Plum Village App
Free mindfulness app offered by the UK non-profit Centre for Applied Ethics with Plum Village, with guided meditations, chanting and teachings, funded by donations
Quick Overview
| Company | Centre for Applied Ethics Ltd |
|---|---|
| Category | Meditation and Mindfulness Apps |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - United Kingdom (outside the EU, adequacy decision) |
| Data Location | Not stated |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | No |
| Main Features | Guided meditations, chanting by monks and nuns, practice songs, answers from Thich Nhat Hanh, teachings on difficult emotions, mindfulness bell, web version, browser extensions |
| Pricing | Free; funded by voluntary donations |
| Best For | People drawn to the Plum Village tradition of mindfulness who want a free app without upsells |
| Replaces | Calm, Headspace |
Detailed Review
This app has a different shape from Calm. It is built around the teachings of the Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh and his monastic community, and the site calls it a free app with guided meditations, deep relaxations and other practices.
The privacy page says the app is offered by the Centre for Applied Ethics, a non-profit organisation based in the UK, in collaboration with the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation and Plum Village (CBZ Village des Pruniers).
What You Get
The about page lists guided meditations, chanting from monks and nuns, practice songs, hundreds of answers from the Zen master to students' questions, teachings on difficult emotions and a mindfulness bell that reminds you to return to your breath. A web version and Chrome and Firefox add-ons that show a calligraphy in each new tab sit beside the phone apps.
The number of practices and the supported languages are not stated on the pages checked.
Funding and Data
The app is completely free and, in the organisation's words, operates entirely on donations; it does not sell advertising or personal data. Sign-in is optional, so the app can be used without an account, and the privacy page says the organisation tries to minimise the data and cookies it collects.
The site claims more than 500,000 downloads, which is the organisation's own figure.
Limits of the Format
Plum Village is a tradition, not a general wellness catalogue. The pages checked do not describe a sleep-story library or music range comparable to Calm, and the content is shaped by one Buddhist lineage. People who want secular programmes by goal or timed courses should look at the other apps on this page.
Limitations to Consider
The review rests on the organisation's app, about and privacy pages, not on a hands-on test. Library size, languages, hosting location and company number are not stated on the pages checked, and the download figure is the organisation's own claim.
Who Should Use Plum Village App
Readers and practitioners of Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings who want a donation-funded app from a UK non-profit.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Completely free with no advertising and no sale of personal data
- Optional sign-in, usable without an account
- Non-profit operator in the UK
- Web version and browser extensions next to the apps
- Teachings and Q&A content not found in commercial apps
Cons
- Content shaped by a single Buddhist tradition
- Sleep-story and music catalogue not described on the pages checked
- Library size and languages not stated
- Collaboration partners include the US-based Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation, though the app is offered by the UK entity
Alternatives to Plum Village App
Other European meditation and mindfulness apps worth comparing before you decide:
7Mind
Germany · Berlin courses-first meditation app with monthly and yearly plans
Petit BamBou
France · French meditation, breathing and sleep app with a free tier
Medito
Netherlands · Free open-source meditation app run by a Dutch foundation
8Breath
Germany · German breathwork and meditation app with a large free tier
See all European meditation and mindfulness apps or compare them directly against Calm on our alternatives page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The about page calls it completely free and says it operates entirely through donations.
The privacy page says it is offered by the Centre for Applied Ethics, a UK non-profit, in collaboration with the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation and Plum Village.
No. The privacy page says sign-in is optional and enables certain online features, and that the app can be used without signing in.