Plum Village Mobile App

What Plum Village Mobile App does

Plum Village Mobile App is a free mindfulness and meditation application operated by the UK-based non-profit Centre for Applied Ethics Ltd, in collaboration with the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation and Plum Village (CBZ Village des Pruniers). Launched in 2018, the app delivers guided meditations, deep relaxations, dharma talks, chants, a customizable Mindfulness Bell, and a Meditation Timer drawn from the Plum Village Buddhist tradition founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. It is distributed globally on the Apple App Store and Google Play, with a browser-based Web Edition at web.plumvillage.app, and supports multiple languages via volunteer-submitted subtitles.

The technology stack is a standard cross-platform mobile app (iOS 15.1+ and Android 7+) with offline media download capability and a companion web application. Notable features include version 4.0's Contributor Screens (highlighting individual teachers, monks, nuns, and lay practitioners) and version 5.0's Practice Reminders, alongside a weekly Wake Up Films short-video series and The Way Out Is In podcast. A small team of approximately 11 people (the "Oak Forest Team") builds, maintains, and curates the product.

The business model is entirely donation-based. The app is free with no in-app purchases or premium tiers; revenue comes from the Oak Forest Family membership program at three monthly tiers (Young Oak at $7, Majestic Oak at $12, and Legendary Oak at custom amounts) plus one-time donations. In 2024, the organization received $219,205 in community donations, supporting 160,000 monthly practitioners at an effective cost of roughly $1.37 per practitioner per year. There is no advertising, no personal data selling, and no venture capital or equity funding; the entity is a non-profit company limited by guarantee. The Oak Forest Team engages users through community word-of-mouth, app store reviews, social media, a public feedback board, and a bi-monthly podcast.

Name

Plum Village Mobile App

Legal name

Centre for Applied Ethics Ltd

Website

https://plumvillage.app

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Plum Village Mobile App is a free, donation-supported meditation app operated by UK non-profit Centre for Applied Ethics Ltd, delivering guided meditations and dharma talks from Thich Nhat Hanh's Plum Village tradition to global individual practitioners across iOS, Android, and web.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mindfulness & Meditation Apps

NAICS

Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services (519290)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Meditation Apps, Digital Courses & Online Communities (HSADAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health, Wellness & Patient Communities (MPACAJAL), Mobile App Stores & Marketplaces (BPAMADAA)

Keywords

• Mindfulness mobile app
• Guided meditation app
• Buddhist teachings
• Meditation platform
• Wellness app

Headquarters

HQ city

Tallinn

HQ country

Estonia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations - Monthly Subscription: Recurring monthly donations through the Oak Forest Family program at three tiers: Young Oak ($7/month), Majestic Oak ($12/month), and Legendary Oak (custom amount). Supports operational stability.
2. Donations - One-time: One-time donations in amounts of $5, $10, $20, $50, or $100 for supporters unable to make recurring donations. Accepted via card, PayPal, or bank transfer in multiple currencies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Plum Village Mobile App is a free mindfulness application offering guided meditations, deep relaxations, dharma talks, a mindfulness bell, and a meditation timer, drawing on the Zen Buddhist teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh and his monastic community. The app is developed and operated by the non-profit Centre for Applied Ethics Ltd (UK) and made available to individual users on iOS, Android, and the web, supported by community donations rather than paid subscriptions.

Product overview

Plum Village Mobile App is a free mobile and web application providing digital mindfulness resources from the Plum Village tradition founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. The core offering includes the Plum Village Mobile App (iOS and Android) and its Web Edition, which provide access to guided meditations, deep relaxations, dharma talks, mindfulness bell notifications, and meditation timers. Supporting products include The Way Out Is In podcast and the Wake Up Films short video series. The app operates on a donation-based sustainability model through the Oak Forest Family membership program. Content is available in multiple languages with subtitles contributed by volunteers, making mindfulness teachings freely accessible to a global community of practitioners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Oak Forest Family: The donor support program for the Plum Village App, inspired by the model of small groups formed at Plum Village retreats.
• Wake Up Films

