Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized mental health care. We personally tested the top AI therapy apps, exploring features like journaling, meditations, and tailored self-care. Apps like MindDoc and Earkick analyze daily patterns to provide customized support, offering a unique and personalized experience.
Our Top Picks
- Best Chatbot - Wysa | Read review
- Best for Self-Therapy - Mindspa | Read review
- Best for Self-Care - MindDoc | Read review
- Best for CBT Techniques - Youper | Read review
- Best for Mental Health Monitoring - Earkick | Read review
- Best for Journaling - Rosebud | Read review
Top Apps at a Glance
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Premium version has extensive features -
Personalized recommendations -
Crisis support numbers included
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Bot can't always distinguish thoughts versus feelings -
Journaling features are limited
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Diary offers evaluation of emotions -
Diary has free-text space -
Educational articles available
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Minimal video/audio with free version -
Chatbot function is limited -
Features are easy to miss
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15% off first month with BetterHelp -
Recommends meditations based on mood -
Assesses mood for 14 days
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No free text in journal
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Easy-to-follow CBT techniques -
Personalized experience -
Offers monthly assessments
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No free version of the app -
No monthly subscription plan -
No audio/visuals for CBT skills
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Can use text, audio, or video -
Short and user-friendly meditations -
Extensive journaling & tracking options
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All meditations are short
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Thoughtful and varied journal prompts -
Insights offered based on journal entries
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Limited to journaling -
Journal data is only saved with paid plan
Detailed App Reviews
Below are our top picks for the best AI Therapy apps
Cost: $19.99 monthly
Free Trial? Yes, 7 days.
Wysa is an artificial intelligence chatbot that uses CBT techniques, meditations, and yoga to help users with mental wellness. We chose Wysa for Best Chatbot because of its extensive features, personalized recommendations, and ease of use.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Premium plan offers access to experienced mental health professionals
- Free basic plan includes meditations and coping skills
- Personalized recommendations for meditation
- Crisis support resources available to all users
Cons - Not well adapted to understanding the difference between feelings and thoughts
- Journaling features are limited
Cost
Wysa offers a variety of plans at $19.99 monthly, $74.99 annually, or $299.99 for a lifetime membership. There is a 7-day free trial to get the most out of the app library, however, the free version still includes access to the AI therapist chatbot, meditations, and CBT-based coping skills.
Wysa Premium Includes:
- Full access to their library of meditations and cognitive exercises
- Improved customization based on what you share with the AI therapist bot
- Access to Wysa’s Emotional Wellbeing Professionals, some of whom are experienced mental health providers
Overview
Wysa is an AI Therapist that offers chatbot support, wellness professionals at an additional cost, journaling, meditations, and coping skills. Wysa users will benefit from its linkage to crisis lines if needed, as well as a built-in safety planning feature for users in need. Wysa advises its limitations and prompts users in immediate crisis to engage with a crisis line or other professional support in their area.
Wysa provides its services to adolescents and adults aged 13 and older, discouraging anyone younger due to its limitations and level of appropriateness. The app keeps logs of your data for you to easily review your progress and the app will periodically provide a mental health assessment, based on empirically supported questions, to also assess your progress.
Using the Wysa app was a hands-on and interactive experience. It offered us an AI therapist chatbot, a journal, and personalized meditation recommendations.
While the chatbot was supportive, it sometimes struggled with nuanced responses. Our team found that the meditations were effective, and the inclusion of crisis lines and safety planning features was a standout.
To learn more, read our full Wysa review.
Cost: $4.99 – $99.99 per course
Free Trial? Free version available
MindSpa is a mental health app for self-guided therapeutic exercises. We chose it as the Best Self-Therapy App because of the self-directed experience for each user, along with the extensive AI chatbot features.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Diary tracks emotions, physical sensations, and gratitude
- Free-text journaling for flexibility
- Well-crafted articles
Cons - Minimal video or audio resources with free version
- The chatbot function is limited
- Assessments are easy to miss
Cost
With MindSpa, there are no annual or monthly premiums. The full range of courses can be individually unlocked with prices ranging from $4.99 to $99.99 per course. There is a free version of the app, though it does lack certain features.
MindSpa Premium Courses Include:
- Premium courses that are developed by a team of psychologists who utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Gestalt therapy approaches
- The courses have multiple lessons, each providing educational content, actionable steps, and guidance on understanding one’s needs, emotions, and behavior.
