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Best Of · Last reviewed September 1, 2026

The Best Free Mental Health Apps of 2026

Genuinely free — not free trials, not freemium demos. Nine apps that work without paying. ILTY publishes this; ILTY is NOT free, so we're listed last with honest framing.

In crisis? Call or text 988 — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, free and 24/7.

At a glance

Click any row for the in-depth section below.

How we evaluated these apps

Strict definition of "free": app must offer real, ongoing functionality without payment. Free trials that auto-charge after a week are NOT included unless the underlying app remains useful for free after the trial. "Freemium" apps are included only if the free tier is genuinely useful (not a 5-feature demo nudging Premium).

Each app tested for 30 days using only the free tier. Scoring focused on: usefulness within free constraints, paywall pressure (how much friction to NOT pay), data privacy in the free tier, evidence base.

Disclosure: ILTY publishes this. ILTY is NOT a free app — subscription required after onboarding. We've included ILTY at the bottom with honest framing for users who've outgrown free options and are considering the paid step up.

Disclosure

ILTY is a paid app and is included for completeness, with an explicit note that it does NOT meet the "free" criteria. Pricing for other apps refers to the FREE tier; some have paid upgrades, noted but not the basis for ranking. Updated quarterly. Update, August 13, 2026: every app on this list was re-verified against its live App Store listing, Google Play listing, and vendor site. This pass checked COMMERCIAL FACTS only — whether the app still exists, pricing, platforms, and store ratings. It did NOT re-run the hands-on testing protocol described above; rankings and hands-on impressions still date from the original testing round. We are saying that plainly rather than letting a fresh date imply a fresh test. What the pass found across the site: Sanvello's consumer app is discontinued (delisted from both stores; sanvello.com no longer resolves), Youper is shutting down September 30, 2026 (already delisted, data purged October 1), and GG OCD was renamed to OCD.app. Per-vendor records now live in src/data/appFacts.ts with the source checked and the date checked.

The research behind this

Rankings on this page draw on The 2026 State of AI Mental Health Apps, our own study of 15 apps across 8 criteria. Crisis handling was tested by hand: the same four escalating messages typed into every app, screenshots kept. Four of them never produced a crisis number. Every score is published with the reasoning behind it, including ILTY’s, and the rubric is CC-BY if you would rather score apps yourself.

The apps, in detail

#1 · Woebot (DISCONTINUED June 2025)

Best for: (Used to be: free CBT skill-building)

Stanford-built CBT chatbot — consumer app shut down June 30, 2025, no longer downloadable.

For years this was the most legitimately useful free mental-health app on the market — then Woebot Health retired the consumer app on June 30, 2025. It stays on this list to document the gap, not as a recommendation: you cannot download it. If free CBT is what you came for, MindShift CBT (below, fully free, Anxiety Canada) is the closest credible replacement, with Wysa's free tier the closest chatbot equivalent. Full breakdown in our Woebot alternatives roundup.

Strengths

  • +(Historical) Genuinely free with no nag-paywall
  • +(Historical) Stanford-built; published RCTs
  • +(Historical) Useful from day one — not a demo

Where it falls short

  • −DISCONTINUED — Woebot Health retired the consumer app on June 30, 2025. It is not available to download in 2026, free or otherwise
  • −(Historical) Scripted decision-tree feel

Pricing

(Was free with no paid tier; consumer app discontinued.)

Platforms

(Discontinued)

vs. ILTY

Woebot is no longer available to consumers, so it isn't a live option to compare against. Historically it was the strongest free pick; the free apps still on this list are the honest starting point, and ILTY is a paid alternative only if those have plateaued.

Read our full ILTY vs. Woebot (DISCONTINUED June 2025) comparison →Visit Woebot (DISCONTINUED June 2025) →

#2 · MindShift CBT

Best for: Free CBT for anxiety

Anxiety-specific CBT from Anxiety Canada — fully free.

