Wysa offers AI chatbot plus optional human coaching. ILTY focuses purely on AI conversation. Here's how to decide which approach works for you.
Wysa launched in 2017 and has become one of the most popular AI mental health apps. It combines an AI chatbot with a comprehensive toolkit of therapeutic exercises based on CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and other approaches.
What sets Wysa apart is the optional human coaching. For an additional fee, you can message with trained mental health professionals. This creates a bridge between AI support and human therapy.
Wysa is also widely used in corporate wellness programs, meaning you may have access through your employer without knowing it.
ILTY focuses entirely on AI conversation quality rather than offering a suite of tools or human support. The bet is that better AI conversations can provide meaningful support for many everyday mental health needs.
Instead of one chatbot, ILTY offers multiple companions with distinct personalities. Some are warm and validating, others are more direct. You choose who to talk to based on what you need in the moment.
ILTY conversations are designed to end with actionable next steps—something concrete you can do, not just emotional validation.
The biggest difference between Wysa and ILTY is that Wysa offers human coaches. The question is whether you need that option.
For serious mental health conditions, neither Wysa's coaches nor ILTY's AI should replace licensed therapy. But for everyday emotional support, quality AI conversation can be surprisingly helpful—and it's available at 3am when human coaches aren't.
Wysa
More conversational than Woebot but still somewhat structured. Can feel limited in deeper conversations.
ILTY
Built for natural conversation. Responds to what you're actually saying rather than following scripts.
Better for: ILTY
Wysa
Offers human coaches for ~$100/month. Trained professionals for text-based support.
ILTY
AI-only. No human coaching option available.
Better for: Wysa (if you need human support)
Wysa
Comprehensive toolkit: CBT, DBT, mindfulness, meditation, sleep sounds, journaling prompts.
ILTY
Conversation-focused. Fewer standalone tools but more depth in conversations.
Better for: Wysa for variety, ILTY for conversational depth
Wysa
Single chatbot personality. Some personalization based on your responses.
ILTY
Multiple distinct companions with different approaches. Choose based on what you need.
Better for: ILTY
Wysa
Dedicated packs for anxiety, depression, grief, relationships, work stress, and more.
ILTY
Conversations can address any issue. Less structured content around specific topics.
Better for: Wysa for structured content, ILTY for flexible conversation
Wysa
Crisis resources, safety planning tools, and human escalation options.
ILTY
Crisis resources and supportive conversation. Recommends professional help for serious situations.
Better for: Wysa (human escalation option)
Wysa
Strong enterprise offering. Often provided through employers.
ILTY
Currently consumer-focused.
Better for: Wysa for enterprise
Wysa
Free AI chatbot. Coaching ~$100/month.
ILTY
Free during beta.
Better for: Similar for AI features
Wysa is a comprehensive mental health platform. It does a lot of things well: structured tools, human coaching option, enterprise integrations. If you want an all-in-one solution, Wysa delivers.
Where Wysa falls short, in our view, is the AI conversation quality. Like most chatbots, it can feel limited when you're trying to have a real conversation about something complex. The human coaching helps with this, but it costs extra and isn't available 24/7.
ILTY is narrower in scope but deeper in the one thing it does: AI conversation. If your main need is someone to talk to—not tools, not meditation, not human coaching—ILTY may be more satisfying.
They solve different problems. Wysa is a mental health toolkit with AI. ILTY is an AI companion for mental health conversations.
Wysa offers access to human coaches (called 'Wysa Coaches') for an additional fee (~$100/month). These are trained mental health professionals but not licensed therapists. ILTY is AI-only and doesn't offer human coaching.
Wysa has specific depression-focused content and tools, plus the option for human coaching support. ILTY provides conversational support for processing depressive feelings. For clinical depression, professional treatment is recommended alongside either app.
Both apps emphasize privacy. Wysa is anonymous by default and states they don't share personal data with employers (for B2B clients). ILTY doesn't sell data, doesn't show ads, and doesn't use conversations to train models. Review each app's privacy policy for specifics.
Yes. Some people use Wysa's structured tools and coaching for ongoing support while using ILTY for in-the-moment conversations when they need to talk something through.
Try both and see which feels right for your needs. ILTY is free during beta, and Wysa's AI features are free too.