Be it for access, affordability, privacy, or just having support at 2 a.m., mental health apps have become a lifeline for many—especially when therapy isn’t available, or motivation is low.
That said, the options are endless (and exhausting). Downloading five apps just to delete them all again is its own kind of spiral. So we did the digging for you.
Here’s a shortlist of the best mental health apps out there right now, from breathing and sleep to productivity, trauma support, and therapy. Whether you’re trying to stay afloat or just want a little more calm in your day, there’s something here that might help.
Mango is a peer-powered productivity app designed for people who find “simple” tasks anything but. It was created by someone who, at one point, celebrated brushing their teeth before noon as a win — and found momentum through trading check-ins with a friend in the same boat. That’s the heart of Mango: mutual encouragement.
Instead of long lists or performance pressure, the app invites users to focus on a single action and check in with someone doing the same. It's built specifically for people dealing with ADHD, anxiety, depression, and burnout—those who need structure, but also understanding.
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Calm is one of the most well-known meditation apps—and for good reason. It offers a wide range of mindfulness tools, from guided meditations and breathing exercises to sleep stories and relaxing soundscapes. No matter if you’ve got a full-blown anxiety spiral or just need to slow your racing thoughts, Calm makes meditation accessible and unintimidating, even for first-timers.
The app’s clean interface and big-name narrators (yes, that’s Matthew McConaughey telling you to go to sleep) have helped make mindfulness more mainstream. It’s not quite therapy, but it’s a reliable tool for emotional regulation, especially in stressful moments.
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BetterHelp is one of the largest online therapy platforms, connecting users to licensed therapists through messaging, phone, or video calls. It’s not free, but for people who can’t easily access in-person therapy due to cost, time, or geography, it offers a flexible alternative. You fill in a questionnaire and get matched with a therapist based on your needs, with the option to switch if it’s not the right fit.
Sessions are scheduled around your availability, and messaging gives users a more casual, ongoing connection between appointments. Put simply: It's therapy on your terms and in your space.
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Developed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, PTSD Coach was originally created for military personnel but is now used more widely by anyone living with trauma. It offers psychoeducation, self-assessment tools, symptom trackers, and guided exercises—all evidence-based, trauma-informed, and free.
What makes it stand out is its balance of immediacy and depth. You can use it to ground yourself during a flashback or learn coping strategies over time. It’s not a substitute for therapy, but for many people, it’s a portable, private companion on the journey to healing.
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Sleep Ninja is a free app created by the Black Dog Institute to help young people (and honestly, anyone) build better sleep habits. It’s based on cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), offering personalised tips, routines, and a bedtime chatbot “ninja” to guide you through healthy sleep behaviours.
Unlike generic sleep trackers, Sleep Ninja helps you understand the why behind your poor sleep and gives practical steps to fix it. No melatonin ads or woo-woo advice here. Just real, clinical psychology made friendly.
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Worry Watch is an anxiety journal that helps you track worries, reflect on outcomes, and notice recurring thought patterns over time. It’s less about instant relief and more about long-term insight, encouraging users to log what they’re worried about, what actually happened, and how they coped.
By putting anxious thoughts into words (and then facts), Worry Watch helps chip away at the loop of overthinking. It’s clean, private, and built for introspective types who want a non-judgmental space to process their mental chatter.
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Breathwrk is a science-backed app offering guided breathing exercises to help with focus, anxiety, energy, and sleep. Its clean, modern design makes it feel more like a fitness app than a meditation one—ideal for people who want the benefits of mindfulness without getting too spiritual about it.
Each exercise is short, goal-oriented, and customizable. You can choose by need (“calm down fast”) or by feeling (“wake up and focus”). Plus, it has visual cues and haptic feedback, making it especially helpful for neurodivergent users or those with sensory preferences.
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Think of it like a chatbot that helps you get out of your own head. Whether you’re spiralling about a decision, avoiding a tough convo, or just can’t figure out what to do next—ChatGPT offers a low-pressure space to think out loud, bounce ideas around, and get suggestions when your brain feels foggy.
In one study, users with anxiety, stress, or low motivation said ChatGPT’s responses helped them feel calmer or more understood. But here’s the catch: it’s not a person. It won’t nudge you to follow through, or celebrate when you do. That’s where human connection (like Mango’s peer support model) can make all the difference.
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Headspace is the OG guided meditation app, known for its friendly animations and chatbot-like voiceovers. It takes you from “meditation zero” to a regular practice in bite-sized sessions—complete with themed packs like “stress, sleep, focus.”
Designed with playfulness and accessibility in mind, it makes meditation feel approachable, even for skeptics. With daily challenges, mindful movement exercises, and short exercises when anxiety strikes, it’s got more personality than your average sit-and-silence tool.
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