If "free CBT for anxiety" is your search, this is the answer. Anxiety Canada is a real specialist nonprofit; MindShift is essentially a CBT workbook in app form, no paywall ever.

Strengths

  • +Built by an actual anxiety nonprofit
  • +Truly free with zero upsell
  • +Comprehensive anxiety modules

Where it falls short

  • −Workbook-style UX — feels dated
  • −Demands self-discipline

Pricing

Free.

Platforms

iOS, Android

vs. ILTY

MindShift is the free anxiety-CBT pick. ILTY is the paid conversation alternative.

Read our full ILTY vs. MindShift CBT comparison →Visit MindShift CBT →

#3 · Insight Timer

Best for: Free meditation

Largest free meditation library — 100,000+ tracks.

If Calm and Headspace feel overpriced, Insight Timer's free library covers the same ground. Worth the discovery friction to skip the $70/yr meditation paywall.

Strengths

  • +Free library is massive — most content stays free
  • +Variety of teachers, styles, traditions
  • +Active community

Where it falls short

  • −Premium upsell is constant
  • −Discovery is overwhelming without curation

Pricing

Free; Premium $60/yr (not required).

Platforms

iOS, Android, web

vs. ILTY

Insight Timer is for free meditation. ILTY isn't meditation; ILTY is conversation.

Visit Insight Timer →

#4 · 7 Cups

Best for: Free human peer support

Free anonymous human peer support.

Different category from the other apps here — human peer support, not AI. Often the right answer when you want a HUMAN to listen, free, anonymously.

Strengths

  • +Genuinely free, anonymous human listeners
  • +Specific subcommunities (anxiety, LGBTQ+, etc.)
  • +Listener trained in active listening (appropriately framed, not therapy)

Where it falls short

  • −Quality varies by listener
  • −Wait times during peak hours

Pricing

Free peer support; therapy upgrade is separate paid product.

Platforms

Web, iOS, Android

vs. ILTY

7 Cups wins for free human support. ILTY (paid) wins for AI available instantly with no wait.

Read our full ILTY vs. 7 Cups comparison →Visit 7 Cups →

#5 · Wysa (free tier)

Best for: Free CBT chatbot with optional paid upgrade

CBT chatbot with a meaningful free tier.

Wysa's free tier is genuinely useful — not a 5-feature demo. The Premium upsell pressure is real but the core experience works without paying.

Strengths

  • +Free tier covers core CBT exercises
  • +Mood tracking included free
  • +Published clinical research

Where it falls short

  • −Free tier nudges hard toward Premium
  • −Decision-tree feels scripted

Pricing

Free tier; ~$99/yr Premium (not required for the free tier value).

Platforms

iOS, Android

vs. ILTY

Wysa free is solid free CBT. ILTY (paid) is the conversation alternative.

Read our full ILTY vs. Wysa (free tier) comparison →Visit Wysa (free tier) →

#6 · CBT-i Coach

Best for: Free CBT for insomnia (CBT-I) specifically

Free CBT for insomnia from VA + Stanford.

If you can't sleep and don't want pills, CBT-I Coach is the free, evidence-based, government-built answer. Best in class for one specific thing.

Strengths

  • +Built by US Veterans Affairs + Stanford
  • +Implements gold-standard CBT-I protocol
  • +Truly free, no ads, no upsell

Where it falls short

  • −Insomnia-specific only
  • −Static UX

Pricing

Free.

Platforms

iOS, Android

vs. ILTY

CBT-i Coach for sleep-onset insomnia. ILTY for the anxiety underneath insomnia.

Visit CBT-i Coach →

#7 · Pi (Inflection AI)

Best for: Free general AI conversation that handles feelings well

Free general AI companion with strong emotional intelligence.

Pi is the most pleasant free general-AI companion. Useful for everyday emotional reflection. Risky as primary mental-health support because it lacks clinical guardrails.

