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The best mental health apps are affordable, user-friendly, and well-designed, with few technical glitches—allowing you to improve your emotional well-being and overall wellness in enjoyable, accessible ways. High-quality therapy apps remove some of the usual barriers to mental health care, while mindfulness apps can help you achieve better focus and productivity. Some mental health apps allow you to access online talk therapy or psychiatric care from your smartphone or tablet. Others may help you to begin a meditation practice, cope with stress and anxiety, or improve sleep quality.
With so many available to choose from today, we sent our research team on a mission to find the best of the best. Our team evaluated over 55 of the top mental health apps and ranked each according to whether or not the program was built on evidenced-based therapies and provided regular content updates, the variety of therapies offered, cost, and personal user reviews. Here are the mental health apps that ranked the highest.
When choosing an online therapy provider, we recommend that you read the company’s privacy guidelines before you sign up to better understand whether it is HIPAA-compliant and whether it shares any private information with third parties. There have been some concerns raised by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and several government officials about what user health information online therapy providers collect and what they do with any information they collect.
The Best Mental Health Apps, Tried and Tested in 2024 The Best Mental Health Apps, Tried and Tested in 2024
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With affordable pricing, a wide range of available therapists, and multiple communication options, BetterHelp is one of the most flexible, easy-to-use mental health apps on the market. The therapy subscription platform offers video, audio, chat, and messaging therapy via smartphone, tablet, or computer to people in all 50 states (and internationally, although most BetterHelp providers are in the U.S.).
Pros & ConsFounded in 2013, BetterHelp is one of the world’s largest and most popular online mental health care companies. A monthly subscription includes one talk therapy session per week via live video, audio, or chat, plus 24/7 unlimited in-app messaging with your therapist. We had eight testers from California, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, and the U.K. sign up for therapy with BetterHelp. Overall, our positive experiences left us confident that BetterHelp is a great place for starting talk therapy, with the the convenience of joining from your phone or tablet.
BetterHelp therapists help with many common mental health concerns, from grief and stress to relationships, anxiety, depression, trauma, and more. Some providers specialize in serving clients from the LGBTQ+ community.
"BetterHelp is great for busy people who need scheduling flexibility. It's convenient, and once you find a therapist, appointments are readily available. The platform is very intuitive and easy to use, and you can communicate by text, phone, or through video calls."
—BetterHelp tester, who was looking for parenting support
We felt generally satisfied with the individual therapy sessions we received, and when we didn’t, we liked how easy it was to switch providers. In one case, a therapist was a no-show for our first session and was unresponsive to messages, but we reached out to BetterHelp and quickly got a list of new therapist options. Our second therapist made it to the appointment and was punctual and very communicative.
Unfortunately, BetterHelp practices surge pricing (meaning that the prices shown differ depending on the state and how many therapists are available in that area) and doesn't accept insurance. Still, if you need to start individual talk therapy and you want flexible scheduling and the ability to join from your phone or tablet, BetterHelp is a very accessible option.
We surveyed 100 users of BetterHelp:
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Talkspace offers online mental health care through a secure, HIPAA-compliant, and user-friendly app. With a streamlined therapy scheduling process and flexible subscription program, Talkspace’s app removes many of the typical barriers to online mental health care. It's a comprehensive platform with a variety of therapy options that offers insurance coverage. Plus, many of its therapists specialize in treating depression, making Talkspace a great app to turn to if you're dealing with this condition.
Pros & ConsWe had 11 people sign up for Talkspace so that we could test its various service options, including individual and couples therapy, from California, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, New York, North Carolina, Minnesota, Missouri, and South Dakota. Talkspace is one of the most versatile therapy apps on the market, with a wide range of available providers and specialties, including clinicians who specialize in depression.
Overall, our testing experience with Talkspace was positive and helpful: We found most therapists were compassionate and professional and offered important insights and suggestions. We often developed a rapport quickly in our live phone and video sessions, and the app made it easy to access our account and any messages from our therapists. This kind of support is especially helpful for people dealing with depression.
"I have a place to work through hard relationships, process emotions, and break some unhealthy coping habits I hadn’t been aware of. I come away feeling a little lighter."
—Talkspace tester, who sought therapy after a family trauma
However, it's worth noting that a few therapists were not a good fit and seemed either unprofessional or unfocused in therapy sessions. Thankfully, if you need to switch therapists at any time, you can do so easily—no questions asked. Just know that it may take a few tries before you find a good match, but we think it's important to take time to find the right provider for you.
We surveyed 100 users of Talkspace:
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Headspace is a visually gorgeous, user-friendly app with a wealth of available resources to help you practice mindfulness. It can benefit those who want to work on their mental health through mindfulness and those who find mindfulness beneficial as a supplement to therapy. The Headspace library includes soothing themed meditations, focus activities, movement and dance classes, audio sleepscapes, and more.
