6th Mind vs Calm
Clinically based AVE therapy, in a free app.
Download the free app - no subscription needed
| Feature | Calm | 6th Mind |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $14.99/month or $69.99/year subscription required | Free app, no subscription needed. Optional Premium: $5.99/month |
| Primary Purpose | Relaxation, sleep sounds, meditation stories | Clinically based mental health therapy for depression, anxiety, insomnia, burnout |
| Method | Passive audio content - sleep stories, nature sounds, music | Active brain stimulation with synchronized light and sound, up to full-field headset mode |
| Scientific Backing | General relaxation principles | Clinically based AVE research with documented therapeutic outcomes |
| Results | Temporary relaxation and distraction | Measurable symptom reduction and lasting improvement |
| Personalization | Content categories and preferences | Clinically based questionnaires assessing symptoms and personality traits |
| AI Optimization | Content recommendations | Learns from hundreds of anonymized clinical sessions |
| Best For | Relaxation, sleep sounds, stress relief | Clinically based support for depression, anxiety, insomnia and burnout |
Calm provides relaxing sounds, sleep stories, and meditation music that help you feel calmer temporarily through distraction and pleasant listening.
6th Mind uses Audio-Visual Entrainment (AVE) to actively guide your brain into therapeutic states. This isn't just relaxation - it's clinically based support for depression, anxiety, insomnia and burnout.
Calm requires a paid subscription ($14.99/month or $69.99/year) to access their full library of sleep stories and meditation content.
The 6th Mind app is free, with no ads and no trial: all 36 sessions are included, and you never need to pay to use it. Optional Premium ($5.99/month) adds extra packs and more room in the Session creator.
Calm helps you feel relaxed while listening, but effects are temporary. You need to keep using it every time you want to feel calm.
6th Mind delivers measurable, lasting improvements in anxiety, depression, and sleep quality. Our clinically based protocols create therapeutic changes that persist beyond individual sessions.
Calm offers wellness content designed to help you relax and sleep better through soothing audio experiences.
6th Mind provides clinically based sessions designed specifically for depression, anxiety, insomnia and burnout. Our protocols are based on real therapeutic practice data, not just general relaxation principles.
Calm's sleep stories can help you fall asleep by distracting your mind with narrated content.
6th Mind's AVE therapy directly influences your brainwaves to achieve sleep-ready states faster and more effectively. Our protocols target insomnia specifically, not just providing content to listen to while falling asleep.
While Calm provides pleasant audio for relaxation, 6th Mind delivers active therapeutic brain stimulation for measurable mental health results. Get lasting improvements in anxiety, depression, and sleep without paying for a subscription. If you're looking for clinically based support rather than relaxation content, 6th Mind is your free, clinically based alternative to Calm.
Weighing up other apps, headsets or light machines? See how the free, clinically based 6th Mind compares as an alternative to each: