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Headspace vs Lyra Health

Headspace logo

Headspace

Healthcare

Meditation and mindfulness made simple

From
$12.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lyra Health logo

Lyra Health

Healthcare

Employer purchased mental health benefit with a curated provider network and measurement based care

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Headspace paid subscription required for unlimited access; free tier is limited; Lyra Health covered sessions per member per year are set in the employer contract and vary widely between clients, so employees at two companies both using Lyra can receive very different benefits and the number is never published.
  • They diverge on capability: Headspace covers Guided meditations, Lyra Health covers Curated provider network.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Headspace and Lyra Health actually diverge.

Attributes where Headspace and Lyra Health differ
AttributeHeadspaceLyra Health
Starting price$12.99/monthOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
PlatformsiOS, Android, Web, macOS, Apple Watch, Apple Vision ProWeb, iOS, Android
Founded2010Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Healthcare).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Headspace

  • Guided meditations
  • Sleep stories
  • Focus playlists
  • Breathing exercises
  • SOS sessions
  • Apple Health
  • Google Fit
  • Apple Watch

Only in Lyra Health

  • Curated provider network
  • Measurement based care
  • Self guided digital programmes
  • Coaching tier
  • Dependant and household coverage
  • Higher acuity pathways
  • Employer reporting
  • Global delivery

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Headspace

  • Workout trackingnot Lyra Health
  • Nutrition managementnot Lyra Health
  • Health monitoringnot Lyra Health
  • Fitness coachingnot Lyra Health
  • Wellness improvementnot Lyra Health

Lyra Health

  • An employer whose legacy employee assistance programme has utilisation in the low single digits and cannot demonstrate any clinical outcomenot Headspace
  • A company with a distributed workforce needing therapist availability outside major metropolitan areas where the health plan network is thinnot Headspace
  • An employer wanting behavioural health outcomes measured with validated instruments so the benefit can be evaluated rather than merely offerednot Headspace
  • A multinational standardising mental health support across several countries under one contract and one reporting viewnot Headspace

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Headspace

  • Paid subscription required for unlimited access; free tier is limited
  • Mobile-first design means web experience is less feature-complete than mobile apps
  • Limited integration with other health and fitness apps compared to some competitors
  • Coaching services available only at higher tiers or additional cost

Lyra Health

  • Covered sessions per member per year are set in the employer contract and vary widely between clients, so employees at two companies both using Lyra can receive very different benefits and the number is never published.
  • When a member exhausts the employer funded session allowance, care transitions to the health plan network with its deductibles and copayments, or ends, and this handover is the most common source of employee dissatisfaction with the benefit.
  • The per employee per month fee is charged across the whole eligible population regardless of use, so an employer with low utilisation pays for the entire workforce to serve a small fraction of it.
  • Lyra costs materially more than a traditional employee assistance programme, and the business case depends on utilisation rising enough to justify the difference, which is not guaranteed by the contract.
  • International coverage is real but uneven, and a multinational will find provider depth and language availability in secondary markets well below what is available in the United States, which undermines the single global standard the contract implies.

Pricing, plan by plan

Headspace

$12.99/month
  • Monthly$12.99/month
    • Unlimited meditation access
    • Sleep content
    • Focus music
  • Annual$69.99/year
    • Same as monthly
    • 14-day free trial
  • Student$9.99/year
    • Full access with student verification

Lyra Health

On request
  • Lyra Health$undefined/year
    • Per employee per month fee across the eligible population, quoted not published
    • Covered sessions per member per year negotiated separately and varying widely by client
    • Dependant and household eligibility affects the rate

Which should you pick?

Choose Headspace if

  • You need guided meditations.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web, macOS, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro.
  • You also want sleep stories.
Headspace review

Choose Lyra Health if

  • You need curated provider network.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want measurement based care.
Lyra Health review

Questions people ask

Is Headspace or Lyra Health better?
Neither clearly leads. Headspace starts at $12.99/month and Lyra Health at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Headspace or Lyra Health?
Headspace starts at $12.99/month and Lyra Health at On request.
Does Headspace or Lyra Health run on more platforms?
Headspace runs on iOS, Android, Web, macOS, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro. Lyra Health runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Headspace best used for?
Headspace is most often used for workout tracking, nutrition management, health monitoring, fitness coaching. Of those, workout tracking and nutrition management are not what Lyra Health is typically brought in for.
What can Headspace do that Lyra Health cannot?
Headspace covers Guided meditations, Sleep stories, Focus playlists, Breathing exercises. Lyra Health covers Curated provider network, Measurement based care, Self guided digital programmes, Coaching tier.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Headspace: How much does Headspace cost?

Headspace offers a monthly plan at $12.99/month or annual plan at $69.99/year (approximately $5.83/month). Students can subscribe for $9.99/year. A 14-day free trial is available. HSA and FSA eligible options support pre-tax payments.

Source
Lyra Health: How is Lyra priced?

Per employee per month across the eligible population, billed to the employer. The rate is quoted, never published, and depends on headcount, dependant eligibility and the contracted session allowance.

Headspace: What content does Headspace include?

Headspace includes 1,000+ expert-led exercises covering meditation, stress relief, sleep resources including sleepcasts and soundscapes, anxiety management tools, and optional mental health coaching services with trained mindfulness experts.

Source
Lyra Health: How many therapy sessions do employees get?

It depends entirely on what the employer bought. Session allowances vary widely between clients, so ask your benefits team for the contracted number rather than assuming a standard.

Headspace: On which platforms can I use Headspace?

Headspace is available on iOS, Android, web browsers, Mac, Apple Watch Series 6+, and Apple Vision Pro. Smart home integration with Google Assistant and Alexa allows hands-free access on compatible devices.

Source
Lyra Health: Who pays, the employer or the health plan?

The employer pays the per employee per month fee and funds the covered sessions. After the allowance is exhausted, cost typically shifts to the health plan and the member.

Headspace: Does Headspace offer therapy or coaching?

Headspace includes meditation and mindfulness training led by trained experts. Mental health coaching is available as an add-on service. For therapy, users seeking clinical counseling should explore Headspace's mental health services or other dedicated therapy platforms.

Source
Lyra Health: Is there a minimum headcount?

Lyra does not publish one, but it sells primarily to mid sized and large employers and the commercial model does not suit small companies.

Headspace: Is Headspace research-backed?

Yes. Headspace describes itself as the most research-backed meditation app on the market with 500+ hours of guided content, peer-reviewed studies demonstrating efficacy, and Ebb AI personalization that adapts sessions to user mood.

Source
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