Probably my second most used app
I get so much out of the daily meditations, let alone all of the different series that are so very helpful
Real Deal
This study has been invaluable for me. I’m loving the small courses that follow each meditation and how Sam is teaching the practice instead of just holding meditation sessions. This is how you change lives. Thank you!
Meaningful use of time
With just a little time out of your day, it helps you see things more clearly
Can’t recommend enough
There is really no other tool that has been as impactful in my life as Waking Up and the practice of mindfulness. Obviously, there is no magic solution to figuring out life, but Waking Up has truly provided me with a strong foundation and reduced a lot of suffering in my world. I can’t imagine a more universally applicable method for improving well-being than the things taught on this app.
Saved me from my constant noise making machine called my mind
It helps me focus. It just make me aware that thoughts are all over my brain when I am even silent. My thoughts are very controlling and I would like to get a little bit of control of my thought. Just a a little bit. I am not doomed by my noisy mind. I can learn to silence those noises. Thank you Sam for reminding me the worlds oldest advice “know thyself” it has never been more relevant than today and for future with The advent of AI and other persuasive algorithms. Thanks
Exceptional Guidance
I’m not new to meditation, but I am returning after many years of decreasing focus and attention. This app, the guidance, the teachings, and the supplemental content are so rich that I can’t wait for my time with it each day. The customer service is also the best I have experienced with any app. I found it difficult to pay the full amount, so I wrote to customer service. I received a response and an offer for a scholarship within minutes. I look forward to sharing Waking Up with as many people as I can.
Life Changibg
I’ve struggled with mental health issues my entire life and have spent over a decade exploring different therapy modalities to manage all of the challenges of life (CBT, ACT, DBT, etc.). I can confidently say that this app has had the most positive impact on my mental health than anything else I’ve ever done. I’ve tried other mediation tools like Headspace and Calm in the past but could never stick with them. Sam’s method is completely different than any other app out there, and after following the 30 day introductory course I was hooked and have been a daily user for a year now. Outside of the guided meditations I think what sets this app apart is all of the talks and other content to explore, most of which are chunked into 5min vignettes to make digesting them easy. I especially enjoy the teachings of Joseph Goldstein who I listen to almost daily. There’s a 30 day free trial with structured lessons so there’s no thinking about where to begin. I think everyone should at least give it a shot for 30 days and I guarantee you’ll start to see the benefits!
Awakening organization.
Sam Harris and his Organization have been a complete game changer. The eloquent and digestible way Sam and his team teach meditation and mindfulness is deeply empowering. Just finished day 29!!!
Love it
This app has helped me enjoy life more and is helping me understand consciousness.
it works
it works if you work it
Completely changes your way of life an thinking
Grateful. A better friend and person
Best meditation/awareness app out there
I have been listening to Waking Up every night since August 2025 and it has been the best experience. I wish there was more content in the Reflections section, but it is the best app I've tried for deep learning and meditation.
Feeling Grateful
I just finished meditating, and I’m feeling very grateful for my life which really is better than I deserve (I just feel lucky and blessed). This review is intended as a way to thank Sam Harris and whoever else contributes directly to Waking Up for all the daily meditations, beautifully calm and minimalistic background music, endless veins of wisdom shared freely, and all the other substantial and minor ways they’ve improved my life and those of so many others. <3 Life is beautiful and precious. Don’t waste it.
Excellent guidance and content
I don’t normally come to the App Store of my own volition to write a review, but this app is just so good. I began my meditation practice in November 2024 and eventually reached a point where I realized I needed guidance and instruction. So I actually asked ChatGPT what my options were. This app (among other things) was recommended, so I thought I’d try it out. It’s been fantastic. The introduction course alone is worth the monthly price, but then you also get a seemingly endless stream of insightful content. I highly recommend it.
Best experience I’ve had with my phone
As tough as some of the meditations are for me to fully get I have been able to grow more in my mediation practice in the last 8 weeks than the previous 3 years. And there are so many additional courses, meditations and talks. This is the best money I’ve spent.
Life changing
Life changing. Complaints regarding price are unfounded, because there's always an option to get full access for free, via simply asking for a "scholarship" found at the bottom of the app/site. They provided me a 100% off scholarship, no questions asked, for 2 years, and I'm both happy and glad to finally be a paying member at $19.99 USD/month now. The scholarship already gave me full access, but Sam Harris, the founder, more than deserves it for this revolutionary app. The world needs more Thinkers like him. I extend my utmost gratitude.
Essential
I appreciate the laser focus of this content—only what matters.
Great for beginners
I’ve just completed the first month, the practice is a joy todo and learn, and the real world application of mindfulness is paramount in today’s day and age. Everyone should try this app.