- Users are provided daily assignments to form healthy new habits
Overview
Mindspa is a self-help app to support those struggling with mental health symptoms. Mindpa offers both free and premium courses that provide users with a variety of self-help options ranging from forgiveness to managing depressed moods. These courses were developed in partnership with psychologists who specialize in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Gestalt Therapy.
Mindspa was developed for persons aged 13 years and older. Mindspa users benefit from an array of free mini-courses, called psychosutras, which offer detailed cognitive coping skills. Mindspa has a multitude of features in addition to their courses including an AI therapist chatbot, a reflective diary, crafted self-help articles, and self-administered mental health assessments.
The Mindspa app has wonderfully detailed psychosutras and articles applicable to self-help needs. The fact that premium courses are meticulously crafted by psychologists makes interfacing with this kind of self-help therapeutically unique.
We found that, overall, MindSpa takes self-help a step further with the integration of extensive features.
Cost: $29.99 every 3 months
Free Trial? Yes, 7 days.
MindDoc is a menal health and self-care app that uses assessments of a user’s mood to make insights and recommendations. We chose the app as the Best for Self-care due to the integration of mental and physical health, social wellness, and more.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Internal link to BetterHelp offering 15% off the first month
- Daily meditative activities support self-assessment of mood and emotions.
- Tracks mood three times daily for 14 days to provide accurate mood management recommendations.
Cons - No free-text option in journal
Cost
MindDoc costs $29.99 every 3 months, $44.99 every 6 months, or $69.99 annually. They do offer a 7-day free trial for any plan. Likewise, there is a free version of the app that has limited features as compared to MindDoc Plus.
MindDoc Plus Includes:
- Access to all courses and exercises
- Ability to answer more questions daily for feedback
- More personalized feedback based on answers to questions
- Full access to previous entries
Overview
MindDoc is a self-care app that provides self-care recommendations based on user data over a period of time. These recommendations provide various insights, reflective activities, daily exercises, and courses to improve one’s mental state and habits. These insights are created through questions about the user’s mental, physical, and social health.
The app has a sleek design that is easy to navigate. Various education courses are available, allowing users to track all facets of life, including mental health, physical health, relationships, and more.
The MindDoc app is beautifully designed with likely the most adaptive features to your self-care needs. The internal link to BetterHelp with a 15% off perk for the first month is a huge plus for anyone looking to start their therapy journey. While our team was disappointed that the journal feature did not have a free-text option, we made good use of its recommendations.
Cost: $69.99 annually
Free Trial? Yes, 7 days.
Youper is a mental health app that utilizes AI to teach CBT skills. As such, we chose Youper as our winner for Best AI App for CBT Techniques. The app offers personalized recommendations for CBT exercises, making it a sure winner.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Chatbot provides easy-to-follow CBT instructions
- Collects data to tailor experience
- Provides various mental health assessments
- Healthcare integration lets your providers access data
Cons - No free version of the app
- No monthly subscription plan
- No audio/visuals for important CBT skills
Cost
Youper costs $69.99 annually with a 7-day free trial. There currently is no free version of the app.
Overview
Youper is an AI-integrated therapy app crafted by therapists through a CBT lens. Youpers premium users benefit from lifelong tracking of their mood and self-directed mental health assessments. Premium users have unlimited access to Youpers AI therapist chatbot and CBT techniques.
Youper was created for people aged 13 and older. Certain electronic medical records and Youper have contracted to provide therapists and clients the ability to share Youpers data in real-time. This offers clients the ability to show their mood shifts, negative thoughts, and other health data to their therapist like never before.
We really enjoyed how accessible Youper was for learning CBT techniques. The app offered a variety of coping skills, making it quick and easy to manage emotions and mood. While there is little in the way of audio/visual options, Youper is at the forefront of AI’s further integration into healthcare spaces.
To learn more, read our full Youper review.
Cost: $8.99 monthly
Free Trial? Yes, 7 days
Earkick is a mental health app that helps users track their emotions and learn insights about themselves. We chose Earkick as the best Mental Health Monitoring app for its array of features that make the experience not just adaptable but user-friendly for all persons.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Free text, audio, and video options for self-expression
- Quick, user-friendly meditations to fit any schedule
- Personalized check-in prompts and daily quotes based on reflections
- Wide range of modifiable soundscapes
Cons - Does not offer longer meditations
Cost
Earkick costs $8.99 monthly or $140 annually. There is a 7-day free trial. There is a free version of the app that lacks certain features of Earkick Premium.
