Software Alternatives & Startups

Calm VS Parse

Compare Calm VS Parse and see what are their differences

Calm

Calm.com can help you reduce stress and increase calm.

Rating
0 reviews
Parse

Build applications faster with object and file storage, user authentication, push notifications, dashboard and more out of the box.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
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Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Parse should be more popular than Calm. It has been mentioned 21 times since March 2021.

social mentions
8 vs 21
Meditation popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 185

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Calm
Parse
Website calm.com parseplatform.org
Pricing —
Open source
Company Startup from the United States —
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Calm 5 features
Parse 5 features
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Calm offers a clean, easy-to-navigate interface that makes it accessible for users of all ages and technical abilities.
  • Wide Range of Content
    Calm provides a broad variety of meditation types, sleep stories, and relaxation music, catering to various preferences and needs.
  • High-Quality Audio
    The app's audio quality is excellent, enhancing the overall user experience and effectiveness of its meditative and sleep-inducing content.
  • Expert-Led Sessions
    Meditations and lessons are led by experienced mindfulness instructors, offering professional quality guidance.
  • Regular Updates
    Calm frequently adds new content, keeping the experience fresh and engaging for long-time users.

Possible disadvantages

  • Subscription Cost
    Calm requires a subscription for full access, which might be expensive for some users compared to other meditation and relaxation apps.
  • Limited Free Content
    The free version of the app offers limited access to its features, restricting the user's experience until they subscribe to the premium service.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Some users have reported occasional compatibility problems with certain devices or operating systems.
  • Data Usage
    Streaming high-quality audio content can consume a significant amount of data, which might be a concern for users with limited data plans.
  • Distracting Notifications
    Some users find the in-app notifications and suggestions for premium content distracting, disrupting the meditative experience.
  • Open Source
    Parse Platform is open-source, which means it is free to use and can be customized to fit the needs of your application without any licensing fees.
  • Rich Feature Set
    Parse provides a wide range of built-in features such as a robust database system, real-time notifications, user authentication, cloud functions, and file storage, reducing the amount of development work needed.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Parse supports multiple platforms including iOS, Android, JavaScript, .NET, and more, enabling easier development across different types of applications.
  • Community and Documentation
    There is a strong community around Parse with extensive documentation and numerous tutorials, which can help developers quickly resolve issues and learn best practices.
  • Unified Backend
    Parse allows developers to manage database, server code, and user authentication in one unified platform, simplifying backend management.

Possible disadvantages

  • Self-Hosting Complexity
    While Parse is open-source, it requires self-hosting, which involves managing and maintaining your own server infrastructure, adding operational complexity.
  • Performance
    Depending on your server setup and scaling needs, you might encounter performance issues, especially for high-traffic applications, requiring constant monitoring and fine-tuning.
  • Limited Scalability
    Parse might not be as scalable as other backend solutions like Firebase, particularly for apps that need to handle massive amounts of data and users.
  • Initial Setup Time
    The initial setup of a Parse server and its environment can be time-consuming and challenging, particularly for those without DevOps experience.
  • Feature Limitations
    While Parse offers a rich feature set, some advanced features available in other modern backend-as-a-service (BaaS) platforms may lack, necessitating custom development.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Calm
Parse

Overall verdict

  • Calm is generally regarded as a beneficial tool for individuals looking to incorporate mindfulness and relaxation practices into their daily routine. Its wide array of resources and personalized content make it a standout choice among meditation and wellness apps.

Why this product is good

  • Calm is considered a good application due to its comprehensive range of features aimed at improving mental well-being. These features include guided meditations, sleep stories narrated by well-known voices, soothing music, and breathing exercises. The app is praised for its user-friendly interface and its ability to cater to both beginners and experienced users in meditation and relaxation techniques.

Recommended for

  • Individuals seeking stress relief and relaxation
  • People interested in learning meditation techniques
  • Those struggling with sleep issues
  • Users looking for mental well-being and focus improvement
  • Anyone wanting to include mindfulness practices in their routine

Overall verdict

  • Parse is a good choice for developers looking for a flexible and scalable backend solution that can be deployed on their own servers or using cloud services. It is particularly beneficial due to its active community and extensive documentation.

Why this product is good

  • Parse is a popular open-source backend-as-a-service framework that simplifies app development by handling server-side components, freeing developers to focus on front-end development. It offers features like push notifications, cloud functions, social media integration, and a real-time database.

Recommended for

  • Developers who want an open-source solution with the freedom to self-host.
  • Teams building mobile or web applications that require a robust backend service.
  • Projects that need strong support for relational data and real-time functionalities.
  • Developers looking to avoid the overhead of writing custom backend code.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Calm 3 videos + Add
Parse 0 videos + Add

Calm App Review 2020: A Psychologist's Honest Opinion

More videos

  • - Meditation Apps: Headspace vs Calm!
  • - I Drank MAGNESIUM Before Bed for a Month | CALM MAGNESIUM HONEST REVIEW

No Parse videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Calm
Parse
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using Calm and Parse. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Calm no reviews yet
Parse no reviews yet

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Calm 8 mentions
Parse 21 mentions
  • Alternatives to scrolling Reddit?
    Meditation. try the calm app or calm.com for sleep stories or sleep body scans. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Redeeming Benefit via App Store?
    If I purchase the Calm membership through the app store, will the rebate still post? I saw in the details it specified "calm.com." Does anyone know for sure? Source: almost 4 years ago
  • [NeedAdvice] 1 Thinking too much is destroying my life. How can I shut down thinking and start living outside of my head?
    I found Waking Up to require more effort than calm.com (or headspace). The latter apps tend to focus on simple things: e.g. Focus on your breathing whereas Waking Up is actually much more about challenging your beliefs of what it even... Source: about 4 years ago

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  • Supabase Alternatives 🔄 in 2025 😼
    Parse deserves mention primarily for its historical significance as the precursor that inspired the entire backend-as-a-service space. Founded in 2011, Parse pioneered many concepts that we now take for granted in modern BaaS platforms. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • The 2024 Web Hosting Report
    Backend as a Service (BaaS) goes back to early 2010’s with companies like Parse and Firebase. These products integrated everything a backend provides to a webapp in a single, integrated package that makes it easier to get started and... - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • How to set up a Parse Server backend with Typescript
    Parse Server is a great way to quickly spin up a backend for your project. Parse is a Node based utility that sits on top of ExpressJS. - Source: dev.to / almost 4 years ago

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Alternatives to Calm and Parse

When comparing Calm and Parse, you can also consider the following products.