These Mental Health Apps Are Here For Your 2023 Self-Care Goals

BetterHelp is a leader in online therapy and virtual mental health services. The platform’s vast network of mental health professionals and flexible scheduling make it a good choice for people looking to treat depression and anxiety, as many of the clinicians specialize in these two common mental health issues. 

Getting set up with BetterHelp is simple: Start by filling out a questionnaire about your history and needs, and it will match you with a licensed counselor or therapist. If they're not a good fit, you can easily select a new one. From there, you can text your therapist anytime and attend weekly therapy sessions that best fit your schedule.

BetterHelp does not accept insurance, which can be a barrier for some people. But its simple flat-fee subscription system offers an out-of-pocket option for those without insurance who may have trouble accessing therapy. BetterHelp is available on Both the Apple App Store and Google Play.

The cost of a BetterHelp subscription fee ranges from $60 to $90 a week billed every four weeks, making the monthly cost between $240 and $360. Insurance is not accepted.

Group therapy is especially helpful for people experiencing big life changes, like a job loss, the death of a loved one, or separation from a partner. Circles offers exactly that sort of support. Its app makes it easy to find expert-led support with a group of people experiencing something similar.

Circles has sessions focusing on more than a dozen topics, such as addiction, grief, loss, and more, and can help people struggling with those specific challenges find community. All Circles facilitators are social workers, psychologists, or therapists and are experts in their respective areas of specialization.

However, since Circles is limited to just group therapy, it may not be the best fit for people struggling with more complex mental health issues, like bipolar disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who are better served through in-person talk therapy and medication management.

You can try Circles for free for 14 days. After that, access to the platform and app costs $79 a month to join the expert-led closed group sessions. Free groups are available, but are limited and peer-led. Circles is available on Both the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Headspace offers users a variety of tools to help users reduce stress, incorporate movement into their day, and sleep better. With its user-friendly interface and progressive courses teaching the fundamentals of mindfulness and meditation, Headspace is an excellent option for those who’re new to mindfulness techniques.

There are also meditations for nearly every situation: anxiety over climate concerns, breathing techniques that help with panic attacks, quick SOS meditations for immediate rescue from stressful situations, and sleep stories that help you ease into a deep, restful sleep after a difficult day.

While Headspace doesn’t offer therapy directly, it is designed to provide users with the tools and resources to learn techniques that can quiet their minds and improve mental health in between talk-therapy sessions. In fact, research shows mindfulness techniques, like visualization and deep breathing, can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, boost your mood, and even help you sleep better. Headspace is available on Both the Apple App Store and Google Play.

You can try Headspace free for seven or 14 days, but after that, you have to pay to access any of the app’s content. Headspace offers two payment plans: $12.99 for a monthly subscription or $69.99 for an annual subscription.

Glo has a unique way of blending breathwork, meditation, and other mindfulness practices with daily physical activity. Users can access over 90 programs designed for all fitness levels with several different styles, including yoga, Pilates, and strength training classes. 

Glo also offers educational courses to deepen your knowledge of yoga and meditation. You can try the app free for seven days and then choose between a monthly or annual subscription. 

Users say the Glo app is easy to navigate and allows you to create a customized practice by selecting and saving preferred classes. However, users also cite one frustrating blip—if you close the mobile app during a class, you aren’t able to save your spot, and the video will start from the beginning when you return. Glo is available on Both the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Glo offers a free version of the app with limited content. Glo Premium offers access to all the app’s content for $23.99 a month.

Developed by two clinical psychologists, Moodkit provides access to evidence-based cognitive behavioral techniques proven to help change the negative thinking patterns that can contribute to anxiety and depression. 

The app is divided into four sections: activities, thoughts, mood, and journal. The activities section offers tips and examples for mood-boosting activities, like going for a walk or reaching out to a friend. In the “Thoughts” section, users can describe situations that left them feeling down and Moodkit will offer suggestions for different ways to think about the scenario and tips for coping. The “Mood” section helps track mood, while the journal section is a place to take notes. 

