Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a common form of psychotherapy that helps you recognize and reframe negative thoughts and behaviors. CBT apps make learning and practicing CBT skills and attending therapy convenient and accessible. But with so many cognitive behavioral therapy apps to choose from, it’s helpful to learn what sets them apart to determine which app is best for you.
Best CBT Apps
There are a number of CBT apps available these days, most of which either teach CBT skills or provide some form of CBT therapy. Negative thoughts can greatly contribute to anxiety or depression symptoms, and may cause stress, sleeplessness, and affect your overall mood. The right mental health app can arm you with tools to help you day-to-day, and can also be helpful to use in-between therapy sessions.
- Best Overall CBT App – Sanvello
- Best General CBT App – MindDoc
- Best for Learning Coping Skills – Bloom
- Best CBT App for Fun – Happify
- Best for LGBTQIA+ – Evolve
- Best CBT App for Insomnia – CBT-I Coach
- Best Mood Lifter – MoodMission
- Best CBT Journal App – CBT Thought Diary
- Best CBT App to Use Alongside In-Person Therapy – CBT Tool for Healthy Living, Self-Help, Mood Diary
- Best CBT App for Anxiety – MindShift CBT
- Best CBT App for Depression – MoodTools
- Best CBT App for Stress Relief – Stresscoach
- Best CBT A.I. Chatbot – Woebot
- Best CBT Live Coaching App – Youper
- CBT Honorable Mention – What’s Up? A Mental Health App
Here’s a complete list of companies reviewed in this article listed in alphabetical order: Bloom, CBT Thought Diary, CBT Tool for Healthy Living, Self-Help, Mood Diary, CBT-I Coach, Evolve, Happify, MindDoc, MindShift CBT, MoodMission, MoodTools, Sanvello, Stresscoach, What’s Up? A Mental Health App, Woebot, and Youper.
1. Sanvello – Best Overall CBT App
Sanvello is truly a one-stop-shop for all things CBT-related, with in-app learning modules and journals, mental health coaching, and therapy. It is a great app for those seeking daily help with anxiety or depression symptoms.
Sanvello Cost
Sanvello has a free version, with costs for subscriptions ranging $8.99 to $50 per month. Therapy costs depend on insurance coverage.
Pros & Cons of Sanvello
Pros
- Free version of the app gives you a good sense of what is available in the premium subscription
- The CBT journals and learning materials are great for beginners
- Mental health coaching is available to anyone
- Therapy may be covered by insurance
- Community space allows you to connect with like-minded people
Cons
- All coaching happens asynchronously via text only
- Therapy is not available to those who want to pay out-of-pocket
- Some of the community chat rooms are not as active as others, and it can take time to find one that’s a good individual fit
Sanvello Features
Sanvello is great for anyone who is struggling with mild anxiety or depression. Sanvello has options for asynchronous texting with a mental health coach or teletherapy available in certain states with select insurance plans. Coaching with Sanvello may not be a good fit for those who need a more personal touch, however, and therapy is not available to those who wish to pay out-of-pocket.
The CBT journals are easy to complete on the go and the meditations are good for beginners. There is a community space, which offers many choices to connect with other like-minded people. However, not all of the chatrooms are very active and it may take some time to find one that is a good fit.
The app is available in app stores or you can sign up on their website, making access to CBT online easy.
Where to Download Sanvello
Sanvello for Apple
Sanvello for Android
2. MindDoc Companion – Best General CBT App
MindDoc is a CBT app that functions as a mood tracker, journal, symptom screener, and monitoring tool. MindDoc may be great for those who want to use CBT for anxiety or depression.
MindDoc Cost
MindDoc has a limited free version, with premium costs ranging from $29.99 for three months, $44.99 for six months and $69.99 annually. There are no free trials currently offered.
Pros & Cons of MindDoc
Pros
- Free version gives you access to some of the CBT activities
- You can choose a 3-, 6- or 12-month subscription
- One premium education module (called “Courses”) is available for free each month
- Dedicated learning module on how to handle the ongoing challenges of COVID-19
Cons
- Much of the content is locked behind a paywall
- It takes 14 days of consistent tracking to see what affects your moods
- No in-app therapy or coaching option (all must be done through the website)
MindDoc Features
MindDoc, previously called MoodPath, is a CBT app that can help you manage symptoms of anxiety and depression. It can also help with sleep disorders, eating disorders, postpartum depression, and various phobias. There is a 10-question assessment you can take up to three times a day. Based on your assessment scores, you are directed to learning modules specifically recommended to help manage your feelings.
