11 Best Mental Health Apps For Self-Care

Managing your mental health can be challenging, but the right technology can make it easier. From mood-tracking and guided meditations to texting with a counselor and live video therapy, there's an app to meet almost every need. Here are our reviews of the best ones around.

Our Top Picks for Best Mental Health Apps

• Best for Comprehensive Therapy and Medication Management: Cerebral
• Best for Teens: TeenCounseling
• Best for Meditation and Mindfulness: Headspace
• Best for Stress and Anxiety Management: Sanvello
• Best for Sleep: Calm
• Best for Boosting Your Mood: Happify
• Best for Tracking and Insights: Bearable
• Best for Multiple Types of Counseling: Talkspace
• Best for Mood Journaling: Moodfit
• Best for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): MindShift CBT
• Best for Well-Vetted Providers: BetterHelp

Best Mental Health Apps Reviews

Cerebral offers comprehensive therapy and medication management provided by licensed therapists, board-certified psychiatrists, physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. You'll meet with your therapist weekly for 45 minutes by phone or video, and you can easily schedule appointments in the mobile app.

The company accepts many major insurance plans for therapist and prescriber visits. Your cost will include your insurance co-pay plus a monthly fee that starts at $30. In addition, you will be responsible for the cost of your medications. Most medications cost about $10. (Cerebral doesn't prescribe stimulants or other controlled medications.) If you have insurance coverage, you can ask your provider to send your prescriptions to your local pharmacy.

Cerebral’s services are available nationwide, and its pharmacy delivery service, CerebralRx, is available to patients in 37 states. The company’s pharmacy arm doesn’t accept insurance, but according to the Cerebral website, its prescriptions are “at least 30% cheaper than the average retail pharmacy price.”

If you don't have insurance, you can subscribe to Cerebral by paying the monthly fee for your chosen plan. Here’s a breakdown of those fees as of this writing:

• Therapy: $295/month
• Medication management: $99/month
• Therapy and medication management: $365/month

Cerebral periodically offers discounts on the first month of a new subscription. Subscriptions are month-to-month with no contracts, and you can cancel anytime; however, all payments and subscription fees are non-refundable. Additionally, you must be 18 or older to use Cerebral's services. The app has 4.6 out of 5 stars in the Apple App Store and 4.2 out of 5 stars in the Google Play Store.

While many therapy and counseling apps require users to be at least 18 years old, TeenCounseling serves 13-19-year-olds. A parent or legal guardian must create an account, but all communication between the therapist and the patient is private.

Users have four ways to communicate with their therapist. You can talk to your therapist by phone, live chat, video conferencing or messaging (the last option is available to teens 24/7).

TeenCounseling doesn't diagnose conditions or prescribe medications. In addition, it charges a flat weekly rate and doesn't accept insurance. Depending on your location, preferences and therapist availability, you'll pay between $60 to $90 per week. TeenCounseling bills every four weeks, and you can cancel at any time. The app has 4.7 out of 5 stars in the Apple App Store and 4.6 out of 5 stars in the Google Play Store.

Headspace offers a large selection of resources geared primarily toward beginning meditators. The app has a library of over 500 meditations, broken down into categories like focus, stress relief, sleep and compassion. It also features breathing exercises, mindfulness workouts and ample blog posts about how to incorporate meditation into your daily life.

You'll need to purchase a subscription to access most of the content in Headspace. The monthly cost is $12.99, but you can save money by paying $69.99 for a full year. Headspace offers a free trial, so you can try it before committing. Plus, with a Family Plan, you can get six accounts for $99.99 per year. Students only pay $9.99 per year, and educators and teens aged 13-18 are eligible for free plans. The app has 4.8 out of 5 stars in the Apple App Store and 4.5 out of 5 stars in the Google Play Store.

Sanvello offers multiple resources to help you manage stress and anxiety, including guided meditations, therapy, mental health coaching and community support.

The company offers free access to a limited library of mental health resources like guided meditations, daily check-ins, tracking tools, live chats and community message boards. To access therapy, coaching and the full library of resources, you’ll have to upgrade to Sanvello Premium, which costs $8.99 per month. And you’ll need insurance to book sessions with a therapist; Sanvello doesn’t offer a self-pay option.

