Calm’s soothing intros for new users and features

Breathe in. Breathe out. Meditation app Calm is here to help you “accomplish your wellness goals.” Whether they’re guiding new or existing users, the team at Calm presents UX that feels straightforward and smooth. If only Downward Dog Pose felt the same way (how is that a “resting pose”?).

Calm begins by asking users what they hope to get out of the app. They also explain why they’re asking: “We’ll personalize recommendations based on your goals.”

When users first explore their dashboard, a helpful modal informs them that they’ll find their stats, history, and more on this page. Calm also uses thoughtful messaging to reinforce the overall experience (e.g. “Track your Calm journey.”)

As new users explore the app, additional modals appear to highlight new and existing features, like Collections.

Calm also offers an overview of changes to the app navigation for existing users, giving them an option to check it out with a “See What’s New” button.

What makes this really good UX:

• Calm can create a more personalized user experience by collecting information during an onboarding survey. This also gives Calm valuable data about their customers, which could be used for future product roadmaps or prioritizing new features.
• As a mobile app, Calm uses multiple modals as users move from one page to another—this approach ensures nothing is missed during onboarding and with new feature announcements.
• The modals also reinforce the product’s value, with messaging like, “help you accomplish your wellness goals.”
• By offering a tour, Calm reduces the likelihood that users will become confused by the app’s updated navigation. In the modal, Calm assures users that the changes will make it “quicker and easier for you to get the most out of Calm.”