Earkick Premium Includes:
- Increased AI therapist chatbot support
- Unlimited routine planning
- Unlimited number of notification reminders with your personalized routines
- Full multimedia access to your AI therapist chatbot
Overview
Earkick is a multimedia AI therapist chatbot that offers personalized recommendations for various mindfulness activities and soundscapes. Earkick will even personalize uplifting quotes based on your check-in each day. You can personalize your Earkick Panda Companion based on what feedback you are looking for, from the Wise Panda to the Empathetic Panda, making the app not only useful but fun.
Earkick is available for persons aged 13 and older. Users can track moods and daily habits to see trends and patterns. Earkick can even track the latter in conjunction with the weather and can integrate data from the user’s smartphone health app.
We found the Earkick app to be very impressive. The content was helpful for us to detect and track moods and emotions, and the personalized meditations and soundscapes helped us manage those moods better.
The daily quote is both thoughtful and intentional. Earkick’s habit-forming features paired with the AI therapist chatbot are unique when compared to other AI-inspired apps.
Cost: $12.99 monthly
Free Trial? Yes, 7 days
Rosebud is an AI-powered journaling app that was developed out of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). We chose Rosebud for our Best Journaling App because of how open-ended, thoughtful, and intentional the journal prompts are.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Thoughtful prompts and open-ended questions
- Specialized journal topics
- Journaling features designed by licensed professionals
- Offers insights to help grow from reflections
Cons - Limited to journaling
- Long-term journaling data is only saved with a paid plan
Cost
Rosebud costs $12.99 monthly or $107.99 annually. There is a 7-day free trial of the paid plans, along with a free version of the app that lacks certain features compared to Rosebud Premium.
Rosebud Premium Includes:
- Long-term data to save your journal indefinitely
- Access to audio journaling
- Enhanced AI personalization and suggestions
Overview
In our review of the top AI therapist apps, we discovered a variety of options catering to diverse needs and preferences. Among them, Wysa emerged as the Best AI Therapist Chatbot, excelling with its comprehensive features.
The Rosebud app offered us vast journaling options to keep all our thoughts, hopes, fears, and dreams in one place. The app is limited to journaling, yet the journaling options are not limited in their scope. Each prompt is both encouraging and reflective, helping us gain insights into our mental health.
Compare the Best AI Therapy Apps
| Cost | $19.99 monthly | $4.99 - $99.99 per course | $29.99 every 3 months | $69.99 yearly | $8.99 monthly | $12.99 monthly |
| Free Trial? | Yes, 7 days | Yes, 7 days | Yes, 7 days | Yes, 7 days | Yes, 7 days | Yes, 7 days |
| Apple devices? |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Android devices? |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Chatbot Feature? |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Journaling? |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Live Coaching/Therapy? |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Cost | |||||
| $19.99 monthly | $4.99 - $99.99 per course | $29.99 every 3 months | $69.99 yearly | $8.99 monthly | $12.99 monthly |
| Free Trial? | |||||
| Yes, 7 days | Yes, 7 days | Yes, 7 days | Yes, 7 days | Yes, 7 days | Yes, 7 days |
| Apple devices? | |||||
 |  |  |  |  |  |
| Android devices? | |||||
 |  |  |  |  |  |
| Chatbot Feature? | |||||
 |  |  |  |  |  |
| Journaling? | |||||
 |  |  |  |  |  |
| Live Coaching/Therapy? | |||||
 |  |  |  |  |  |
More AI Therapy Apps to Explore
The companies listed above are our best picks for AI therapist chatbot apps. However, there are several others worth mentioning. In the event none of our picks suit your needs, we have compiled this list of other apps that may better serve you. If you are looking for more AI companion support, even more coping skill options, or digital coaching, check out our list below.
Cost: $28.99 monthly, $48.99 every 3 months, $98.99 annually
Free Trial? Free version available
Learn MoreShow less
Elomia is an AI companion app, designed to support your mental well-being. By asking thoughtful questions, it learns about you and tailors conversations to meet your unique needs. During sign-up, you’ll identify your main concerns and goals, ensuring a personalized experience from the start. Even in its free version, Elomia offers quick and easy mindfulness exercises to help you feel grounded and supported.
