Our team has used dozens of CBT apps. After consulting their research, I curated a list of the top nine. The best options offer effective, evidence-based CBT exercises, but some have a particular focus, like boosting your mood, managing your anxiety, or improving your sleep. While all the apps on our list are affordable, several stand out for being completely free.
Our Picks
- Best Overall - MindDoc | Read review
- Best for Anxiety - MindShift CBT | Read review
- Best for Depression - MoodTools | Read review
- Best with Therapy - Online-Therapy.com | Read review
- Best AI Chatbot - Youper | Read review
- Best for Journaling - Clarity | Read review
- Best for a Mood Boost - Happify | Read review
- Best for Insomnia - CBT-I Coach | Read review
- Best Free App - What’s Up? A Mental Health App | Read review
Best Apps at a Glance
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Data Points AnalyzedChoosing Therapy’s reviews are fair, honest, thorough and based on firsthand experience. To date, we’ve reviewed mental health solutions offered by more than 300 companies. That has involved more than 2,350 hours of firsthand use and consideration of over 1,150 data points. Our editorial policies outline a rigorous review process, but they all boil down to this: produce reviews that our own friends and family can rely on. Learn more here.
Detailed App Reviews
Here are our thoughts on some of the best CBT apps available today.
Price: Free – $7.49 monthly
Platform: iOS, Android
Focus Area: Mood tracking, exercises, courses
MindDoc stands out as my favorite CBT app for most people, integrating mood tracking, journaling, symptom screening, and monitoring. Its blend of a strong CBT focus and a wide range of features makes MindDoc a well-rounded choice.
Pros & Cons
- 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
- Most content is not free
- No in-app therapy or coaching option (all must be done through the website)
Cost
MindDoc has a limited free version, with premium costs ranging from $7.49 monthly. Subscription packages are available at $29.99 for three months, $44.99 for six months, and $69.99 annually. There are no free trials currently offered.
Overview
Exploring MindDoc, previously known as MoodPath, offered our team valuable insights into managing various mental health challenges. With its 10-question assessments available up to three times a day, the app gently guides users toward learning modules tailored to their current needs and concerns. These modules cover a range of topics, from anxiety and depression to sleep and eating disorders, postpartum depression, and even phobias.
MindDoc has a “Treatment” hub, which provides access to therapy sessions through BetterHelp. While the integration is seamless, we noticed the app leaves some questions about data sharing between MindDoc and BetterHelp, a point worth considering for users seeking therapy. For more details on how these therapy sessions work, our comprehensive BetterHelp review offers further clarity.
As we navigated MindDoc, we thought the daily assessments proved especially helpful, steering us to the right learning modules exactly when we needed them. The app’s layout is thoughtfully designed, with clear labels and intuitive navigation that made our experience smooth.
MindShift is a strong CBT app tailor-made for managing anxiety. The app stresses the importance of facing your anxieties head-on with a CBT focus. Best of all, it’s totally free, with no fees or premium subscriptions.
Pros & Cons
- Completely free, with no premium version
- Designed specifically to manage anxiety symptoms
- The app is very text-heavy
- Content is somewhat limited
- The app doesn’t have as much content as other CBT apps
Cost
MindShift is completely free to download and use.
Overview
We found MindShift to be very user-friendly and easy 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 share your progress with others, be it a friend or a doctor.
The app also offers a couple of meditations that are good for beginners or those who have never meditated before. Our team enjoyed MidShift’s array of interactive exercises, including the “coping cards” feature which provide mantras that you can read to yourself when you feel your anxiety creeping in.
Price: Free – $4.99 monthly
Platform: iOS, Android
Focus Area: Depression management
MoodTools serves as a practical and accessible toolkit for those dealing with depression or low mood. I believe its affordability — free, or just five bucks per month — makes it an invaluable resource for anyone looking to lift their spirits. MoodTools places a strong emphasis on safety, offering a safety planning feature to support users during challenging times.
Pros & Cons
- Very user-friendly
- All of the activities are easy and fun to do
- Includes access to safety planning
- The premium version does not give you new content, just the option to change the color of the app
- No original video content
Cost
MoodTools has a free version of the app and a premium version which costs $4.99 monthly or $29.99 annually.