An interesting feature in the MindDoc app is the “Treatment” hub. You can sign up for therapy, but it is provided by BetterHelp. It is unclear at this time whether MindDoc shares your information with the therapists on BetterHelp. To learn more about how therapy subscriptions with BetterHelp work, you can read all about it in our detailed BetterHelp review.
Where to Download MindDoc
3. Bloom App – Best for Learning Coping Skills
Bloom is a CBT app exclusively on Apple and features guided video journaling and mindfulness techniques on various topics like anxiety, stress, self-love, and sadness. Bloom would be a great option for people who need help reframing their thoughts and prompts to help with journaling.
Bloom App Cost
The Bloom app costs range from $14.49 per month to $59.99 annually. There is a seven-day free trial, but it is only if you purchase a yearly subscription.
Pros & Cons of Bloom
Pros
- Each video session has a guided journal and mindfulness exercise
- It is very user friendly and easy to navigate
- Seven-day free trial is sufficient to explore everything the app has to offer
- There are stand-alone journals without a guide and most are centered around gratitude
Cons
- Only available for Apple products
- A large majority of the content is locked behind a paywall
- Bloom calls itself “therapy,” but it is actually pre-recorded videos that guide you through CBT activities
Bloom Features
The Bloom app is marketed as “self-therapy,” but it should not be considered so. You will neither have access to a therapist nor will you be able to send in-app texts or talk to a live person at all. All of the “sessions” in the app are pre-recorded videos that guide you through a topic of your choice.
Bloom has three self-guided journals on gratitude, including a journal for setting an intention for your day, and a journal to complete first thing in the morning. Some of the “mindfulness” activities are videos and are more like interesting facts or a quote rather than a meditation. The concept of Bloom is unique in the fact that you watch pre-recorded videos and complete CBT activities while you watch.
Where to Download the Bloom App
4. Happify – Best CBT App for Fun
Happify is a CBT app that features learning tracks, games, journals, and some meditations to help you improve your everyday wellness. It is a great app for people who are brand new to CBT skills.
Happify Cost
Happy has a good free version, and a premium version for $14.99 per month or $139.99 annually. There are currently no free trials of the premium version.
Pros & Cons of Happify
Pros:
- Free version gives you a good sense of what the learning tracks, games, and other activities are like
- There are several learning tracks and meditations for those dealing with racial stress and discrimination
- Activities are not too long and easy to fit into your schedule
Cons:
- There is no free trial of the premium version
- The games and activities feel more focused on having fun rather than on building skills to help with mental health
- App crashes, takes a long time to load, and can be laggy when not connected to wifi
Happify Features
The Happify app offers “tracks,” or short educational courses, created by PhDs, MDs, therapists, and meditation teachers or coaches. Each “track” features activities designed to help you overcome negative thought patterns, build mindfulness and decrease stress or anxiety. These activities include appreciating the small things, practicing gratitude, empathizing with others, or focusing on your aspirations.
Some unique features of the Happify app are the in-app games, with names like “Negative Knockout” and “Uplift” which ask you to face your negative thoughts and focus on the positive. Happify also has unique learning materials created for dealing with racial stress and discrimination, which sets their content apart from many other apps in this space.
Where to Download Happify
5. Evolve: Self Care & CBT Coach – Best for LGBTQIA+
Evolve is a self-care and CBT coach that helps you explore your relationship with yourself and others. It features mindfulness, journaling, aspects of dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and content geared towards the LGBTQIA+ community.
Evolve App Cost
Evolve costs $5.40 per month or $29.99 annually and comes with a seven-day free trial.
