Meditation apps: do they really work?

Until a few years ago, learning meditation meant finding a teacher or a group. Today a phone is enough. Meditation apps offer guided sessions, daily programmes and reminders. But do they have a real effect?

What the evidence shows

Over the last ten years dozens of clinical trials have been run in which participants are randomly divided: some use a mindfulness app for several weeks, others do not. Meta-analyses combining these trials, such as the one by Éva Gál and colleagues in 2021, have found that apps reduce stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms, with small to moderate effects. The effects are clearer when compared with groups that receive nothing, and smaller when compared with other activities, such as an app with general health information.

The dropout problem

The biggest problem is not whether apps work but whether people use them. In many trials a large share of participants stop using the app after the first weeks. Outside studies, when no one reminds them, dropout seems even greater. An app that is never opened has no effect at all.

An app is like a tool shop. It builds nothing unless we use the tools.

The limits

• Many trials are short, a few weeks, and we do not know how long the effects last.
• Participants are often people who chose to try meditation, so they may be more motivated than average.
• Apps do not replace professional treatment for severe depression or anxiety.
• Some apps collect personal data. Read the privacy rules, especially if you keep a journal or log your mood.

How to use one wisely

1. Link it to an existing habit: after the morning coffee, before sleep, on the bus.
2. Start with short sessions, 5–10 minutes. A little every day is better than a lot once a week.
3. Choose a voice you like. It seems a small thing, but it strongly affects whether you want to come back.
4. Turn off other notifications during the session. There is no point meditating with messages arriving non-stop.
5. In time, try without the app too. The aim is to hold attention yourself, not to depend on the phone.