Cost: $4.99 - $12.99 monthly
Free Trial? Yes, 7 days
Learn MoreShow less
Lotus is an AI therapist chatbot that provides multimedia interactions to users. Lotus will ask users questions to gain insight into their pressing needs. Lotus compiles these conversations, called “sessions”, to provide a mantra and guided meditation to the user. Lotus provides three free sessions to users and a lite or monthly plan thereafter.
Cost: Free
Free Trial? App is free
Learn MoreShow less
Abby is a “PhD Level AI therapist” according to its website. Abby is a web-based platform and, at this time, Abby does not have a specific app. Abby provides a no-cost AI therapist chatbot to users who sign up on their platform. Abby promotes that it is not only free but encrypted, with daily check-ins, and multilingual support.
Cost: $19.99 monthly
Free Trial? Yes, for one 8-week program
Learn MoreShow less
Coach Marlee is an AI coach that provides companies and their teams with daily motivation. Marlee utilizes a series of questions to adapt its daily motivations to the needs of each team member. Marlee can also be utilized by companies for talent acquisition, conflict management, and talent development.
Cost: $5.83 monthly
Free Trial? No
Learn MoreShow less
Replika is an AI chatbot companion that consumers can personalize to their needs. Consumers can choose for Replika to be male, female, or non-binary, have certain characteristics over others, and have a certain temperament. Replika is touted as “a companion who cares”. Interestingly, some consumers have indicated that Replika feels like a “real person” at times.
Cost: $6.99 monthly or $49.99 annually
Free Trial? No
Learn MoreShow less
RiseUp brings together AI and CBT therapy techniques. RiseUp will have consumers complete a personality test and both anxiety and depression self-assessments. The basic free version is limited to self-assessments and check-ins. When you unlock the paid version, you have access to meditations, sleep sounds, over 100 therapy skills, and breathing skills.
Final Verdict
“In reviewing these top AI therapist applications, we have found various options to best fit consumers from all walks of life. Wysa stood out amongst the rest for Best AI Therapist Chatbot due to its extensive chat features and crisis resources.
MindDoc was another app our team was impressed by due of its adaptability to the user and its internal link to BetterHelp. Each of the reviewed apps offers its own spin on AI therapy, with extra features such as mood tracking, journaling, and more. Whatever your needs, these AI therapy apps can be a supportive outlet and resource.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AI therapy?
Are there any AI apps for therapy?
There are a multitude of AI therapy apps for consumers to utilize. These apps range in their scope and many provide an interactive experience with an AI chatbot.
Is there an AI for mental health monitoring?
Yes, one of the most comprehensive AI mental health monitoring apps is Earkick. This app provides a multimedia platform for users to monitor their daily moods, emotions, thoughts, and concerns.
What is the best free AI therapy app?
Wysa offers the best free AI therapy app. While the free version has some limitations in its content, it still provides a tailored AI therapy chatbot experience to each of its users.
What are the risks of AI therapy?
AI therapy is not real-life therapy and consumers should manage their expectations due to the lack of human connection. Additional AI therapy risks may include the potential for misunderstanding, difficulties with clarification, biases, and privacy concerns.1
Choosing Therapy strives to provide our readers with mental health content that is accurate and actionable. We have high standards for what can be cited within our articles. Acceptable sources include government agencies, universities and colleges, scholarly journals, industry and professional associations, and other high-integrity sources of mental health journalism. Learn more by reviewing our full editorial policy.
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Bell, C. (2024, April 30). Wysa app review 2024: pros & cons, cost, & who it’s right for. ChoosingTherapy.com. Retrieved from https://www.choosingtherapy.com/wysa-app-review/
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Thakkar, A., Gupta, A., & De Sousa, A. (2024). Artificial intelligence in positive mental health: A narrative review. Frontiers in Digital Health, 6, Article 1280235. https://doi.org/10.3389/fdgth.2024.1280235
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Sprintis, R. (2024, April 15). Youper app review 2024: pros & cons, cost, & who it’s right for. ChoosingTherapy.com. Retrieved from https://www.choosingtherapy.com/youper-app-review/
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