Savello's therapy and mental health coaching programs are limited to 8-week programs; however, if you need additional support, you can discuss options with your therapist or coach. Sanvello has 4.8 out of 5 stars in the Apple App Store and 4.6 out of 5 stars in the Google Play Store.

Calm can improve your sleep quality and help you fall asleep faster using sleep stories, sleep meditations, relaxing music, sleep soundscapes and nature sounds. It also includes Calm Kids, which features sleep stories for children.

In addition to stories, sounds and meditations focused on sleep, Calm offers relaxing music, workouts and meditations to help with other areas of your life — and it adds new content weekly. The app is free to download, but most content is only available with a paid subscription, which costs $69.99 per year. (Calm offers a free 14-day trial with access to all content.)

The app has 4.8 out of 5 stars in the Apple App Store and 4.5 out of 5 stars in the Google Play Store.

Happify helps users improve their mood through guided meditations, games, and inspirational articles. You can also participate in online discussion forums dedicated to happiness, joy, inspiration and love.

With a free account, you can access an abridged library of Happify content — to access everything you’ll have to upgrade to a Happify Plus account (about $15 per month.) There are discounts for annual and bi-annual subscriptions, or you can buy a lifetime plan for $450. Happify offers a 30-day 100% money-back guarantee on all plans purchased through the website except monthly subscriptions.

Happify has mostly positive user reviews in the Apple App Store, with 4.5 out of 5 stars. In the Google Play store, Happify has 3.6 out of 5 stars, with some customers citing login issues and app glitches.

Bearable helps users identify correlations between their lifestyle and their mood, and teaches them to make informed decisions aimed at improving their overall wellbeing.

With the Premium version ($6.99 per month or $18.99 per year), you can customize the app's tracking features, and get detailed insights on how your diet, sleep schedule and a range of other factors are impacting your health — presented in easy-to-understand graphs and charts. Bearable has 4.7 out of 5 stars in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Talkspace offers several types of counseling, including individual therapy, couples therapy, teen therapy and psychiatry. It also provides treatment specifically designed for veterans and those in the LGBTQIA+ community.

With Talkspace, you can communicate with your therapist through messaging or live video sessions; however, psychiatry services are only available through video calls. Talkspace offers the following plans:

• Messaging: Starting at $69 per week for individual therapy, you can leave text, video, or audio messages for your therapist 24/7 and receive responses five days per week.
• Video + Messaging: Starting at $99 per week, you can add 4 live video sessions per month to your messaging plan.
• Video + Messaging + Workshops: Starting at $109 per week, you can add weekly virtual workshops.

Talkspace accepts many major insurance plans, with an average co-pay of less than $30. The app has 4.8 out of 5 stars in the Apple App Store and 4.4 out of 5 stars in the Google Play Store. While most reviews are positive, there are a number of reviews that cite technical issues with the app and difficulty matching with an appropriate therapist.

The Moodfit app is an easy, convenient way to get into mood and gratitude journaling. And you can share the insights it generates with anyone, including your therapist, over text or email.

Moodfit also has guided meditations, breathwork exercises, mental health assessments and more. Creating an account is free, but you’ll need to upgrade to the Premium plan to access most content — which is cheaper if you purchase it through the company website directly. As of this writing, there are three subscription options available on Moodfit's site:

• One year: $29.99
• Two years: $39.99
• Lifetime: $99.99

Moodfit offers a 7-day free trial, so you can see if it works for you before committing. The app has 4.7 out of 5 stars in the Apple App Store and 4.2 out of 5 stars in the Google Play Store. Most reviews are positive, but some users complain that the app has a clunky interface that's difficult to navigate.

MindShift CBT uses science-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) strategies to help manage anxiety. Users get access to CBT-based meditations and visualizations, goal-setting, thought journaling and grounding exercises.

The app, which is totally free, helps users change destructive thought patterns and find connections between their emotions and behaviors. It also has a small library of short, guided meditations, “Coping Cards” with inspirational statements and an active community discussion forum.

Mindshift has 4.2 out of 5 stars in the Apple App Store and 3.8 out of 5 stars in the Google Play Store. (Some users complain about technical issues with the app.)

BetterHelp is a therapy app that connects users with vetted, highly-qualified providers. Every therapist in its network has an advanced degree (Master’s or Doctorate) and at least three years of hands-on experience.

