Medito vs Waking Up

Philosophy meets accessibility

Waking Up is a meditation app created by Sam Harris, a neuroscientist, philosopher, and author. It goes beyond basic meditation, exploring the nature of consciousness, the self, and philosophical inquiry. It costs $99.99/year, though a free scholarship is available for those who can’t afford it.

Medito is a free, open-source meditation app built by a non-profit foundation. All content is free, with no subscription, no account required, and no need to apply for access.

Feature comparison

Feature	Medito	Waking Up
Price	Free, forever	$99.99/year
Free access	Default	Scholarship (apply)
Account required	No	Yes
Guided meditations	Hundreds	Hundreds
Sleep content	Yes, free	Limited
Philosophical content	No	Yes (conversations, lessons)
Beginner courses	Yes, free	Yes, introductory course
Meditation timer	Yes, free	Yes
Theory & lectures	No	Yes (extensive)
Breathing exercises	Yes, free	Yes
Ads	None	None
Open source	Yes	No
Non-profit	Yes	No

Who is Waking Up for?

Waking Up is ideal if you’re interested in the intellectual and philosophical side of meditation — consciousness, the illusion of self, and conversations with leading thinkers. Sam Harris brings a unique secular, scientific perspective. The scholarship programme makes it accessible to those who apply, but the default is a paid subscription.

Who is Medito for?

Medito is for anyone who wants practical meditation tools without barriers. There’s no philosophical curriculum, but there are hundreds of guided sessions, courses, sleep content, and breathing exercises — all free by default, for everyone, no application needed.

The bottom line

Waking Up offers a deep intellectual exploration of meditation and consciousness for those willing to pay or apply for a scholarship. Medito offers a comprehensive, practical meditation experience that’s free for everyone out of the box.