Overview
MoodTools is a very user-friendly CBT app to help those struggling with depression or low mood. Journaling prompts, videos, activities, and a safety planning round out a handy toolkit for when things get tough. Videos include meditations, soothing sounds, and TED Talks, all on YouTube.
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.
Our team was impressed with the safety planning feature for those who experience thoughts of self-harm. The app allows you to 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.
MoodTools, a useful toolkit of resources, is a great way to use essential CBT skills to help cope with depression.
Price: $240 – $480 monthly
Platform: iOS, Android
Focus Area: Anxiety tracking, exercises
For those seeking online therapy with a strong CBT focus, Online-Therapy.com stands out as one of the best online therapy options available. Its unique self-paced educational course serves as the foundation, offering flexible pathways for both self-guided learning and therapist-supported sessions.
Pros & Cons
- Therapy + self-guided course
- Options for two weekly sessions
- Options for self-guided course
- Unlimited messaging with therapist
- Doesn’t accept insurance
- No mobile app – web browser only
Cost
Online-Therapy.com offers flexible subscription options, with prices ranging from $200 to $440 per month (equivalent to $50 to $110 per week). Each plan includes access to their complete CBT program, unlimited messaging with a therapist, and additional tools like journaling and yoga videos. Note that Online-Therapy.com does not accept insurance.
Here’s a breakdown of their subscription plans:
- Basic Plan ($200/month): This entry-level option provides access to the full CBT course, unlimited therapist messaging, and a suite of wellness tools.
- Standard Plan ($256/month): In addition to everything included in the Basic Plan, this tier features one live therapy session per week.
- Premium Plan ($440/month): This comprehensive plan offers all Standard Plan benefits, but with two live sessions per week for more frequent support.
- Couples Therapy ($440/month): Designed for couples, this plan includes one live session per week, along with full access to the platform’s tools and resources.
To learn more about pricing, visit our full Online-Therapy.com review.
Overview
Each time we’ve used Online-Therapy.com’s services, our team has been impressed with the unique structure of the program. Whether you’d prefer to learn core CBT principles through the built-in course on your own or with a therapist, the platform stands out for offering more structure and support than most online therapy platforms.
While Online-Therapy.com doesn’t have a mobile app for download, the platform works seamlessly on both mobile and desktop web browsers. Therapy sessions are available through video, phone, or live chat.
Learn more about this unique therapy option in our full review of Online-Therapy.com.
Youper is a CBT-based AI therapy app that uses a therapeutic approach to help you manage difficult emotions and situations. Out of all of the AI therapy apps available today, Youper offers the strongest focus on CBT skill-building.
Pros & Cons
- One of the only major CBT-focused AI chabots
- More interactive way of learning CBT skills than other apps
- Fairly expensive
- No free content
Cost
Youper costs $69.99 annually and offers a 7-day free trial.
For more information about cost, you can read our in-depth review of the Youper App.
Overview
Youper is a CBT-based AI chatbot designed to help guide you through therapeutic exercises and help you learn CBT skills. Users can chat with Youper about problematic emotions they’re having, work through interactive therapy exercises, and more.
We think Youper’s A.I. chatbot works well as a tool to guide you through CBT activities and adds a more personalized touch to how you might interact with this content. Our team thought Youper was the best CBT focused option out of all of the AI therapy apps available today.
Read our full Youper review for more details.
Price: $59.99 – $69.99 monthly
Platform: iOS, Android
Focus Area: CBT-based guided journal
Clarity is a guided journal app based on cognitive behavioral therapy techniques. Through daily mood check-ins, you will be able to learn how to identify your negative thoughts, challenge them, and reframe them. Clarity offers the strongest CBT-focused journaling features out of any mental health app we’ve used.
Pros & Cons
- CBT materials are easy to understand
- Detailed learning series available on a variety of topics
- Best features are locked behind a paywall
- Very text and reading-heavy
Cost
The cost of Clarity’s premium plan depends on which app store you use – the Android version costs $59.99 annually, whereas the Apple version costs $69.99 annually.
