Waking Up
Best for: Guys who want the reasoning behind meditation, not just a timer and a gong.
What is Waking Up?
Waking Up is Sam Harris's meditation app, built for people who find generic breathing tips a little thin. It pairs guided meditations with actual explanation behind the practice, covering anxiety, sleep, Stoicism, and even psychedelics, instead of a bell and a countdown. The 30-day Introductory Course walks through theory and practice together, and the library draws on more than a hundred teachers across traditions, all secular. The honest catch: this leans closer to a philosophy course than a quick wind-down app, so if you want five minutes of calm before bed, it can feel wordy. Plans run $19.99 monthly or $129.99 a year, with a free trial, a money-back guarantee, and a scholarship option if price is the obstacle.
Platforms and pricing
- Platforms
- iOS, Android, Web
- Pricing
- Free trial, then $19.99/month or $129.99/year ($10.83/month equivalent), billed as subscriptions with a money-back guarantee; scholarship program available for anyone who says they can't afford it.
- Category
- Meditation & sleep apps
Facts checked against the official site (wakingup.com homepage + /subscribe page) on 2026-07-03. Pricing and features change; if something above is out of date, tell us.