Many users say they benefit from using the app alone, especially for symptoms of mild depression. But Moodkit is also a great tool to use in addition to one-on-one therapy to help keep tabs on your mood outside of sessions and have notes to discuss with your therapist. Moodkit is available on Both the Apple App Store and Google Play.

There is no subscription plan for Moodkit nor is there a free trial. Downloading the app and accessing its content incurs a one-time cost of $4.99.

Designed specifically to help you get a better night’s sleep, Calm is at the top of our list for a sleeping and relaxation app. Not only does Calm feature soothing sleep stories narrated by celebrities, but the app offers many other ways to reduce stress and improve well-being, including yoga, stretching, dance classes, guided meditations, and the ability to track your progress.

Users say Calm is one of the best apps for meditation and relaxation but also point out it isn’t the best for blind or visually impaired users who say their experiences could be improved with more image description and screen-reader features. Calm is available on Both the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Calm offers a free version with limited resources and a premium subscription to access everything the app offers. Several premium plans are available, ranging from $14.99 a month to $69.99 a year, or $399.99 for a lifetime membership.

Moodnotes is a helpful app for recording how you feel each day by digitally journaling your thoughts and experiences. Research shows journaling can help reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety, making Moodnotes an obvious choice for the best journaling app for anxiety.

Unlike the traditional pen-and-paper method of journaling, Moodnotes allows you to journal whenever and wherever you have your phone. The app also h uses CBT methods to adjust your mindset and help you feel better. Moodnotes is available on Both the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Moodnotes does not offer a free trial. The app cost a flat fee of $4.99.

Insight Timer’s extensive, free meditation library sets it apart from other mental health apps in terms of accessibility and affordability. Insight Timer doesn’t offer therapy, but its wealth of free resources, such as breathwork, meditation, and yoga practices, can help reach people who may not be able to afford therapy but can benefit from mindfulness techniques to improve their well-being. 

Insight Timer’s huge library has something for everyone, but users say all the options can feel overwhelming for people new to meditation. Still, the app is easy to navigate and has a dedicated section for beginners. Insight Timer is available on Both the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Most of the content available on Insight Timer is free to use, but there is a premium membership subscription for $60 a year to access more courses. Workshops and mentorship services are an additional cost and vary by workshop and mentor.

Happify combines techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and positive psychology to help users develop mindfulness, build optimism and decrease stress. The app offers various tracks or courses developed by mental health professionals that focus on different well-being aspects including promoting more self-care in your life, getting organized, Managing your moods, and more.

With courses on gratitude, empathy, and ambition, Happify helps users create positive affirmations by prompting them to notice and appreciate the positive parts of their lives. Happify also offers in-app games and activities to introduce CBT to beginners. 

The app has some free content and a paid subscription called Happify Plus. The free version includes 18 tracks as well as a community hub, games, a journal, and three guided meditations. The Plus membership unlocks over 100 meditation tracks and 30 guided meditations. Happify is available on Both the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Happify offers a free version with limited access to content. Happify Plus gives you access to all the app’s content and costs $14.99 per month, $139.99 for a one-year subscription, $229.95 for a two-year subscription, or $499.95 for a lifetime membership.

Breathwrk is a great option for those new to learning breathing techniques and those with more experience looking to deepen their practice. This app explores several techniques with various benefits, like improving sleep, reducing stress, and enhancing athletic performance. 

The free version of the app offers a great deal of content, including all the challenges as well as some classes and exercises. Breathwrk Pro gives users unlimited access to all the classes, exercises, challenges, and the "habits" part of the app where you can customize a plan and set reminders to incorporate the practices into your daily life.

Brethwrk is available on Both the Apple App Store and Google Play. The free version affords access to many of the app’s tools and resources. The premium subscription to Breathwrk Pro costs $9 a month or $49 annually.