7 Cups connects you with volunteer listeners for free peer support. ILTY offers AI conversation. Here's how these free options compare.
7 Cups offers free emotional support through trained volunteer listeners. You can connect with a listener for text-based conversations about what you're going through.
The platform also offers community chat rooms, growth paths, and optional paid therapy ($150+/month). It's been around since 2013 and has helped millions of people.
The key value proposition is human connection: real people volunteering their time to listen. Listeners complete training, though depth of experience varies significantly.
ILTY provides AI-powered mental health conversations that are instant, consistent, and available anytime. No waiting for a listener to become available.
While you're not talking to a human, the conversation quality is designed to be deeper and more therapeutically structured than casual peer support.
ILTY's AI companions each bring different approaches—some gentle, some direct—and conversations are designed to end with actionable next steps.
7 Cups
Real humans volunteering to listen. Genuine human connection.
ILTY
AI companions. Consistent quality but not human.
Better for: 7 Cups for human connection; ILTY for consistency
7 Cups
Can be significant. Popular times may mean 10-30+ minute waits.
ILTY
Instant. No waiting, ever.
Better for: ILTY
7 Cups
Varies widely. Some listeners are excellent; others are new or disengaged.
ILTY
Consistent. Same quality every time.
Better for: ILTY for consistency; 7 Cups at its best can be more impactful
7 Cups
Depends on the listener. Some offer genuine insight; others just acknowledge.
ILTY
Designed for depth. Helps you process, analyze, and decide.
Better for: ILTY for reliable depth
7 Cups
You're sharing with a stranger. Anonymous but still a real person.
ILTY
AI only. No human reads your conversations.
Better for: ILTY for privacy-sensitive topics
7 Cups
Free for peer support. Paid therapy option available.
ILTY
Free during beta.
Better for: Both free for core features
7 Cups fills an important gap: free human support for people who need someone to listen. At its best, a good 7 Cups listener provides genuine human connection that AI can't fully replicate.
The challenge is consistency. Wait times can be long, and listener quality varies dramatically. You might get someone thoughtful and experienced, or someone who just says 'that sounds hard' on repeat.
ILTY trades human connection for reliability: instant availability, consistent quality, and deeper conversational structure. You won't get the warmth of human connection, but you'll get useful support every time.
If human connection is what you need most, try 7 Cups. If reliable, deep conversation is the priority, ILTY may serve you better.
Yes, peer listener support on 7 Cups is free. They also offer paid therapy starting at ~$150/month. ILTY is free during beta.
Listeners complete a basic training program, but they're volunteers, not professionals. Quality varies. ILTY's AI is consistently designed for therapeutic conversation approaches.
With 7 Cups, you're sharing with a real person (anonymous, but human). With ILTY, no human reads your conversations. For sensitive topics, ILTY offers more privacy.
The best way to know if ILTY is right for you is to try it. We're in beta and completely free.