For a set fee ranging from $60 to $90 per week, you'll get a weekly session with your provider via live chat, phone or video. You can also send messages to your therapist at any time. One downside: BetterHealth does not prescribe medications.

BetterHealth bills monthly, and you can cancel at any time. You cannot use insurance, but BetterHealth offers financial aid to those who qualify.

You can easily schedule appointments through the app and change therapists if you're unhappy with your provider. You'll also receive free access to therapist-led live interactive seminars every week. BetterHealth has 4.8 out of 5 stars in the Apple App Store and 4.6 out of 5 stars in the Google Play Store.

Best Mental Health Apps Guide

Main things to know before choosing a mental health provider

There are many types of mental health providers, including:

• Psychologists: Have a doctorate in philosophy or psychology; can diagnose mental health disorders and provide therapy.

• Counselors, clinicians and therapists: Have a master's degree in a mental health-related field; can't diagnose but can evaluate mental health and use therapeutic techniques.

• Clinical social workers: Have a master's degree in social work; can evaluate mental health, use therapeutic techniques and are trained in advocacy and case management.

• Psychiatrists: Have a doctorate in medicine or osteopathic medicine; can diagnose disorders, prescribe medication and provide therapy.

Many online therapy apps will ask if you have any provider preferences, so it's helpful to think ahead of time about what kind of counselor you want to work with. what's important to you. You may be able to select preferences like:

• Age
• Gender
• Religious background
• Experience working with certain populations (veterans, the LGBTQIA+ community, etc.)
• Experience working with specific mental health conditions (anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, etc)

If the provider you're matched with doesn't feel like a good fit, don’t hesitate to ask for a new one. To get the most out of your treatment, you need the right therapist.

Many mental health providers only work with adults, so if you're a teen or need services for a child under 18, you’ll need to look for a provider that works with children or teens.

How do mental health apps work?

In general, mental health apps focus on counseling, meditation, mood tracking or a combination of the three. Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Counseling: Counseling apps typically ask you to answer some initial questions about your mental health and provider preferences. Then, you are matched with a therapist. Most apps allow you to message your therapist anytime and use the app to schedule live chat, video or phone sessions.

• Meditation: Meditation apps typically provide a library of guided meditations that you can browse or search by keyword. The best meditation apps give you access to some content with a free account, but you'll usually need to upgrade to a premium plan for full access.

• Mood tracking: Mood tracking apps typically ask you to choose where your mood falls on a scale from happy to unhappy. You can then enter comments about your mood and what's going on in your life. You may also be able to track other factors like diet, exercise and sleep, so you can find connections between your mental health and your lifestyle.

What is the average cost of mental health apps?

Many people worry about online therapy costs, but luckily, affordable options are available. The average fees range from $60 to $90 per week, which usually includes one live session and unlimited messaging. Online therapy with insurance is often more affordable, but you'll need to find a provider that works with your insurance company. If you're on a tight budget, search for providers that offer low-income discounts or financial aid.

What are the benefits of mental health apps?

Some people prefer online therapy over traditional, in-person treatment because it’s convenient, affordable and confidential. It offers many of the same benefits as traditional therapy, including:

• Reduced stress and anxiety
• Improved mood
• Increased confidence
• Improved ability to focus on the present moment
• Better sleep quality

How We Found the Best Mental Health Apps

To drum up this list, we looked at many factors. Those include:

Features: We looked for apps with a variety of robust features, like live therapy and medication management, guided meditations, discussion boards, mood and health tracking tools and mental health insights.

Free content: We gave preference to apps that offer some content for free.

Cost: We specifically looked for apps with affordable pricing structures, discounts, free trials and financial aid options.

User satisfaction: We read user reviews for each app to determine users' overall experience, the type and level of help they received from the app and what technical problems they encountered.

Summary of the Best Mental Health Apps of 2023

• Best for Comprehensive Therapy and Medication Management: Cerebral
• Best for Teens: TeenCounseling
• Best for Meditation and Mindfulness: Headspace
• Best for Stress and Anxiety Management: Sanvello
• Best for Sleep: Calm
• Best for Boosting Your Mood: Happify
• Best for Tracking and Insights: Bearable
• Best for Multiple Types of Counseling: Talkspace
• Best for Mood Journaling: Moodfit
• Best for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): MindShift CBT
• Best for Well-Vetted Providers: BetterHelp