Pros & Cons of Evolve
Pros
- User friendly and easy to navigate
- The free trial allows you to explore everything the app has to offer and the monthly subscription fee is not as high as other CBT apps
- Great CBT activities for those new to the skills
- Content on exploring your identity and coming out to loved ones are great resources for the LGBTQIA+ community
Cons
- Even with the seven-day free trial, you may not have enough time to explore everything in the app
- There are only two LGBTQIA+ learning modules to complete and no meditations
- Not be a good fit for people who are already familiar with CBT skills
- The app can be laggy and sometimes crashes
Evolve Features
The Evolve app has the main goal of helping you with your emotional well-being and personal growth. There are learning modules called “journeys,” which explore topics like work, relationships, self and issues specific to the LGBTQIA+ community. Each journey features interactive sessions where you read, journal, or take mini-quizzes about your current mood.
Evolve also features meditations for morning, focus, stress, and anxiety. Each day there is a new journal to complete, along with guided activities that have you do a mood check-in, journal, and a reflection.
Where to Download Evolve
Evolve on Apple
Evolve on Android
6. CBT-i Coach – Best CBT App for Insomnia
CBT-i Coach is a CBT app based on the therapy manual, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in Veterans. The main objective is to help you learn why you cannot sleep, learn tools to fall asleep, and create good habits at night. This app is great for both veterans and civilians.
CBT-i Coach Cost
This app is completely free, with no premium version or premium content.
Pros & Cons of CBT-i Coach
Pros
- Completely free app, with no premium version
- Easy to navigate app
- All of the CBT terms are explained and easy to understand>
Cons
- Very bare-bones app
- Very few meditations to aid in sleep
- No premium content
CBT-i Coach Features
CBT-i is really geared towards those who cannot sleep and want to learn better ways to help quiet their minds. There are four main areas of the app and it does not take long to explore them all. An interesting feature is that you log your sleep, or lack of sleep, and the app helps you come up with a plan for better sleep.
A unique thing about CBT-i is that there are plans you can create in advance for nights you cannot sleep. The journals are not as big of a feature in this app, as it’s more focused on providing educational materials to help you reframe thoughts. This is a great tool for those who struggle with insomnia due to PTSD.
Where to Download CBT-i Coach
CBT-i Coach for Apple
CBT-i Coach for Android
7. MoodMission – Best Mood Lifter
MoodMission is an app that helps you learn ways to effectively cope with stress, anxiety and minor symptoms of depression through various activities and exercises.
MoodMission Cost
MoodMission is a one-time payment of $4.99 with additional in-app costs.
Pros & Cons of MoodMission
Pros:
- Great for those with depression as it asks you to identify what you are feeling and offers suggestions to help you overcome negative feelings
- Excellent explanations of what CBT skills are being used and how they help
- Provides new coping mechanisms for you to try in an easy to understand way
Cons:
- Doesn’t replace a professional therapist
- You have to complete a survey to get into the app
- The app can be a bit confusing to navigate
MoodMission Features
MoodMission is helpful for anyone, whether they need a simple boost in positivity, or help recovering from depression or anxiety. MoodMission offers mindfulness meditations, relaxation techniques, self-encouraging statements (similar to mantras), fitness activities, yoga practices, and gratitude-boosting activities.
There are also premium “Expeditions,” which are in depth learning modules, on the topics such as the fear of public speaking, fear of spiders, and fear of flying. “Expeditions” are an additional in-app cost.
Where to Download MoodMission
MoodMission on Apple
MoodMission on Android
8. CBT Thought Diary – Best CBT Journal App
CBT Thought Diary utilizes CBT-based tools to help you improve your mood, reflect on positive and negative thoughts, practice gratitude, and evaluate your state of mind.
CBT Thought Diary Cost
CBT Thought Diary has a limited free version and a premium version that costs $2.49 per month or $29.99 annually.
Pros & Cons of CBT Thought Diary
Pros:
- Helpful to beginners tracking negative thought patterns
- CBT materials are easy to understand
- Learning series offered for sleep, stress, and relationships are helpful guides that help you change your thought patterns
Cons:
- Best features are locked behind a paywall
- The learning series are very text heavy
- Insight into your mood and journaling activity requires four days of activity
CBT Thought Diary Features
CBT Thought Diary can help you identify your emotions and analyze how and why you’re feeling a certain way. It can teach you to challenge negative thoughts and gives you ways to reframe them. You can use this app as a mood journal, a thought record journal, or a gratitude journal.
