6th Mind vs Headspace
Clinically based AVE therapy, in a free app.
Download the free app - no subscription needed
| Feature | Headspace | 6th Mind |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $12.99/month or $69.99/year subscription required | Free app, no subscription needed. Optional Premium: $5.99/month |
| Primary Purpose | Guided meditation and mindfulness practice | Clinically based mental health therapy for depression, anxiety, insomnia, burnout |
| Method | Passive guided meditation - you listen and follow | Active brain stimulation - direct therapeutic effect |
| Scientific Backing | General mindfulness research | Clinically based AVE research with documented therapeutic outcomes |
| Measurable Results | Subjective feelings of calm | Measurable biomarkers and symptom reduction |
| Personalization | General content categories and topics | Clinically based questionnaires assessing symptoms and personality traits |
| AI Optimization | Limited recommendations | Learns from hundreds of anonymized clinical sessions |
| Best For | Mindfulness practice, stress management, sleep sounds | Clinically based support for depression, anxiety, insomnia and burnout |
Headspace teaches you to meditate through guided audio sessions. While mindfulness can be helpful, it requires significant practice and effort to see benefits.
6th Mind uses Audio-Visual Entrainment (AVE) to actively guide your brain into therapeutic states. You don't need to "do it right" - the light and sound patterns directly influence your brainwaves for immediate therapeutic effect.
Headspace requires a paid subscription ($12.99/month or $69.99/year) to access most of their content library.
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. We believe mental health support should be accessible to everyone who needs it.
Headspace helps you feel more relaxed and mindful, but results depend heavily on your ability to practice correctly and consistently.
6th Mind delivers measurable improvements in depression, anxiety, and sleep quality through clinically based protocols. We track your progress with validated questionnaires and adjust sessions based on your therapeutic response.
Headspace offers wellness content designed for general stress reduction and building a meditation practice.
6th Mind provides clinically based sessions designed specifically for depression, anxiety, insomnia and burnout. Our protocols are based on real therapeutic practice data.
Headspace requires daily practice and discipline to build meditation skills over weeks or months.
6th Mind's AVE therapy works immediately - from your very first session. You simply relax, eyes closed or open, while the technology does the therapeutic work. No learning curve, no skill required.
While Headspace teaches mindfulness, 6th Mind delivers active therapeutic brain stimulation. Get measurable mental health results without needing to learn meditation or practice daily. If you're looking for clinically based support rather than wellness content, 6th Mind is your free, science-backed alternative to Headspace.
Weighing up other apps, headsets or light machines? See how the free, clinically based 6th Mind compares as an alternative to each: