Best Cognitive Therapy Apps (for iOS + Android)
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Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that challenges unproductive thoughts and behaviors, while introducing problem-solving solutions to improve your mental health.
This modality was initially developed to treat depression, but also has proven benefits for anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), substance use disorder, and more.
Cognitive behavioral therapy apps are a convenient choice for individuals looking to improve their mental health. These apps can be used alone or as an adjunct to in-person therapy, depending on your needs. To find the right cognitive behavioral therapy app for you, it’s important to consider your budget, desired features (like text or video contact with your therapist), educational content, and whether you would like long or short-term care.
In this article, we’ll compare the features, pricing, and treatment approach of 8 leading cognitive behavioral therapy apps, including Sanvello, Inflow, CBT-i Coach, Clarity CBT Thought Diary, Mindshift, MindDoc, Bloom, and Happify.
Our Top Picks for Best Cognitive Behavioral Therapy App
- Best CBT App Overall: Sanvello
Sanvello takes a holistic approach to mental well-being, providing the best combination of features and CBT tools for a range of mental health concerns, all at a fairly affordable monthly cost.
- Best CBT App for ADHD: Inflow
Inflow is specifically designed for ADHD symptom management with a wide range of features, including text-based coaching and focus rooms.
- Best CBT App for Sleep and Insomnia:CBT-i Coach
CBT-i Coach is a free resource designed to supplement therapy sessions for insomnia with a range of in-app tools, including a personalized sleep diary, sleep tracking, and relaxation tools.
- Best Free CBT App: Clarity CBT Thought Diary
Clarity CBT Thought Diary is a free app offering a breadth of CBT-based resources, including mood tracking, guided journals, and audio meditations, for stress, anxiety, and sleep problems.
- Best CBT App for Mild to Moderate Anxiety: Mindshift
Mindshift offers CBT-based resources to address common types of anxiety, including social anxiety, phobias, and panic attacks, making it a well-rounded tool for mild to moderate symptoms of anxiety.
- Best CBT App for Self-Monitoring: MindDoc
MindDoc is the best tool for self-monitoring your moods, thoughts, and behaviors with daily check-ins, personalized feedback, and CBT exercises that you can complete at your own pace.
- Best CBT App for Practicing Mindfulness: Bloom
Bloom is ideal for practicing mindfulness with a range of AI-powered tools for anxiety, depression, and burnout, including daily mood tracking and guided journaling.
- Best Engaging Game-Based CBT App: Happify
Happify offers engaging CBT-based games and activities with over 65 tracks to improve various aspects of your mental health, including self-confidence, career success, and stress management.
Honorable Mention – ChatCBT
ChatCBT harnesses AI technology to deliver CBT insights in a chatroom format. It’s included with a ChatGPT Plus subscription, which costs $20 per month. While this app doesn’t provide the degree of care or resources to treat mental health conditions, it may be used as an adjunct to talk therapy or to help individuals with mild symptoms who want to learn more about CBT.
Compare the Best Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Apps
We’ve compared a range of cognitive behavioral therapy apps, including Sanvello, Inflow, CBT-i Coach, Clarity CBT Thought Diary, Mindshift, MindDoc, Bloom, and Happify, to help you understand which app may be the best fit for your needs.
Compare the Best Apps for CBT |
Inflow ADHD | CBT-i Coach | Clarity CBT Thought Diary | Mindshift | Sanvello | MindDoc | Bloom | Happify |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subscription price | Starting at $0.55 per day (about $16.50/month) | Free | Free | Free | $8.99 per month or $53.99 per year | From $4.49/month | $14.49/month | $14.99/month |
| Conditions/concerns | ADHD | Sleep + insomnia | General mental health | Anxiety | Stress, anxiety, and depression | General mental health | Anxiety | General mental health |
| Free version available? | ✅ 7-day free trial | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ 7-day free trial | ✅ |
| Access to healthcare professional? | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Accountability coaching | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Therapy? | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ Group therapy available
$50 assessment fee |
✅ | ✅ At additional cost | ❌ | ❌ |
| Mood tracking? | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Community support? | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Self-paced lessons? | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Daily tasks/challenges? | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Mindfulness exercises and habit-building strategies? | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Website |
Sanvello Review – Best CBT App Overall
Overview
- Price: $8.99 per month/$53.99 per year
- Targeted concerns: Stress, anxiety, and depression
- Accessibility: iOS and Android
- Support resources: Coaching, therapists, community support, and educational content
- Key features: Daily mood tracking, guided journeys, coping tools, and progress assessments
Sanvello is a popular mental healthcare app rooted in CBT principles. It earned our title as the best CBT app overall because it’s a well-rounded, holistic solution for symptoms related to stress, anxiety, and depression. Whether your symptoms are occasional or more frequent, Sanvello provides a breadth of tools and features within a flexible platform. Also, compared to other paid apps, Sanvello is fairly affordable and even accepts insurance for therapy sessions.
Overall, I found Sanvello to be a user-friendly CBT tool with many options to prioritize your mental health. From mood tracking and coping tools to virtual therapy sessions, this app can fulfill your evolving needs for a low monthly cost.
Pros:
- Variety of self-care tools with CBT principles
- Option to schedule therapy appointments within the app
- Convenient access to peer support chat groups
Cons:
- Therapy sessions and coaching aren’t included in the subscription price
Key features of the Sanvello CBT app include:
- Daily mood tracking to identify patterns
- Guided journeys to develop lasting skills
- Coping tools to more effectively manage stressful situations and redirect negative thoughts
- Weekly check-ins to track progress and set goals
- Peer support from the Sanvello community for motivation and insights on specific topics
- Chat-based accountability coaching to identify and adjust unhelpful patterns
- Therapy sessions for a deeper dive into CBT principles for your treatment goals
Inflow Review – Best CBT App for ADHD
Overview
- Price: Starts at $0.55 per day
- Targeted concerns: ADHD
- Accessibility: iOS, Android (Google Play), desktop
- Support resources: Coaching, community support, educational content
- Key features: Text-based coaching, learning modules, mindfulness exercises, focus rooms
Inflow is a CBT app specifically designed for ADHD symptom management. Since the app was created by trained clinicians who specialize in ADHD, it’s a good option for individuals experiencing ADHD symptoms who want convenient remote support and/or an adjunct to therapy. Inflow isn’t a good fit for individuals with other mental health conditions, like anxiety or depression.
Inflow is a user-friendly app with a wide variety of features for ADHD symptom management, including daily educational content, mindfulness exercises, and text-based coaching. These tools apply CBT principles to common concerns, including organization, emotional regulation, and productivity.
Pros:
- Offers student discounts and financial aid
- Incorporates CBT principles into daily tools, including mood journaling and mindfulness exercises
- Text-based coaching from trained ADHD coaches
Cons:
- Doesn’t address mental health concerns other than ADHD
Key features of the Inflow cognitive behavioral therapy app for ADHD include:
- Bite-sized CBT lessons on ADHD-related subjects
- Mood journaling and mindfulness exercises to promote positive thinking patterns
- Text-based accountability coaching to help implement CBT principles
- Community support in a message board-style platform
- Live events, virtual coworking, and focus rooms
Related reading: Inflow App Review: How 14 Days of Using Inflow Helped Recenter Me
CBT-i Coach Review – Best CBT App for Sleep + Insomnia
Overview
- Price: Free
- Targeted concerns: Insomnia
- Accessibility: iOS, Android
- Support resources: Educational program
- Key features: Sleep diary, sleep tracking, relaxation tools
CBT-i Coach is a free app designed for individuals receiving in-person care for insomnia. It provides a structured program, rooted in CBT principles, for improving sleep and treating insomnia. CBT-i Coach isn’t intended to replace in-person therapy but may be an effective adjunct for individuals already receiving treatment for insomnia. It may also be helpful as a standalone tool for individuals with mild or occasional sleep problems.