Visit our review of Clarity for more details on pricing.
Overview
Clarity (formerly CBT Thought Diary) is a mental health journaling app that utilizes CBT principles to help you improve your mental health. Every day, Clarity prompts you to complete a mood check-in and journal entry. These guided journals are designed to help you reflect on your current mood and what is affecting them.
Clarity allows you to choose which journal feels right to you at that time and complete it in the app. After four consistent days of data, Clarity will help analyze patterns and themes in your mood.
We think Clarity is ideal for those newer to CBT skills and need a lot of scaffolding to learn. There are daily prompts that walk you through the entire CBT thought process and there are a few extra features, like meditations.
To find out how journaling with CBT methods can help you, read more in our in-depth review of Clarity.
Price: Free – $14.99 monthly
Platform: iOS, Android
Focus Area: Depression management
Happify is a CBT app that features learning tracks, games, journals, and meditations to help you improve your everyday wellness. Happify has a fun, whimsical vibe, making it a joy to use and a strong option for those looking to boost their mood with positive psychology principles.
Pros & Cons
- Free version gives you a good sense of what the learning tracks, games, and other activities are like
- Variety of learning pathways available
- Activities are a good length
- There is no free trial of the premium version
- Games and activities feel more fun-focused than useful
Cost
Happy has a free version with limited content, and a premium version for $14.99 per month or $139.99 annually. There are currently no free trials of the premium version.
Overview
Happify 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 are based on principles of CBT and positive psychology and 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 its content apart from many other mental health apps in this space.
To learn more, take a look at our full Happify review.
CBT-i Coach is 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 sleep hygiene habits. While designed for veterans, its CBT-based exercises and education are useful to anyone with trouble sleeping.
Pros & Cons
- Completely free app, with no premium version
- Easy to navigate app
- All of the CBT terms are explained and easy to understand
- Relatively bare-bones
- Very few meditations to aid in sleep
Cost
This app is completely free, with no premium version or premium content.
Overview
CBT-i Coach is an app designed by the US Department of Veterans Affairs. It is 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 that our reviewer enjoyed about CBT-i Coach is that there are plans you can create in advance for nights you cannot sleep. This is a great tool for those who struggle with insomnia due to PTSD or other reasons. While CBT-i Coach is fairly bare-bones in terms of features, it functions exactly as it was meant to. It offers good educational information on sleep habits for completely free.
What’s Up? is a free digital mental health toolkit that helps users cope with depression, anxiety, anger, and stress. It has educational articles, a dairy, and a habit tracker. Our team thinks it’s a great resource for those looking for free mental health support.
Pros & Cons
- Completely free
- Simple solution for basic CBT education
- Not very many features
Cost
What’s Up? is free, with three options to donate to the app developers.
Overview
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 in-app purchases. One interesting feature of What’s Up? that our team loved 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.
Comparing the Top CBT Apps
Price | Free - $7.49 monthly | Free | Free - $4.99 monthly | $200 - $440 monthly | $69.99 annually | $59.99 - $69.99 annually | Free - $14.99 monthly | Free | Free |
Platform | iOS, Android | iOS, Android | iOS, Android | Web browser | iOS, Android | iOS, Android | iOS, Android | iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
Focus | General | Anxiety | Depression | Therapy | AI Chat | Journaling | Positive psychology | Insomnia | Free resources |
Price | ||||||||
Free - $7.49 monthly | Free | Free - $4.99 monthly | $200 - $440 monthly | $69.99 annually | $59.99 - $69.99 annually | Free - $14.99 monthly | Free | Free |
Platform | ||||||||
iOS, Android | iOS, Android | iOS, Android | Web browser | iOS, Android | iOS, Android | iOS, Android | iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
Focus | ||||||||
General | Anxiety | Depression | Therapy | AI Chat | Journaling | Positive psychology | Insomnia | Free resources |
Other CBT Apps Worth Considering
In addition to the best CBT apps that we covered above, these apps offer unique features that may be helpful for some people.
Price: $5.40 monthly
Focus: CBT education and coaching for LGBTQIA+ community
Learn MoreShow less
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 costs $5.40 monthly or $29.99 annually and comes with a 14-day free trial.