There are educational materials that are very text heavy, but cover great topics like negative thoughts, distortions, anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. A unique feature in CBT Thought Diary are guided journals, of which there are over 20! The guided journals cover topics from self-compassion to recognizing your strengths, and really make you want to keep journaling.
Where to Download CBT Thought Diary
CBT Thought Diary on Apple
CBT Thought Diary on Android
9. CBT Tools for Healthy Living, Self-Help, Mood Diary – Best CBT App to Use Alongside In-Person Therapy
CBT Tools is a CBT app only available for Android. It allows its users to log their moods, analyze and reflect on negative thoughts, and set healthy physical and mental goals. CBT Tools is great for people that want a really in-depth CBT app.
Visit CBT Tools for Healthy Living, Self-Help, Mood Diary
CBT Tools Cost
CBT Tools is a free app.
Pros & Cons of CBT Tools
Pros:
- Fairly user-friendly app with a lot of different options to write in a diary, create goals, and log activities or moods throughout the day
- There is no premium version but the free app offers a lot
- Several different types of activities to keep you engaged
Cons:
- There are ads in the app
- The point system in the app gives it an unnecessary competitive feel
- Links in the app send you to the app creator’s website, Excel At Life, to listen to audios
CBT Tools Features
CBT Tools is an in-depth CBT diary and activity tracker. It has sections for daily goals and diary entries, mood and activity logs, and also has an area to take various quizzes and assessments. The quizzes are on a variety of topics, from cognitive style and happiness levels to self-concept and fear avoidance. Everything in the app is designed to help you learn to think about yourself and the world around you in a new way.
Where to Download CBT Tools
CBT Tools for Healthy Living, Self-help Mood Diary – App on Google Play
10. MindShift CBT – Anxiety Relief – Best CBT App for Anxiety
MindShift is dedicated to helping people with anxiety. The app stresses the importance of facing your anxieties head on rather than avoiding them. This is a great app for people who struggle with general or social anxiety.
MindShift Cost
MindShift is a free app.
Pros & Cons of MindShift
Pros
- The app is completely free, with no premium version
- It is very user friendly and easy to navigate
- Really helpful for those who struggle with perfectionism, panic, and phobias
Cons
- There is a community space, but it’s currently experiencing technical difficulties, with no communication as to when this might be fixed
- It is a very text-heavy app (a lot of reading and not enough activities)
- There are only nine meditations available
- The app doesn’t have as much content as other CBT apps
MindShift Features
MindShift is super user-friendly and not very hard to navigate. You can complete a mood check, learn about different types of anxiety, and click through helpful tools, all from the home screen of the app. There is also a place to set goals and to share your progress with others, be it a friend or a doctor. While there is a community space in the app, it seems to be unavailable at the moment.
It also offers a couple of meditations, none of which are difficult to complete, that are good for beginners or those who have never meditated before. One unique feature in MindShift is “coping cards,” which are mantras that you can read to yourself when you feel your anxiety creeping in.
Where to Download MindShift CBT
MindShift CBT – Anxiety Relief on Android
MindShift CBT – Anxiety Relief on Apple
11. MoodTools – Depression Aid – Best CBT App for Depression
MoodTools is designed to help you combat difficult thoughts and alleviate negative moods through various activities and journaling. MoodTools is great for anyone struggling with depression.
MoodTools Cost
MoodTools has a free version of the app and a premium version, with costs starting at $1.99 per month to $29.99 annually.
Pros & Cons of MoodTools
Pros:
- Very user-friendly
- All of the activities are easy and fun to do
- You can take a test that give insight on your depression levels
- You can create a safety plan if you have harmful thoughts
Cons:
- The premium version does not give you new content, just the option to change the color of the app
- All of the videos take you to YouTube, none of them are by MoodTools<
MoodTools Features
MoodTools is a very user-friendly app to help those struggling with depression. There are journaling prompts, videos to watch, activities, and a safety plan to explore. Videos include meditations, soothing sounds and TED Talks, all on YouTube. A couple of the video links seem to be down at this time, however.
Activities range from exercise to chores to socializing, all designed to help you refocus your mind away from your depressed state. You can even add your own activity and customize the list.
A really great feature of this app is the safety plan for those who experience thoughts of self-harm. You fill out your safety plan with warning signs, coping strategies, reasons to live, and contacts. You can also quickly navigate to the crisis section and find the number to the National Suicide Prevention LifeLine.