As a free tool, I found CBT-i Coach to be a valuable supplemental resource for individuals in therapy for insomnia. While the app doesn’t offer access to providers, it’s a great tool to implement CBT strategies for better sleep. I also like that the app graphs your sleep patterns and allows you to personalize your sleep diary.
Pros:
- Free for all to use
- Sleep diary and tracking tools make it easy to see your progress
- Educational content helps implement CBT strategies for sleep quality
Cons:
- Only designed for individuals who are already in therapy for insomnia
Key features of the CBT-i Coach app include:
- Structured educational content about sleep and how CBT promotes better sleep
- Actionable tips to improve your sleep routine and sleep environment
- Customizable sleep diary to track your sleep and wake times
- Relaxation tools to put you in the right mindset for sleep or get you back on track if you’re trying to go back to sleep
Clarity CBT Thought Diary Review – Best Free CBT App
Overview
- Price: Free with optional in-app purchases
- Targeted concerns: General mental health, stress, anxiety, sleep
- Accessibility (iOS, android, desktop): iOS, Android
- Support resources: Psychoeducational programs
- Key features: Mood tracking, reflection tools, guided journals, thought reframing, audio meditations
Clarity CBT Thought Diary provides a range of tools to learn about and implement CBT strategies for stress, anxiety, and other common mental health concerns. It provides a range of features to help you reframe negative thoughts, manage stress, and better understand your moods. This app is a great choice for individuals seeking a free, interactive CBT app to improve their general mental health, or for those who want CBT tools to use alongside therapy sessions. But, it’s not suitable for those seeking in-app therapy or coaching.
Overall, I found that Clarity CBT Thought Diary provides excellent value, as it’s completely free with a wide range of features. I appreciate that this app helps you implement a variety of CBT principles, including cognitive distortions and thinking traps, into your day-to-day. While it doesn’t provide access to healthcare professionals, I found it to be the best free CBT app available.
Pros:
- Free to download with optional in-app purchases
- Thought reframing and mood-tracking tools to encourage positive changes
- Psychoeducational programs for in-depth learning of mental health topics
Cons:
- No access to mental health providers
Key features of the Clarity CBT Thought Diary app include:
- Mood tracking to create personalized insights and better understand your thoughts
- Thought record to identify and challenge cognitive distortions
- Guided journals for greater awareness and reflection
- Psychoeducational programs surrounding key CBT topics
- Audio mindfulness meditations and breathwork for relaxation and stress management
Mindshift Review – Best CBT App for Mild to Moderate Anxiety
Overview
- Price: Free
- Targeted concerns: Anxiety
- Accessibility: iOS, Android
- Support resources: Group therapy, community forum, educational anxiety guides, optional data exporting to share with your therapist
- Key features: Daily check-ins, anxiety coping cards, goal-setting tools, guided meditations
Mindshift offers CBT-based tools and resources for many common types of anxiety, including general worry, social anxiety, phobias, and panic attacks. It’s a great choice for individuals experiencing mild to moderate anxiety, who want convenient, remote support. With the option to export data to a counselor, therapist, or psychologist, Mindshift can also work well as a supplement to in-person sessions.
Mindshift has a streamlined, easy-to-use interface that I particularly appreciate in a free app. I like the app’s blend of educational CBT resources, goal-setting, and tools for anxiety symptoms.
