Waking Up is the better app overall, scoring 8.9 to 8.6. Waking Up wins on 3 of the 5 scores, one sec on 2.
Curious meditators who want to understand the mind, not just unwind
Habitual scrollers who want a nudge, not a hard block, before opening apps
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Waking Up | one sec |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Mind & Focus | Mind & Focus |
| Category rank | #1 of 11 | #6 of 11 |
| Developer | Waking Up Course LLC | riedel.wtf GmbH |
| Pricing | Subscription | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | No | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | — | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Waking Up better than one sec?
Waking Up is the better app overall, scoring 8.9 to 8.6. Waking Up wins on 3 of the 5 scores, one sec on 2.
Which is cheaper, Waking Up or one sec?
Waking Up: 7-day free trial; $19.99/month or $149.99/year, free if you can't afford it. one sec: Free for one app; pro $6.99/month, $19.99/year or $99.99 lifetime. On value for money, one sec scores higher.
Do Waking Up and one sec work on the same devices?
Only one sec runs on Mac.
Which is more private, Waking Up or one sec?
one sec scores higher on privacy (9.3/10). App Store label lists only usage data, not linked to you; Google Play declares no data collected or shared. The developer says intervention logic runs on your device, with no ads or data selling.
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
one sec
- Simple intervention that genuinely curbs mindless opens
- Light data footprint with no ads
- Lifetime unlock if you'd rather not subscribe
- Free version covers only one app
- The gentle pause is easy to tap through unless you add strict blocks
one sec takes a simple idea and makes it work. When you open a distracting app, it asks you to take a breath and then whether you really want to continue. That small pause, studied in peer-reviewed research, is often enough to break the habit. It now adds strict blocks, website interruptions and a Mac app. The free version covers a single app, so most people will want pro.
Full one sec review