Strengths

  • +Excellent conversational quality
  • +Free with no obvious paywall (as of April 2026)
  • +Cross-platform with web access

Where it falls short

  • −NOT a mental-health tool — no clinical guardrails, no memory of your history
  • −Inflection AI's strategy has shifted; long-term fate uncertain

Pricing

Free.

Platforms

Web, iOS, Android

vs. ILTY

Pi (free) is the better pick for casual general AI. ILTY (paid) is the better pick when you specifically want a mental-health-designed tool.

Read our full ILTY vs. Pi (Inflection AI) comparison →Visit Pi (Inflection AI) →

#8 · 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Best for: Crisis (any mental-health crisis, not just suicidal)

Free 24/7 crisis support — call or text.

Not an app, but mentioned in every list because it should be saved in your phone. 988 helps with ALL mental-health crises (panic, severe anxiety, dissociation, feeling unsafe), not just suicidal ideation.

Strengths

  • +Genuinely free 24/7
  • +Trained crisis counselors
  • +Confidential — no insurance involvement, no record

Where it falls short

  • −Crisis-specific, not for daily support
  • −Wait times can vary

Pricing

Free.

Platforms

Phone, SMS

vs. ILTY

988 is for crisis. ILTY (paid) is for the daily support that prevents crisis from being your default.

Visit 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline →

#9 · ILTY

Best for: Paid step up if free options have plateaued

AI mental-health companion — NOT free, paid subscription required.

Listed here for completeness with explicit honesty: ILTY is NOT a free app. If the free options above haven't worked or have plateaued, ILTY is one paid alternative — but try the free apps above first. We don't believe in tricking users into paying for an AI chatbot before they've tried the genuinely free options above.

Strengths

  • +Five distinct AI companion personalities
  • +Conversational AI, not scripted
  • +On-device privacy

Where it falls short

  • −NOT free — does not meet this list's criteria

Pricing

$12.99/mo or $99.99/yr after 1-week trial. NOT free.

Platforms

iOS and Android

Download ILTY

Free to download · 7-day trial · then $12.99/mo or $99.99/yr

Visit ILTY →

Tired of evaluating apps?

ILTY is on iOS and Android. Free to download, 7-day trial, then $12.99/mo or $99.99/yr. Try it for the tough-love-processing scenario specifically — and see if the conversation feels different from the apps you've tried.

Download ILTY

Frequently asked questions

What's the truly best free mental health app?

Depends on your need. Best free CBT chatbot: Wysa's free tier (Woebot held this spot until its consumer app shut down June 30, 2025). Best free CBT for anxiety: MindShift. Best free meditation: Insight Timer. Best free human peer support: 7 Cups. Best free CBT for insomnia: CBT-i Coach. Best free general AI: Pi. Best free crisis support: 988.

Are free mental health apps actually effective?

Several have published RCT evidence — Woebot most prominently. Effect sizes are modest but real for mild-to-moderate symptoms. The honest framing: free apps are good for daily support and skill-building. They don't replace clinician-level care for moderate-to-severe conditions.

Why is ILTY on a 'free apps' list when it's not free?

Honest disclosure: we publish this list. We included ILTY at the bottom (#9 of 9) with explicit "NOT free" framing because users searching for free apps deserve to know what the paid alternatives are if free isn't enough — but we don't believe in tricking users into paying. Try the genuinely-free options above first.

Are free trials the same as free?

No, and we deliberately exclude apps that auto-charge after a trial. A 7-day free trial that bills $50 if you forget to cancel isn't a free app — it's a paid app with delayed billing. The apps above are free in the actual sense: they remain useful without ever paying.

Related reading

→
The Complete Guide to AI Mental Health Apps

The pillar guide explaining what AI mental-health apps are, what works, and what to avoid.

→
All ILTY vs. comparison pages

19 head-to-head comparisons between ILTY and individual competitors.

→
Mental Health Without Therapy

The full ladder of affordable options when paid apps aren't the right answer.