Pros:
- Completely free to use
- Focuses on many common types of anxiety, including social anxiety and perfectionism
- Coping cards and guided relaxation provide fast anxiety relief
- Daily check-ins, goal-setting tools, and educational content encourage lasting improvement
Cons:
- Doesn’t offer access to mental health clinicians (except if you apply for the group therapy program, for an added cost)
Key features of the Mindshift CBT app include:
- Coping cards to reframe your thinking and quickly alleviate anxiety symptoms
- Thought journaling to identify and challenge negative thinking patterns
- Belief experiments to promote more productive thinking patterns
- Audio recordings of guided relaxation and mindfulness meditations to achieve a relaxed mindset
- Daily check-ins to track your progress
- Healthy habit-building to put you in a positive mindset
- Community forum for peer support
MindDoc Review – Best CBT App for Self-Monitoring
Overview
- Price: starts at $4.49 per month
- Targeted concerns: General mental health including anxiety, depression, burnout, phobias, insomnia, and eating disorders
- Accessibility: iOS, Android
- Support resources: CBT courses, optional access to therapists
- Key features: Daily check-ins, audio courses, personalized feedback, CBT exercises
MindDoc is centered around self-monitoring your moods, thoughts, and behaviors to gradually achieve a more positive mindset. It includes over 70 CBT-based courses and exercises with regular individualized feedback. Since the self-guided program is highly personalizable, it’s a great option for those seeking occasional support, proactive mental healthcare, or relief from mild to moderate symptoms of a mental health condition. It can also be used to improve self-management skills between in-person therapy sessions.
I love that MindDoc’s program provides personalized insights and recommendations based on your answers to up to 3 daily questions. This makes it an excellent tool for self-monitoring symptoms and implementing CBT strategies to alleviate them. Additionally, I appreciate that MindDoc’s program is suitable for a breadth of mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, burnout, phobias, insomnia, and eating disorders.
Pros:
- Personalized recommendations based on your answers to daily questions
- Over 70 CBT-based courses and exercises
- Affordable at $4.49 per month
Cons:
- No community support feature
Key features of the MindDoc CBT app include:
- Daily questions provide insights into your mindset and help identify problems before they become severe
- Graphics based on your responses display thought patterns and introduce strategies
- Courses and interactive resources to challenge negative thinking patterns and more deeply understand emotions
- Personalized recommendations for CBT-based courses and exercises
- Virtual therapy sessions are available for an added cost
Bloom Review – Best CBT App for Practicing Mindfulness
Overview
- Price: $14.49 per month
- Targeted concerns: Anxiety, depression, burnout
- Accessibility: iOS, Android
- Support resources: Educational sessions
- Key features: Daily mood tracking, daily AI-powered advice, guided video classes, guided journaling
Bloom is a self-guided therapy app rooted in CBT principles that uses AI technology for personalization and interactivity. Mindfulness is a prominent feature in many CBT programs for anxiety, and Bloom implements it throughout its in-app resources. If you’re interested in adopting mindfulness practices to improve your mental health or want to supplement in-person therapy with mindfulness tools, Bloom is a fitting choice. However, it’s not ideal for those seeking in-app support from mental health professionals.
I like that Bloom uses AI technology to interpret daily mood entries and make personalized insights. Additionally, with a library of over 700 CBT-based sessions, it’s an expansive resource for individuals looking to address mental health concerns like anxiety, burnout, low self-esteem, poor motivation, and mild depression symptoms.
Pros:
- Personalized insights, recommendations, and emotional analysis created with AI technology
- Engaging, guided video classes on key mental health topics
- Guided journaling promotes mindfulness and self-care
Cons:
- Doesn’t offer community support
Key features of the Bloom CBT app include:
- AI-powered, personalized insights to help you implement CBT techniques based on your thoughts and behaviors
- Guided video classes to teach you CBT tools and techniques
- Guided, secure journal entries for reflection
- Emotional analysis to identify and challenge unproductive thought patterns
- Quick daily exercises to improve your self-care habits
Happify Review – Best Engaging Game-Based CBT App
Overview
- Price: $14.99 per month
- Targeted concerns: General mental health
- Accessibility: iOS, Android, desktop
- Support resources: Character strength report
- Key features: CBT games, progress tracking, personalized happiness score
Happify is designed to make prioritizing your mental health fun, with CBT-based games and activities. The app includes over 65 tracks to improve different aspects of your life and mental health, such as building self-confidence, enhancing career success, and effectively managing stress. It’s a good choice for individuals looking to improve their overall mental health who find it easier to engage with game-based apps. However, it’s not ideal for individuals who want in-app support from mental health clinicians or those looking to target specific concerns, like depression or ADHD.
