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In short
There is no single best AI therapy app: the right one depends on what you want help with, whether you prefer typing or talking, your budget, and how much you care about privacy. For structured, evidence-based self-help, Wysa leads. For open-ended conversation, Ash. For mood tracking, Earkick, now that Youper has shut down (its service ended on September 30, 2026). For voice, Sonia. Replika is a companion app, not therapy. None of these tools diagnose, treat, or cure mental illness, or replace a licensed clinician.
How the top AI therapy apps compare
A quick side by side look. Free tiers and prices change often, so treat the last column as a starting point and confirm the current plan in the app before you pay. Prices shown are indicative as of July 2026.
| App | Best for | Approach | Format | Free to start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ash | Open-ended, reflective conversation | Low-structure, talk it through | Text and voice | Free for now; subscription expected later |
| Wysa | Structured CBT and DBT self-help | Evidence-based exercises, optional human coaching | Text | Yes, core chat free; premium about $75 per year |
| Woebot | Daily CBT check-ins | Short CBT micro-sessions | Text | No consumer app since June 2025; enterprise only |
| Youper | Mood tracking with guided CBT (shut down September 30, 2026) | AI assistant plus emotion logging | Text | Shut down September 30, 2026; service and accounts closed |
| Earkick | Anxiety and mood tracking | Quick check-ins, privacy-forward | Text and check-ins | Yes; premium about $15 per month |
| Replika | Companionship, not therapy | AI companion and roleplay | Text and voice | Free to start; Pro about $20 per month |
| Abby | Quick, on-demand supportive chat | Conversational companion | Text | Free to start; Pro about $20 per month |
| Sonia | Voice, session-style conversations | Guided, session-structured | Voice and text | Free to start, paid upgrade |
How to choose an AI therapy app
The short answer: Wysa if you want structured skills and a free start, Ash if you want open-ended talk, Earkick if you want mood tracking (Youper shut down on September 30, 2026), and Sonia if you want to speak out loud.
AI therapy apps are self-help and emotional-support tools, not a replacement for professional mental-health care. They do not diagnose, treat, or cure mental illness, and they are not crisis services. If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988 in the US to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day.
The right pick comes down to four questions. What do you want help with: structured skills, mood tracking, or just talking something through? Do you prefer typing or talking out loud? What is your budget, and is a free tier enough to start? And how much do you care about privacy, given that these apps collect sensitive emotional data? The comparison above and the picks below are organized around those questions. Before you commit, our guide to reading AI therapist reviews explains how to weigh user ratings and spot fakes.
I have tested the major AI therapy apps the way a worried person would use them, and the differences that matter are not in the chat quality. They are in what each app does at the edges, when a user is not okay.
Our quick picks
Structured self-help and the best free start: Wysa.
Open-ended conversation: Ash.
Mood tracking: Earkick. Youper shut down on September 30, 2026.
Talking out loud: Sonia.
Companionship, not therapy: Replika.
The apps, reviewed
Ash. Best for open-ended, reflective conversation. Ash focuses on talking something through rather than completing rigid worksheets, which can feel more natural if you mainly want to be heard and to think out loud. The trade-off is less structured skill-building than a CBT-first app.
Wysa. Best for structured, evidence-based self-help. Wysa is one of the most established names in the category and is built around techniques drawn from CBT and dialectical behavior therapy, with self-guided tools, mood tracking, and an option to add human coaching. The core chat is free, which makes it an easy starting point.
Woebot. A pioneer you can no longer download. Woebot popularized the friendly, conversational CBT check-in that teaches you to notice and reframe unhelpful thoughts, but it shut down its direct-to-consumer app on June 30, 2025 and now operates only through health systems and enterprise partners. It stays in this comparison because people still search for it, not because you can install it. Our Woebot AI therapist review covers what happened and where former users are going.
Youper. Shut down on September 30, 2026. Youper paired an AI assistant with emotion logging and techniques from CBT and related approaches, and the mood-tracking record was its strongest feature. The company's own service notice set the end of all services at September 30, 2026, auto-renewing subscriptions were switched off beforehand, prepaid plans were refunded through the app stores, and accounts, chat histories, and personal data are deleted from October 1, 2026. The in-app export closed with the service. It stays in this comparison because people still search for it and former users need somewhere to go; for mood tracking, Earkick is the closest fit.
Earkick. Best for low-friction anxiety and mood tracking. Earkick centers on quick AI check-ins and a privacy-forward pitch, often highlighting minimal sign-up. It suits people who want to monitor mood and anxiety without committing to long sessions.
Replika. A companion app, not a clinical tool. People use Replika for companionship, casual conversation, and easing loneliness. It can be comforting, but it is designed as an AI companion rather than therapy, so it should not be relied on for clinical support.
Abby. Best for quick, on-demand supportive chat. Abby is a newer AI chat companion positioned for accessible, therapy-style conversation whenever you want it. It is easy to start with and aims to give quick, supportive responses, though it is lighter on structured clinical technique.
Sonia. Best for voice and session-style structure. Sonia frames its experience around guided, session-style conversations meant to feel more like a sitting than an open chat window, with voice and text options. It suits people who prefer talking out loud and a bit of structure. If talking out loud matters most, see our guide to voice and phone AI therapists.
How we evaluate AI therapy apps
We look at each app the way a careful consumer would, not the way a marketing page describes it. The first thing we weigh is therapeutic approach: whether the app uses recognized techniques such as CBT or DBT, or is closer to open conversation or companionship.
We also tested each app hands-on in June 2026: we ran the full onboarding, talked through a realistic everyday worry, typed crisis language to see whether the app surfaced 988 and stepped back from advice, and checked whether we could find and use a data deletion option. Those checks shaped the picks above as much as any feature list.
We also weigh evidence and credibility. Studies suggest chatbot-delivered CBT can help some people with mild symptoms of anxiety and low mood, though the research is early and most apps are not regulated medical devices. We are clear about what is supported and what is marketing.
The last considerations are fit and safety: the best-fit use case, whether the app handles risk responsibly by pointing users to crisis resources, and how it treats your data. Because these apps collect sensitive emotional information, we read each privacy policy and check how easily you can delete your data.
Looking for a free option?
Several apps here offer a genuine free tier, which is often enough to decide whether AI support fits your routine before paying for anything. Wysa keeps its core chat free, and Earkick offers a free starting option, while most others let you start free and then upgrade.
Free tiers usually cover basic chat and tracking, with extras such as human coaching, advanced exercises, or unlimited use behind a paywall. For a fuller rundown of genuinely free choices and their trade-offs, see our guide to free AI therapy. As of July 2026, indicative prices run about $75 a year for Wysa premium, $15 a month for Earkick premium, and $20 a month for Replika Pro or Abby Pro, while Ash remains free during its rollout. If price is the deciding factor, our ranking of the most affordable AI therapy tools compares the paid plans side by side.
Are AI therapy apps right for you?
AI therapy apps can be a helpful, always-available way to build coping skills, track your mood, vent, or practice techniques between sessions or while you wait for care. Used with realistic expectations, they are a reasonable first step or supplement. If you are still on the fence, start with the AI therapy pros and cons.
They are not appropriate as a sole resource for serious mental-health conditions, active crisis, or anything involving risk to yourself or others. In those situations, contact a licensed professional or, in the US, call or text 988. If you want a closer look at the conversational tools specifically, read about AI therapy chatbots, and if you prefer a human, browse licensed therapists in our directory.
