Review Insights · App Store
Insight Timer: Meditate, Sleep
Insight Network Inc · 439,038 ratings · ★ 4.9
4.9
★★★★★
439,038 ratings
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Top complaints - extracted from 32 negative reviews
Recurring phrases mined from 1-2★ reviews. The bigger the percentage, the more users have the same problem. Fix the top 2-3 in your version and you have product-market fit on day one.
1
"meditation"
14 negative reviews mention this · 44% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Bloatware. This used to be a simple and elegant meditation timer. They’ve sacrificed the simplicity and elegance for all kinds of features I don’t need. If you want those features, great. If not, I would suggest a different timer." - Gizmowigi
2
"through"
10 negative reviews mention this · 31% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Marketplace and Social Media Center. Not a place for centering. I was a member for 11 years. The app has morphed into a social media platform and marketplace selling feel-goo/look-good spirituality. The app’s format is polished but intrusive and distracting from actual spiritu…" - JLTibby
3
"timer"
9 negative reviews mention this · 28% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Bloatware. This used to be a simple and elegant meditation timer. They’ve sacrificed the simplicity and elegance for all kinds of features I don’t need. If you want those features, great. If not, I would suggest a different timer." - Gizmowigi
4
"years"
7 negative reviews mention this · 22% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Marketplace and Social Media Center. Not a place for centering. I was a member for 11 years. The app has morphed into a social media platform and marketplace selling feel-goo/look-good spirituality. The app’s format is polished but intrusive and distracting from actual spiritu…" - JLTibby
5
"annoying"
7 negative reviews mention this · 22% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Annoying windows after meditation. STOP THE VIDEOS. We came to insight timer for meditation, not more dopamine:((( After the meditation, like 3 windows opening behind each other, how I feel( shut that off, actually, but still it’s asking), other meditation recommended, and t…" - Happylenak
6
"find"
6 negative reviews mention this · 19% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Marketplace and Social Media Center. Not a place for centering. I was a member for 11 years. The app has morphed into a social media platform and marketplace selling feel-goo/look-good spirituality. The app’s format is polished but intrusive and distracting from actual spiritu…" - JLTibby
7
"stop"
6 negative reviews mention this · 19% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Annoying windows after meditation. STOP THE VIDEOS. We came to insight timer for meditation, not more dopamine:((( After the meditation, like 3 windows opening behind each other, how I feel( shut that off, actually, but still it’s asking), other meditation recommended, and t…" - Happylenak
8
"been"
6 negative reviews mention this · 19% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Forces you to set a “goal”. I’ve been paying for this app for years, but at some point it started forcing me to set a streak goal. While I’ve used it frequently, I don’t use it every day, I’ve never intended to use it every day, and it drives me bananas that it forces…" - PotatoGirl2001
9
"every"
6 negative reviews mention this · 19% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Forces you to set a “goal”. I’ve been paying for this app for years, but at some point it started forcing me to set a streak goal. While I’ve used it frequently, I don’t use it every day, I’ve never intended to use it every day, and it drives me bananas that it forces…" - PotatoGirl2001
10
"without"
6 negative reviews mention this · 19% of all complaints
★★★★★ "So annoying. I have had this app for years and used to love it when it was a simple meditation timer. I am now unable to open it without going through the hole selection process of stuff I do not want. I end up furious rather than being able to meditate…" - Afrfguyehbf
11
"features"
5 negative reviews mention this · 16% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Bloatware. This used to be a simple and elegant meditation timer. They’ve sacrificed the simplicity and elegance for all kinds of features I don’t need. If you want those features, great. If not, I would suggest a different timer." - Gizmowigi
12
"being"
5 negative reviews mention this · 16% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Timer doesn’t ring. As a timer you have one job and for some reason I haven’t heard the bell ring in a while! Maybe get back to actually being a timer! And having to shut my messages down because men think this is a dating app!" - Rm2329
📋 All 32 negative reviews
Every 1-2★ review we fetched. Use the copy button to grab them all for your own analysis (paste into ChatGPT/Claude with a prompt like "summarize core user problems, group by theme, ignore bugs, focus on missing features").
Timer doesn’t ring
As a timer you have one job and for some reason I haven’t heard the bell ring in a while! Maybe get back to actually being a timer! And having to shut my messages down because men think this is a dating app!
Annoying windows after meditation
STOP THE VIDEOS. We came to insight timer for meditation, not more dopamine:((( After the meditation, like 3 windows opening behind each other, how I feel( shut that off, actually, but still it’s asking), other meditation recommended, and then what strike I have. I don’t care.
Please let me shut that off, it’s so annoying
Please let me shut that off, it’s so annoying
Forces you to set a “goal”
I’ve been paying for this app for years, but at some point it started forcing me to set a streak goal. While I’ve used it frequently, I don’t use it every day, I’ve never intended to use it every day, and it drives me bananas that it forces me to “commit” to this with no way to opt out. So I stopped using it out of annoyance and finally canceled. :(
So annoying
I have had this app for years and used to love it when it was a simple meditation timer. I am now unable to open it without going through the hole selection process of stuff I do not want. I end up furious rather than being able to meditate. This has happened to me three or four times in the last few months.