No Nonsense Meditation
If this was 5x time the price it would still be the best investment I’ve made for myself(and others) in my 36 years on this earth. Thanks Sam
Equanimity
These meditations take me there
Best app to change your life
This guy is so on. Best thing to happen in consciousness in quite a while.
Absolutely Transformative!!
This app is a must have for any philosopher, or practitioner of meditation and for a contemplative life. The only true program that takes meditation out of just stress reduction and lowering blood pressure. It has utterly transformed the way I look at my existence (no hyperbole) and life! It may have even cured my ADHD, if I had it in the first place. Whether you were someone who seeks wisdom, or just somebody who wants to be less stressed and perform better mentally and otherwise, it is my strongest belief that this is the best app out there!
Begin Again
Meditation was one of my goals for this year. It was overwhelming seeing the dozens of meditation apps available and not knowing which one would work for me. What drew me to this app was the fact that it is founded by neuroscientists and psychologists, with techniques and practices based on science. Sam’s introductory course really guided me calmly into the world of meditation and I automatically began feeling grounded, present and at peace. There are countless different courses to choose from and I love the daily quotes, moments and clips to ponder. It’s really given me such a deeper perspective on my being present and mindful in my daily life and I can’t see my life without meditation now. I highly recommend Waking Up if you’re wanting to start meditating or even if you’re a long time meditator. There’s something here for everyone to experience, learn and enjoy.
Go-to!
Waking up has been my go-to source for both my meditation practice as well as inspiration for less than a year I believe…maybe a year…time flies. I have practiced for about 20 years, originally as a Vajrayana student and later finding Dzogchen practice. It’s truly unbelievable that I am able to tap into just about any and every teaching I desire, using this app. I finally made the leap from just using it for theory study and actually started using the guided meditations and timer. The app is like having a teacher always accessible and it seems to be working for me in a similar way as meeting with teachers in the past. I am undeniably grateful jto have access to this bank of wisdom. Interesting, this is my review from the first time I used waking up. It mostly still applies accurately except I have to admit, it is not the same as being with my teacher face to face. I’m okay with that though. I’ll just become ever more patient.
the greatest app in the world
been a follower of sam harris for over a decade. this is his magnum opus.
So grateful for this app
I just completed the 28-day introduction course and it has helped me immensely. I appreciate that the approach isn’t just about breathing but focuses on understanding the nature of consciousness. I know that I have a long way to go but I think meditations here will help me as I try to improve my understanding of myself and connection to the world around me.
Sea Change
Having started my meditation practice in 1990, I finally realize the immediacy of the freedom inherent in the non-dual approach that Sam excels in teaching. In gratitude, Bryon Sabatino
Great to have a constant stream of philosophical content into the daily life
Whether I agree with Sam on everything that he teaches or not, the content that this app provides is amazing as a person that has been looking for a source of information on awakening/meditation/reality/self/the world/etc. I love the option to have daily quotes that pop up in my notifications. Very well made, it is pleasurable to use, and there is a community part to it. Overall I’m really enjoying it (~1.5 months use)
Life Changing App
This app is pretty much entirely responsible for helping me to develop and maintain my meditation practice, which is no doubt one of the most important things I’ve done in my life.
A masterpiece
This app has changed my life
Waking Up: A Meditation App for People Who Don’t Like Meditation Apps
Waking Up is the rare meditation app that treats you like an adult. No soft-focus clichés, no mystical promises, no “just breathe and manifest” fluff. It’s built for people who want clarity, not incense; insight, not slogans. What makes it stand out is its intellectual honesty. Every lesson, practice, and lecture is grounded in clear reasoning and direct experience. Instead of trying to soothe you with platitudes, it teaches you how the mind actually works—and how to relate to it with precision and calm. The result is a practice that feels clean, rigorous, and refreshingly free of spiritual theatrics. The daily meditations are concise and purposeful. The theory sections are surprisingly deep without ever drifting into jargon. And the broader curriculum—covering everything from non-duality to cognitive science—gives you a framework for understanding consciousness that’s both accessible and profound. If you’ve ever bounced off traditional meditation apps because they felt too sentimental, too vague, or too performative, Waking Up is the antidote. It’s meditation for the rational mind: structured, thoughtful, and genuinely transformative. A rare example of an app that respects your intelligence while helping you build a calmer, clearer inner life.
You only have your mind - why not work to understand and appreciate it?
Hard to imagine a better use of 10 to 20 minutes of your time per day
Finally
As someone who has tried to pick up a meditation practice several times at various stages of my life, it is so profoundly refreshing to find a tool steeped in science rather than dogma. Sam’s approach is exactly what I needed in order for it to finally “click.” Thank you, Sam.
Life changer
I found this app through someone I know who meditates often, and at a time that was tough for me. The introductory course & other talks / features completely changed my outlook on life, on my self, and on my perspective, all for the better. I am so grateful & recommend to everyone!!!