Waking Up vs How We Feel
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
It's close: Waking Up edges it 8.9 to 8.9, so the right pick depends on what you need. Waking Up wins on 2 of the 5 scores, How We Feel on 2, with 1 tied.
Curious meditators who want to understand the mind, not just unwind
Anyone who wants to understand their moods without paying or oversharing
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Waking Up | How We Feel |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mind & Focus | Mind & Focus |
| Category rank | #1 of 11 | #2 of 11 |
| Developer | Waking Up Course LLC | The How We Feel Project |
| Pricing | Subscription | Free |
| Usable for free | No | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Waking Up better than How We Feel?
It's close: Waking Up edges it 8.9 to 8.9, so the right pick depends on what you need. Waking Up wins on 2 of the 5 scores, How We Feel on 2, with 1 tied.
Which is cheaper, Waking Up or How We Feel?
Waking Up: 7-day free trial; $19.99/month or $149.99/year, free if you can't afford it. How We Feel: Free; made by a nonprofit funded by donations. On value for money, How We Feel scores higher.
Do Waking Up and How We Feel work on the same devices?
Yes, both run on iPhone & iPad, Android.
Which is more private, Waking Up or How We Feel?
How We Feel scores higher on privacy (9.2/10). The developer says your data stays on your device unless you opt in to share anonymized check-ins for research. App Store label: contact info, identifiers and other data may be linked to you.
Strengths and weaknesses
Waking Up
- Teaches the why of meditation, not just the how
- Calm, ad-free app without gamified pressure
- Free scholarship access for anyone who can't afford it
- One of the priciest meditation subscriptions
- Less focused on sleep and quick stress relief
- Intellectual tone won't suit everyone
Waking Up treats meditation as a skill to understand, not just a way to relax. Sam Harris's 28-day Introductory Course is the clearest guide to mindfulness in any app, and a deep library of theory, conversations and practices from other teachers gives you plenty to grow into. There are no ads or streak pressure. It is pricey at $149.99 a year and less suited to quick sleep help, but anyone who can't afford it can get free access.
Full Waking Up review
How We Feel
- Completely free, from a nonprofit
- Data stays on your device by default
- Strategies take a minute or two
- Android version is rated lower than iOS
- Not a substitute for professional care
How We Feel helps you find the exact word for a feeling, which makes it easier to act on. It was conceived with Yale's Center for Emotional Intelligence, and it links your check-ins to sleep, exercise and other Apple Health trends so patterns show up over time. Short video strategies can shift a bad moment in about a minute, and you can share feelings with close friends. It's free and keeps data on your device by default.
Full How We Feel review