Products and services

• Plum Village Mobile App (iOS) Free iOS app providing guided meditations, deep relaxations, dharma talks, mindfulness bell, and meditation timer for individual mindfulness practitioners.
• Plum Village Mobile App (Android) Free Android app offering the same library of guided meditations, dharma talks, and mindfulness tools as the iOS version, aimed at individual practitioners.
• Plum Village Web App Browser-based version of the Plum Village mindfulness app delivering guided meditations, dharma talks, and mindfulness tools to users without mobile devices.
• The Way Out Is In Podcast
• Wake Up Films Collection of short films and video content supporting mindfulness practice, associated with the Plum Village app ecosystem.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.9 million hours of collective meditation practice supported in 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Thay's Translated Teachings ProjectmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Translation project begun by one translator to render Thich Nhat Hanh's Vietnamese dharma talks into English for personal practice, expanded to serve the wider community. Doubled its YouTube following in 2024 with 55 translated teachings including full-length talks and excerpt videos.
• Centre for Applied EthicscoreOthersThe operating organization behind the Plum Village App. A non-profit company limited by guarantee based in the UK. Manages all operations, development, and financial stewardship of the app.
• Thich Nhat Hanh FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit foundation supporting the preservation and dissemination of Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings. Collaborates with Centre for Applied Ethics on the Plum Village App project.
• Plum Village (CBZ Village des Pruniers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe original monastery and global community of mindfulness practice centers founded by Thich Nhat Hanh in France. Monastics from Plum Village provide teachings, content, and guidance for the app. Sister True Dedication oversees the app from Plum Village HQ in France.
• Lotus InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational non-profit co-founded by Dr. Larry Ward and his wife Peggy Rowe Ward. Provides talks and meditations for the app, focusing on Engaged Buddhism, trauma healing, and mindful relationships. Larry Ward was a senior Dharma teacher in the Plum Village tradition.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Insight Timer: The largest free meditation app, offering guided meditations, talks, and community features across Buddhist, secular, and spiritual traditions. Most directly comparable to Plum Village on free access, breadth of teacher content, and community/social features.
• Buddhify: Mobile meditation app explicitly rooted in Buddhist teachings with sessions for different daily activities. Closely comparable to Plum Village's mission of delivering Buddhist-flavored mindfulness via mobile.
• Oak (meditation app): Mobile meditation app featuring simple, accessible mindfulness practices. Comparable to Plum Village as a focused, mobile-first meditation tool targeting daily practitioners.
• Ten Percent Happier: Meditation app targeting skeptics and beginners with teacher-led content (including Buddhist teachers). Comparable on guided meditation delivery, teacher-driven content model, and consumer wellness positioning.
• Balance: Personalized meditation app offering guided sessions, sleep content, and coaching. Comparable as a polished mobile meditation product targeting individual practitioners seeking structured daily practice.
• Waking Up: Subscription meditation app founded by Sam Harris blending secular mindfulness with contemplative philosophy and teacher-led content. Comparable on integrating a specific philosophical tradition into a polished mobile meditation product.

Broad incumbents

• Headspace: Subscription-based meditation and mental health app with broad secular content and B2B employer partnerships. Comparable on guided meditation delivery and mobile-first UX, but operates as a large commercial incumbent rather than a non-profit.
• Calm: Leading subscription meditation and sleep app with a large content library and mainstream brand. Overlaps with Plum Village on guided meditation and sleep content but differs in paid model and broader secular positioning.

Emerging players

• Liberate Meditation: Meditation app designed for the BIPOC community with culturally-informed guided meditations and teachers. Comparable as a values-driven (community-focused) meditation app with free access and teacher-led content.
• Sattva: Meditation and mantra app rooted in Vedic and Sanskrit traditions with chants and guided practices. Comparable as a tradition-rooted meditation app offering free and premium content on mobile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/plumvillageapp
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLHB1Zqu9mBt8tQBBLLInbEaNlmqWiUeuP
• Facebookfacebook.com/plumvillageapp
• Instagraminstagram.com/plumvillageapp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plum-village-app

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Plum Village Mobile App