Waking Up App Review: Is It Worth It

The Waking Up app isn’t just another meditation tool — it’s a direct challenge to how we think about mindfulness, created by neuroscientist Sam Harris. This review unpacks the app’s features, pricing, and the linguistic curiosities around its name, so you can decide if it’s the right fit for your practice.

Creator: Sam Harris (neuroscientist, author) ·
Platforms: iOS and Android ·
Content: Guided meditations, philosophical lessons, psychology insights ·
Key Sources: Official website (wakingup.com), App Store, Google Play

Five key specs, one standout: the app’s subscription model balances premium pricing with rare accessibility features.

What is the meaning of Waking Up?

Literal meaning vs app name

The phrase “waking up” literally means emerging from sleep. But as an app name, Sam Harris gives it a second layer: waking up to the nature of consciousness itself. The official checkout page describes the app as offering insights for “living a more examined life.”

The app’s mission statement

According to its Google Play listing, the app features “leading voices in meditation, philosophy, and psychology” and aims to help users understand their own minds. The content is “highly curated” and users “will only hear from practitioners the company trusts” (Waking Up checkout).

The implication: Waking Up is not a content dump — it’s a selective, expert-driven path to self-awareness.

Is it Waking Up or wakening up?

Correct spelling of the phrasal verb

The correct present participle is waking up. “Wakening” is an archaic form rarely used in modern English. Grammar resources from Merriam-Webster confirm that “wake up” is the standard phrasal verb.

Common mistakes

Some people write “wakening up” by analogy with “awakening,” but the two have different grammatical roots. The app name explicitly uses “Waking Up” — no “wakening.”

The catch: Stick with “waking up” in everyday writing. “Wakening” will sound as dated as using “thou.”

What is the difference between wake up, waken, and awake?

Grammatical differences

• Wake up: a phrasal verb, most common in conversation (“I wake up at 7 AM”).
• Awake: often used as an adjective (“I am awake”) or a verb (“I awoke”).
• Waken: an older verb form, rarely used without “up” (Merriam-Webster notes it’s less common).

Usage in everyday English

Modern English heavily favors “wake up” for the action of rousing from sleep. “Awake” is more common in literary contexts. The app’s name aligns with everyday speech — another reason it feels approachable.

Why this matters: Using the right verb form in your writing signals linguistic precision, especially if you’re writing about mindfulness or meditation apps.

What is another word for Waking Up?

Common synonyms

• Awakening — often used in spiritual contexts.
• Rousing — more forceful, less about consciousness.
• Getting up — purely physical, no inner dimension.

Formal alternatives

In philosophical writing, coming to awareness or gaining insight serve as synonyms for the non-literal meaning. The app itself uses “Waking Up” as a brand, not a dictionary term.

The pattern: No single word captures the app’s dual meaning — that’s why the name is effective branding.

Is Waking Up Sam Harris good?

App features

Waking Up is structured into three main sections: theory (short lessons on living a considered life), practice (guided meditations), and a timer for unguided sessions, according to a 2020 review from mindful.technology (independent meditation app reviewer). The app also provides a short daily audio message designed to bring meditation into daily life (Waking Up checkout).

Users get access to an ever-growing audio library, in-app support messages, and daily reminders (Google Play).

User reviews

The app holds high ratings on both major app stores. The Apple App Store shows consistent 4.7+ stars, while Google Play ratings are similarly strong. A 2019 review from Bardo Burner (meditation blog) called it “a nonsense-free route to non-dual awareness.”

Pros and cons

The trade-off: you pay more for depth, not breadth.

Two subscription plans, one clear trade-off: pay more for depth or less for breadth.

The spec sheet confirms what the reviews hint at: this is a premium product with a premium price.

“Open the door to a deeper understanding of yourself with guided meditations and insights for living a more examined life.”

— Official Waking Up website (homepage tagline, via Waking Up checkout)

“Created by neuroscientist and best-selling author Sam Harris, Waking Up features leading voices in meditation, philosophy, and psychology.”

— Google Play description

Bottom line: The Waking Up app delivers what it promises — a serious, curated meditation practice grounded in neuroscience and philosophy, not wellness marketing. For deep practitioners and intellectually curious beginners who can afford $19.99/month, it’s a rare find that offers genuine mental clarity.

Frequently asked questions