Creates Stressful App Environment
When you open app each time "for your mood" then a "check-in" button
When you play individual peace of music, a bar at the bottom of screen (always there even with just time on screen) has a sliding bar that can't be dismissed "How are you feeling?"
After you've completed song/course: "how are you feeling now?" and buttons "better same worse"
There is no option to disable this control fresk pestering in Settings.
Under Settings you will find, however, "Crisis Support" and suicide numbers to call. (Refraining from comment.)
They sell your info and your mood apparently is highly profitable? IDK
Takes the joy out of the App. instead of calming, it makes me angry, bothered, smothered. No write in field for How Am I Feeling, so I'm writing the answer here.
Sad as so many good providers on the App.
Update: even more controlling authoritarian semi-brainwashing attempts app. - cannot "x" out of any of the many screens you're forced to go thru upon opening app, like they push the info then sell this to others with data
When you play individual peace of music, a bar at the bottom of screen (always there even with just time on screen) has a sliding bar that can't be dismissed "How are you feeling?"
After you've completed song/course: "how are you feeling now?" and buttons "better same worse"
There is no option to disable this control fresk pestering in Settings.
Under Settings you will find, however, "Crisis Support" and suicide numbers to call. (Refraining from comment.)
They sell your info and your mood apparently is highly profitable? IDK
Takes the joy out of the App. instead of calming, it makes me angry, bothered, smothered. No write in field for How Am I Feeling, so I'm writing the answer here.
Sad as so many good providers on the App.
Update: even more controlling authoritarian semi-brainwashing attempts app. - cannot "x" out of any of the many screens you're forced to go thru upon opening app, like they push the info then sell this to others with data
Day 1 is a bust
Signed up for the trial and it only let me listen to one person. Do not find it user friendly so far. Is it cause I haven’t paid that I don’t have access to everything? Was looking forward to hearing the different meditations but I may have to look elsewhere - maybe the Calm app?
Stopped working
Stopped working. I removed. And reinstalled. No luck.
Has become too frustrating
After many many years of using this app, I’ve cancelled my subscription due to the increasingly frustrating additions that have been made. I often choose to meditate without a phone/device nearby, but now the app “punishes” this choice by making me commit to new goals and asking if I want to add a “streak saver” feature etc before it will allow me to access the timer or saved meditations almost every time I open it. I don’t want to track my “streaks” or be held accountable to a “goal” on an app on a device when the purpose of my mindfulness and meditation practice is to better balance the pressures of our digital world. I understand that many folks enjoy these features, but the failure of Insight to allow those of us who do not want them to opt out has driven me to a different app. (To be clear, I’ve turned every possible notification and feature off, but I still have to jump through all of the ‘set your goals’ etc hoops any time I log in after being away from the app for a few days).
Constantly getting worse
This app has become cluttered with features I never wanted. Now every new login forces me through 10+ required questions to customize my experience all over again. All in the way of actually using the core features of the app - listening to guided meditations.
Annoying, insistent…
And not consumer oriented.
This app is becoming unbearable...
My friend and I were recently chatting, having a discussion on meditation and practices that we like. The subject of Insight Timer came up, I told her I liked it, and she said "yeah but isn't that the one that has so many prompts after the meditation and they make you commit to using it all the time?"
I just did a meditation and the amount of pop ups after is -there's no better way to put it - absolutely insane. I had to click through about 7 of them to get to the home screen.
These prompts are an absolute deterrant for me to come back here and use the app more. Which is ironic, considering their begging me to continue using regularly.
Insight timer is not my only meditation practice. I would like to be able to return, as I see fit, without being hounded.
I'm tempted to delete the app.
I just did a meditation and the amount of pop ups after is -there's no better way to put it - absolutely insane. I had to click through about 7 of them to get to the home screen.
These prompts are an absolute deterrant for me to come back here and use the app more. Which is ironic, considering their begging me to continue using regularly.
Insight timer is not my only meditation practice. I would like to be able to return, as I see fit, without being hounded.
I'm tempted to delete the app.
Mostly junk
Mostly junk & wont let you turn off their tracking & notifications of their timers. They consider this “encouragement”, but it’s more intrusive app garbage when you’re constantly tracked & you can’t turn it off.
Repeat Forced onboarding is a dark pattern
Let me use the app, don’t make me go through a 7 step unskippable onboarding every time I come back to the app after a break. Putting biz goals above user experience. Deleting.
Used to love it
The recent forced commitments we have to make in this app ruins it for me. Do y’all really not have anyone helping you keep this giant app trauma informed?? You need to. Forcing commitment (no option to turn it off) is toxic. I do not want to hit that button after each meditation. It literally adds to my trauma. Do better!! And take away all the screens forcing me to use this app in the way you want us to.
En…
Cory Doctorow coined the term.
Stop the pop up’s
Just open the app.
TOTAL SCAM
THIS COMPANY CLAIMS TO OFFER A MONTH TRIAL AND THEN CHARGES FOR A FULL YEAR WITHOUT REFUND. AVOID. VERY VERY BAD KARMA.