Where to Download MoodTools
MoodTools – Depression Aid on Apple
MoodTools – Depression Aid on Android
12. Stresscoach – Best CBT App for Stress Relief
Stresscoach, formerly Pocketcoach, uses CBT skills, mindfulness and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). It is great for anyone that may need a little bit of help managing their everyday stress levels.
Stresscoach Cost
Stresscoach is $9.99 per month or $69.99 annually. There are no free trials at this time.
Pros & Cons of Stresscoach
Pros:
- Very user friendly and easy to navigate app
- Educational materials are easy to understand and fun to complete
- Perfect for those with anxiety, stress, or general worry
Cons:
- A few bugs makes the app laggy, sometimes it even crashes
- Much of the content is locked behind a paywall
Stresscoach Features
Stresscoach is an app that focuses on teaching coping skills in just a few minutes a day. The learning materials are lesson plans that focus on topics like letting go of negative thoughts, understanding your own personal psychology, practicing compassion, handling social anxiety, or tackling stress with mindfulness.
Most of the lessons in the app are guided by a little AI bot. Its goal is to help you learn mindfulness skills to tame your stress. There is also a mindfulness section where you can find exercises to help you with panic, acceptance, sleep, and more.
Where to Download Stresscoach
Stresscoach: Reduce Anxiety – Apps on Google Play
Stresscoach – Anxiety Helper on the App Store
13. Woebot – Best CBT Ai Chatbot
Woebot is an AI chatbot based on CBT and DBT skills. It teaches you the art of self-care and it acts like a life coach. Woebot is great for anyone that wants just a little bit of guidance during journaling or really enjoys chatbots.
Woebot Cost
Woebot is free and does not offer a premium version.
Pros & Cons of Woebot
Pros
- You can chat with Woebot right away
- There are a lot of topics you can choose from to help guide your interactions with Woebot
- Woebot writes more like a human and feels less robotic than other chatbots
Cons
- There are no live people to talk to and no community space
- All activities take place with the Woebot AI bot
- While there are a fair number of activities to do, you may run out of things if you consistently interact with Woebot
Woebot Features
Woebot is like a little life coach that fits into your pocket. Your main screen will always be the chatbox you share with Woebot, with three main sections at the top of the app to explore. If you choose “topic,” you can talk to Woebot about subjects like the pandemic, managing emotions, or relationships.
If you choose “tools,” Woebot will start chatting with you about what is currently bothering you. After it discovers a problem, it will recommend a tool, like “rewrite negative thoughts” or mindfulness. There is a mood tracker and a gratitude journal, all of which are to be completed with Woebot as your guide.
Where to Download Woebot
Woebot: Your Self-Care Expert on Android
Woebot: Your Self-Care Expert on Apple
14. Youper – Best CBT Live Coaching App
Youper calls itself a digital-therapy, behavior-coaching, and medication-management app. It uses CBT to help with depression and anxiety symptoms and is great for anyone that needs to speak with someone weekly.
Youper Cost
Youper costs start at $24 per week, go up to $55 per week and are billed monthly.
Pros & Cons of Youper
Pros
- Digital therapy, behavior coaching and medication management make Youper a one stop shop for many
- Behavior coaching is great for those who need to speak with a person in real-time
- All of the activities in the app are guided by an AI bot which helps you stay on track
Cons
- There is no free version of the app
- Digital therapy is currently available only in Texas
- Medication management is currently available only in Texas and California
Youper Features
In the Youper app, you will find all the CBT activities in the “Therapy” hub. There are several categories to explore like, self-care, depression, work, and stress. After you select an activity, either a journal or a meditation, the AI chatbot, Youper, will act as your guide through the activity.
Youper will start the conversation and you will be given a few phrases to select. After a couple of back-and-forth interactions, you will be allowed to journal. If available in your state, you can meet with a therapist via Zoom to discuss your anxiety or depression symptoms and whether you require medication. After that initial meeting, you can then select a behavior coach and meet with them weekly.
It is very important to note that digital therapy is available only in Texas, and medication management is available only in Texas and California at this time. Behavior coaching, however, is available in all 50 states.