Pros & ConsSince it was founded in 2010, Headspace has become one of the leading online platforms for mindfulness, meditation, and self-care. The app’s guided meditations can help you learn to live more in the present, even if you’re a complete beginner. There are plenty of videos and mini-courses to help you ease into a mindfulness practice if you're new to meditation.
We tried Headspace for a month and were really impressed with its massive library of offerings. We could choose from hundreds of exercises within four different categories—Meditation, Sleep, Stress, and Mindfulness. From three-minute “mental resets” to “SOS” meditations to help you calm down to daily themed mindfulness exercises, Headspace helps you fit meditation into a busy day. There are also “sleepcasts” (ambient sounds paired with soothing narratives) to help you wind down at night.
"Headspace offers exactly what it advertises: evidence-based, self-guided mindfulness and meditation exercises at an affordable price."
—Headspace tester, who is a clinical psychologist
It's worth noting that according to its privacy policy, Headspace may collect personal information that you've shared through its platform or have otherwise shared with it, and share personal information with "certain third-party service providers to help make our Platform function." If this is a huge concern for you, it may not be a great choice.
While we were not able to survey any Headspace users, online reviews suggest that Headspace customers are happy with the app’s many features, especially the soothing sleepcasts and the high production quality of the guided meditations. Many users credited Headspace with taking them from meditation newbies to passionate mindfulness advocates. However, some said they thought the annual subscription was a bit pricey.
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Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame offers a fun, simple way for young children to learn about emotional resilience and problem-solving strategies. Kids will enjoy the colorful animation and interactive features of this mental health app, while parents may benefit from the app’s additional resources.
Pros & ConsDeveloped as part of Sesame Street’s Little Children, Big Challenges initiative, Breathe, Think, Do With Sesame is aimed at helping children ages 2 to 5 (and their parents and caregivers) develop greater resilience and healthier strategies for coping with stress. The free bilingual app is available for download in the Google Play and Apple App stores for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices.
In the app, your child will interact with a friendly Sesame Street monster to help them deal with one of five common day-to-day challenges. The “Breathe With the Monster” activity will teach your child deep breathing exercises to help them feel better when faced with a tough situation. Parents can even record their own voices saying encouraging phrases that their child will hear as they complete activities.
For parents and caregivers, the app includes free resources for teaching your child problem-solving skills and self-soothing strategies. There are additional materials available on the app’s free companion website, so you can continue to help your child on their mental wellness journey.
Plans & PricingWhile we didn't survey users, in online reviews, many parents said their children were able to use Breathe, Think, Do With Sesame to build their emotional vocabulary and develop healthier coping skills when faced with “big feelings.” Many users said they appreciated the deep breathing exercises, which taught their children or students how to regulate their emotions in healthy ways during difficult moments. A few users said they had problems with the app freezing while loading, but others said these technical bugs had since been fixed.
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I Am Sober offers a variety of ways to track milestones on the road to recovery, from a sober day tracker to calculators that show you how much you’ve accomplished since becoming sober. With the premium version of the app, you can also cheer others on along their sober journey.
Pros & ConsThere are countless sobriety counter apps available, but I Am Sober has a number of features that make it stand out from the competition. In comparison to other apps geared at people who are trying to quit using a substance, I Am Sober provides a tracker that allows you to see how long you’ve been sober—down to the second. And although we could not test the I Am Sober app ourselves (we did not think it would be ethical to ask someone living with a substance use disorder to briefly test out an app), we see all the benefits of it.
Some of the app’s unique features include a withdrawal timeline and a space to take a daily sobriety pledge for personal accountability. You can also use a sobriety calculator to determine how much valuable time and money you’ve saved in recovery and a milestone tracker to help you see just how far you’ve come.
I Am Sober is much more customizable and community-oriented than similar apps. You can add your own visual reminders of what’s at stake, like photos of loved ones or the reasons you decided to quit to help you stay motivated on your recovery journey. There’s also a space to share your story and track your progress with others in recovery. With the premium version of the app (I Am Sober Plus), you can unlock data backup, start an online recovery group, and access more specific peer support groups geared toward particular addictions and compulsions.
Plans & PricingAlthough we didn't survey users, in online reviews, most I Am Sober users said they found the app encouraging and non-judgmental for people in recovery. Many customers liked the customizable features, such as the ability to upload personal photos and “mission statements,” as well as daily motivational quotes. However, some users shared that comments from the community were inconsistent or even outright rude at times. Others noted that the community support from around the world was invaluable on their road to sobriety.