Marketplace and Social Media Center
Not a place for centering. I was a member for 11 years. The app has morphed into a social media platform and marketplace selling feel-goo/look-good spirituality. The app’s format is polished but intrusive and distracting from actual spiritual centeredness and quiet. You have to walk and wade through the marketplace morass before you can find a quiet space. I think the app has lost its way in the pursuit of profitability. Its spirituality has capitulated to capitalism.
Bloatware
This used to be a simple and elegant meditation timer. They’ve sacrificed the simplicity and elegance for all kinds of features I don’t need.
If you want those features, great. If not, I would suggest a different timer.
If you want those features, great. If not, I would suggest a different timer.
Used to be Great
Whatever update you did to the app scrap it! Bring it back to what it was. It used to run great I created a playlist and they used to play all night going from one track to the next and ever since you did this update to the app it doesn’t play through the night anymore and I have not had a good nights sleep since so please fix it.
Too complex
I have used Insight Timer for YEARS and loved it but now it has become too complex and has made meditation difficult. I can’t even find where to type a word to search for a meditation. Stop trying to be flashy. Less is more…especially in meditation. Go back to what made the app great in the first place - simplicity.
Focus
I rarely leave reviews. I’ve been using this app for 10 years or so. This app keeps getting more and more annoying to use with screens that you can’t skip, reminders, new features, and pointless things that keep you from doing the one thing the app is meant to do: which is to meditate.
Please implement the ability to permanently skip take over screens. Do not ever take away the ability to skip screens for your users. It is frustrating.
Do not lose sight of the one priority that people have when they open your app to use it. If you continue trying to push people in different directions, your app loses focus, and then it loses users.
Please implement the ability to permanently skip take over screens. Do not ever take away the ability to skip screens for your users. It is frustrating.
Do not lose sight of the one priority that people have when they open your app to use it. If you continue trying to push people in different directions, your app loses focus, and then it loses users.
Only free for few days
Didn’t warn or give me the option to cancel before the free subscription was over. I was immediately billed $66. Will be cancelling this app soon.
Content is great. UI sucks.
This app has fantastic content. But the user interface isn’t great. There is no consistent menu you can access, no way to see an overview of the courses when you are doing them to easily return to one of the previous days if you’d like, you only get access to the session you’re in. No way to bookmark an area inside a course or mediation you want to return too. Once you’re done with a meditation they force you through a series of questions, etc… I hope they can make some changes so the user has more options on how they want to maneuver through the app. Right now it feels very limited and controlled.
NAGGING NOTIFICATIONS & EXPENSIVE
TOO COMPLICATED Even after 4 months, if you don’t use the app regularly, you cannot even navigate to a menu without having to answer *no option* unnecessary questions **on 4 screens**. Heck I just wanted to select a meditation type, but had to pass a NANNY first.
Annoying
It has a a great, simple meditation timer. But every time I open the app I have to page thru 5 pages of commitments, notification requests, and other scammy app-addictive engagement enticements to reach it.
I just want to meditate in silence. Stop over-complicating an activity designed of simplicity.
I just want to meditate in silence. Stop over-complicating an activity designed of simplicity.
Too hard to sort through options
The good: so much choice. The bad: way too much choice. I found it impossibly hard to find or filter meditations
Disappointed
I’ve been a longtime user, and lover, of this app. I have been increasingly concerned though about the chaos of the display. Now after recent updates my playlists and saved tracks have disappeared. There seems to be a lot more of the thing I don’t need in a meditation app and a lot less of the things I want and use.
No privacy
I’ve used this app since 2018, and it has been great overall. Better than any of the other meditation apps hands-down. I don’t like how much of the “data linked to you” they collect (all of it). What are they doing with it? They also allow AI for content. The pop-ups are ridiculous asking for even more data. I think I’m going to delete my profile and stop using the app. Do not recommend.
Annoying Forced Commitment
Love the videos but PLEASE stop forcing us to “commit” and choose options. Your app would support well-being much more if we had a little more control and autonomy in this. I am actively looking for other mindfulness apps because this approach seems so antithetical to the purpose of the app.
Cynical engagement features pollute the app
I used to love this app. Now, whenever I enter the app or finish a meditation, I have to go through a barrage of screens that force me to click that I am committed to repeatedly use the app and enter other info. Not only are these annoying, but I find it cynical for the designers of this app to use features that promote digital engagement in an app that is about meditation. The app is rigidly prescriptive in assuming that people want to use their app every single day. Further, I cringe when I am forced to agree to something that I do not agree to.
Too many questions
I have been using Insight Timer for over 13 years. It used to be a simple meditation forum. Now I can’t open it without it asking joe I am feeling or how committed I am to a practice. I also wish I could turn off the tracker that keeps track of how many days I’ve meditated consequently. It gets up there and I meditate with a friend and don’t use the app snd I am back to zero. Originally, I paid the for additional upgrade so I could add more bells to the timer and download guided meditations. Then they upgraded the system and I no longer can do those things. This used to be a website to help, now it seems like a Big Brother trying to make $$$$
Sentiment summary
98%
Positive (4-5★)
1%
Neutral (3★)
1%
Negative (1-2★)