A completely free, nonprofit app with age-specific programs — the standout choice for families and schools.
Best for families and schools — free, age-specific programs for children, teens and adults.
Smiling Mind is a completely free app from an Australian nonprofit, built with psychologists and educators. Its distinctive strength is age-specific programs — for children, teens, families and the workplace — which makes it the natural pick for families and classrooms.
How we tested: Evidence-based assessment — from public information, app-store data and independent 2026 reviews. Not based on a long hands-on trial by ONDA.
A solid library with a distinctive spread of age-specific programs — children, teens, families, workplace.
Teaching quality
7.5
Developed with psychologists and educators — sound, age-appropriate teaching.
Personalisation
6.5
Programs are grouped by age and setting rather than adaptively tailored.
App experience
7.0
Simple and clean, if less polished than the big paid apps.
Free tier
10.0
Completely free — a nonprofit with no subscription and no paywall.
Value
9.5
Free and nonprofit-run — exceptional value, especially for a whole family.
Evidence base
7.5
Built with psychologists and educators and widely used in schools and research.
Pros
+Completely free, from a nonprofit
+Age-specific programs — children to adults
+Built with psychologists and educators
+Excellent for families and classrooms
Cons
−Less polished than the big paid apps
−Grouped by age rather than adaptively personalised
−Smaller library than the giants
−Light on advanced practice
Price: $0 completely free; Australian nonprofit (as of 2026-05-15)
Where it leads
Smiling Mind is a completely free app from an Australian nonprofit, and its distinctive strength is breadth of audience rather than breadth of catalogue. It was built with psychologists and educators, and it offers age-specific programs — for children, teens, families, the workplace and healthcare workers. For a parent who wants one app the whole household can use, or for a classroom, nothing else here is as well suited.
Where it falls short
It is plainer than the big paid apps — production and interface are simple, the library is smaller than the giants, and content is grouped by age and setting rather than adaptively tailored to you. For a solo adult chasing advanced practice, the depth runs out sooner than in Waking Up or Insight Timer.
Who it is for
Choose Smiling Mind if you want a free, credible app for a family or a school — age-appropriate programs, no cost, no paywall. A solo practitioner who wants depth or a vast library will be better served elsewhere.