Where to Download Youper
Youper on Apple
Youper on Android
15. What’s Up? A Mental Health App – CBT Honorable Mention
What’s Up? is an app that helps users cope with depression, anxiety, anger, and stress. It has educational articles, a dairy, and a habit tracker. What’s Up? would be a great app for anyone that does not want a very large CBT app.
What’s Up? Cost
What’s Up? is free, with three options to donate to the app developers.
Pros & Cons of What’s Up?
Pros
- It is a totally free app with no ads or premium version to worry about
- Small size of the app makes it easy to find what you are looking for
- Quick and easy to add a diary entry or track negative or positive habits
Cons
- The diary does not have a prompt, which can be hard for those who don’t know what to write
- There are no mindfulness exercises to help calm your anxiety
- No community space to connect with others
What’s Up?: Features
What’s Up? teaches you methods to overcome negative thinking patterns, and has areas that focus on breathing and grounding techniques. There are uplifting quotes and affirmations to read, negative and positive habit trackers, and a diary. In the diary, you can note how your day was and rate your feelings on a scale of 1 to 10.
You can customize the look and feel of the app using different colors and themes, although some are an in-app purchase. One interesting feature of What’s Up? is its catastrophe scale, which allows you to drag a slider left or right across the screen to help you visually see how serious your issues are or feel at the time.
Where to Download Whats Up?
What’s Up? – Mental Health App on Android
What’s Up? A Mental Health App on Apple
CBT App Comparison Table
| APP NAME | COST | FEATURE |
|---|---|---|
| Sanvello - Best Overall CBT App | Starts at $8.99 per month | CBT journals, coaching, and therapy |
| MindDoc - Best General CBT App | $29.99 for three months $44.99 for six months $69.99 annually | Courses on social anxiety, postpartum depression, and eating disorders |
| Bloom - Best for Learning Coping Skills | $14.49 monthly $59.99 annually | Guided journals |
| Happify - Best CBT App for Fun | $14.99 monthly $139.99 annually | In-app games, journals, and meditations makes CBT fun and easy to learn |
| Evolve - Best for LGBTQA+ | $5.40 monthly $29.99 annually | Guided CBT courses on gender identity and self-love for LGBTQIA+ community |
| CBT-i Coach - Best CBT App for Insomnia | Free | Created by the VA for those suffering with insomnia and insomnia from PTSD |
| MoodMission - Best Mood Lifter | $4.99 - one time payment | Tools to overcome fear of public speaking, spiders and flying |
| CBT Thought Diary - Best CBT Journal App | $2.49 monthly $29.99 annually | Over 20 guided journals makes journaling easy |
| CBT Tool for Healthy Living, Self-Help, Mood Diary - Best CBT App to Use Alongside In-Person Therapy | Free | Comprehensive CBT diary and mood tracker, that can easily be shared with your primary care provider |
| MindShift CBT - Best CBT App for Anxiety | Free | “Coping Cards” are mantras you can read to yourself when you feel your anxious thoughts creeping in on you |
| MoodTools - Best CBT App for Depression | $1.99 monthly $29.99 annually | For those who experience thoughts of harming themselves, quickly create a safety plan and share it with loved ones |
| Stresscoach - Best CBT App for Stress Relief | $9.99 monthly $69.99 annually | In depth courses on topics like letting go of negative thoughts, handling social anxiety, or tackling stress with mindfulness |
| Woebot - Best CBT A.I. Chatbot | Free | A life coach that fits in your pocket and guides you through journals and mindfulness exercises |
| Youper - Best CBT Live Coaching App | $25-$55 per week, billed monthly | Live behavioral coaching available in all 50 states |
| What’s Up? A Mental Health App - CBT Honorable Mention | Free | Uplifting quotes and affirmations, plus negative and positive habit trackers help you to improve your mood |
Final Verdict
With so many amazing apps on this list, it is hard to pick just one favorite. However, there are a few that stand out, especially when it comes to cost, ease of use, and content. For a free app, I highly recommend MindShift. Apps that are easy to use include Evolve, and Stresscoach. As far as the app with the best CBT content, you’ll have to go with Sanvello.
For Further Reading
- Best Online Therapy Options in 2023
- Get centered with the best meditation apps
- Where to find cognitive behavioral therapy online
- Noom Mood Review
- My Sensa Health App Review