Price: Free
Focus: DBT & CBT skill-building with an AI chatbot
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Woebot is an AI chatbot based on CBT and DBT skills that teaches you self-care skills and acts like a life coach. Woebot is great for anyone who wants just a little bit of guidance during journaling. It’s totally free to download and use.
Price: $9.99 monthly
Focus: CBT skills, mindfulness, and ACT for stress management
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Stresscoach, formerly Pocketcoach, uses CBT skills, mindfulness, and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). It is great for anyone who may need a little bit of help managing their everyday stress levels. Stresscoach costs $9.99 monthly or $69.99 annually. There are no free trials at this time.
Price: $4.99 one-time free
Focus: Improving mood
Learn MoreShow less
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 is a one-time payment of $4.99 with certain additional in-app costs.
Price: Free (ad-supported)
Focus: Mood logging and trends.
Learn MoreShow less
CBT Tools for Healthy Living is an Android app that allows users to log their moods, analyze and reflect on negative thoughts, and set healthy physical and mental goals. CBT Tools would be a great app to use in addition to regular therapy sessions. CBT Tool for Healthy Living is free to download but is supported by ads. For an ad-free experience, the creators of the app – Excel at Life – offer an option that removes ads from all of the apps in its ecosystem for a one-time fee of $8.99.
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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Church, M. (2024, September). Online-Therapy.com Review: Pros & Cons, Cost, & My Experience. Retrieved from: https://www.choosingtherapy.com/online-therapy-com-review/
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Sprintis, R. (2024, April). Youper App Review: Pros & Cons, Cost, & Who It’s Right For. Retrieved from: https://www.choosingtherapy.com/youper-app-review/
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Bell, C. (2023, May). CBT Thought Diary – Clarity App Review: Pros & Cons, Cost, & Who It’s Right For. Retrieved from: https://www.choosingtherapy.com/cbt-thought-diary-review/
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Bell, C. (2023, May). Happify App Review: Pros & Cons, Cost, & Who It’s Right For. Retrieved from: https://www.choosingtherapy.com/happify-app-review/
We regularly update the articles on ChoosingTherapy.com to ensure we continue to reflect scientific consensus on the topics we cover, to incorporate new research into our articles, and to better answer our audience’s questions. When our content undergoes a significant revision, we summarize the changes that were made and the date on which they occurred. We also record the authors and medical reviewers who contributed to previous versions of the article. Read more about our editorial policies here.
Author: Melissa Boudin, PsyD (New author)
Medical Reviewer: Kristen Fuller, MD (New medical reviewer)
Primary Changes: Complete rewrite of article. Fact-checked all information and reconsidered/made changes to the recommendations list based on research and product testing. Updated where necessary to improve factual accuracy and readability. Companies removed from list: Evolve, MoodMission, Stresscoach. Companies added to list: None.
Author: Caitlin Bell, M.S. (No Change)
Medical Reviewer: Naveed Saleh, MD, MS (No Change)
Primary Changes: Reviewed entire article and revised where necessary to improve factual accuracy, clarity, and enhanced readability.
Author: Caitlin Bell, M.S. (No Change)
Medical Reviewer: Naveed Saleh, MD, MS (No Change)
Primary Changes: Reviewed entire article and revised where necessary to improve factual accuracy, clarity, and enhanced readability.
Author: Caitlin Bell, M.S. (No Change)
Medical Reviewer: Naveed Saleh, MD, MS (No Change)
Primary Changes: Complete revamp of overall style; updated logos for all companies.
Author: Caitlin Bell, MA (New author)
Medical Reviewer: Naveed Saleh, MD, MS (New medical reviewer)
Primary Changes: Improve readability and information throughout; Removed “Anxiety Reliever” from Best of List; Added new apps: Bloom, Evolve, CBT-i Coach, MindShift CBT, Woebot, & Youper to list; Updated all Pros & Cons; Added new images for all CBT apps and mini-review to each section
Author: Emily Guarnotta, PsyD
Medical Reviewer: Dena Westphalen, PharmD
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