Overall, I think Happify makes learning about CBT fun, with in-app games that you can complete from anywhere. While it doesn’t offer access to clinicians, it’s a convenient, engaging way to improve your mental health with CBT, positive psychology, and mindfulness. I also like that Happify tracks your progress as you complete activities so you can watch your skills grow.
Pros:
- Engaging CBT games that you can complete from anywhere
- Personalized happiness score and character strength report provide mental health insights
- Over 65 unique tracks to improve various aspects of your mental health
Cons:
- Doesn’t offer community support
- No access to mental health clinicians
How Effective Is the Happify CBT App?
- CBT-based games and meditations to learn and implement CBT principles
- 20-page character strength report to better understand your mental health and how it can improve
- Progress tracking to see how your understanding of CBT techniques grows
- Over 65 tracks to address specific concerns, like stress management, self-confidence, mindfulness, and negative thoughts
The Verdict: Which Are the Best Overall Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Apps?
Overall, the best cognitive behavioral therapy apps provide a combination of user-friendly resources, educational content, personalized tools, and good value for the cost. The apps included in this article have different strengths and provide these benefits for various groups.
- Sanvello is our pick for the best CBT app overall because it addresses anxiety, depression, and stress with a broad range of resources, including daily mood tracking, guided journeys, coping tools, and progress assessments.
- Inflowis our pick for the best CBT app for ADHD because it’s specifically designed for ADHD symptom management with CBT-based tools, including text-based coaching, focus rooms, and mindfulness exercises.
- CBT-i Coach is our pick for the best CBT app for sleep and insomnia because it provides free resources designed to address insomnia with CBT techniques, including a personalized sleep diary, sleep tracking, and relaxation tools.
- Clarity CBT Thought Diaryis our pick for the best free CBT app because it provides an expansive range of CBT resources for free, including mood tracking, guided journals, and audio meditations for stress, anxiety, and sleep problems.
- Mindshiftis our top pick for mild to moderate anxiety because its CBT-based tools address many forms of anxiety, including general worry, social anxiety, perfectionism, phobias, and panic attacks.
- MindDocis our top pick for self-monitoring because it offers a self-guided program of over 70 courses with personalized feedback and daily check-ins for a range of conditions, including anxiety, depression, burnout, phobias, and insomnia.
- Bloomis our top pick for practicing mindfulness because it addresses anxiety, depression, and burnout with a variety of convenient daily tools to help you feel present, including daily mood tracking and guided journaling.
- Happifyis our pick for the best engaging game-based CBT app because it offers a range of CBT-based games to improve your mental health from anywhere, with 65 unique tracks including building self-confidence, enhancing career success, and managing stress.
FAQs
Some people can do cognitive behavioral therapy on themselves with help from an app or other educational resources. However, some may prefer support from a therapist specializing in CBT.
CBT may not be appropriate for individuals with complex mental health concerns, or a history of trauma.
Calming techniques for CBT include guided imagery, mindfulness meditation, calm breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation.
You can start practicing CBT by scheduling an appointment with a therapist specializing in CBT or by accessing online CBT resources, such as a CBT app.
CBT treats anxiety by identifying and challenging the thoughts and behaviors that contribute to anxiety symptoms.
Many CBT apps that are developed by CBT specialists are effective for certain individuals. However, it’s important to consider if you’re a good candidate for the app’s program.
Methodology
To find the best CBT app, we started by searching app stores for any that were specifically designed for mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, insomnia, or general mental health. Next, we narrowed our list down to only the highest-rated and most popular, effective, well-rounded options. We then evaluated the apps based on their features, reputation, customer service, reviews, and affordability. We also considered the app’s ease of use, range of conditions treated, added costs, and compatibility with in-person therapy. Finally, we tested the CBT apps to see how they worked and evaluate the user experience.
We ultimately made our decision based on features, the range of conditions addressed, value for money, and the quality of CBT resources offered.
Megan Foley
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Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that challenges unproductive thoughts and behaviors, while introducing problem-solving solutions to improve your mental health.
