.com). Apple App Store price is higher at $149.99/year due to platform fee. Month-to-month rate is $19.99. Web-direct discount approximately 46% vs monthly. Risk-free money-back guarantee. | wakingup.com |
| Scholarship (Free) | $0 | — | flat | Full access granted at no cost to anyone who cannot afford the subscription. No questions asked — users self-certify financial need. Not a commercial tier; listed for completeness. | wakingup.com |
Last verified 2026-06-14. Official subscription page (wakingup.com/subscribe, accessed 2026-06-14) confirmed web-direct pricing: $19.99/month and $129.99/year. Apple App Store US listing (apps.apple.com/us/app/waking-up-guided-meditation/id1307736395, accessed 2026-06-14) shows $149.99/year — higher than web-direct due to Apple's platform fee; web-direct price is canonical. Scholarship program confirmed via wakingup.com homepage. Cross-checked against apps.apple.com.
Capabilities
Key features: 600+ hours of audio content: guided meditations, theory lessons, and conversations; 30-day introductory course created by Sam Harris (neuroscientist); 100+ interdisciplinary teachers spanning Vipassana, Zen, Stoicism, modern neuroscience; Curated playlists by topic, theme, and teacher; Private member-only forum with 50,000+ users across 26 countries; Secular approach — no religious commitments required; Scholarship program: full access free for those who cannot afford subscription; Risk-free money-back guarantee on all plans; Daily mindfulness reminder audio messages.
Plan limits: No free tier — trial only (7 days) or scholarship for those who cannot afford it; No catalog size officially disclosed; 600+ hours of audio confirmed; Private member forum limited to 50,000+ subscribers.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Waking Up cost?
Waking Up starts at $0/mo (Scholarship (Free)); it has 3 published plans. Verified 2026-06-14.
Is Waking Up cheaper billed annually?
Yes. Waking Up publishes a 46% discount for paying annually (on the Annual plan). Verified 2026-06-14.
What are cheaper alternatives to Waking Up?
Cheaper meditation apps than Waking Up (entry $0/mo) include Insight Timer at $5/mo, Aura Health at $5/mo, Calm at $5.83/mo. Verified 2026-06-14.
Does Waking Up support HIPAA?
Waking Up HIPAA support: —. SOC 2: —. GDPR: —.
Does Waking Up have a free plan?
Waking Up free tier: No; 7-day free trial.
Waking Up vs alternatives
Cheaper meditation apps alternatives
- Happier (formerly Ten Percent Happier) from $8.33/mo
- Calm from $5.83/mo
- Headspace from $5.83/mo
- Balance from $5.83/mo
- Insight Timer from $5/mo
- Aura Health from $5/mo