Which is the Best App for Anxiety Therapy?

The best app for anxiety therapy offers accessible, judgment-free, and evidence-based support for anxiety and stress. However, which one is the best for you?

In this article, we discuss the main types of apps for anxiety support, so you can choose one that best suits your unique situation. 

Key Learnings 

• There are multiple types of apps available for anxiety relief, including CBT-based apps, panic emergency apps, and online therapy platforms.
• Access to licensed therapists helps, but short sessions can feel limiting.
• Mental health apps are not a substitute for professional help and clinical-level care when it’s needed.

What Should the Best App for Anxiety Therapy Include?

Here’s what actually matters if you want real anxiety relief. 

• Your mental health app should be grounded in proven therapy 

  Apps grounded in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) help change negative thoughts and thinking patterns, thereby teaching emotional regulation skills, not just their symptoms.

• It should offer daily journaling and mood tracking

  These features help you track and identify patterns over time, allowing you to understand your triggers and make adjustments accordingly. 

• It should equip you with effective coping Tools 

  These tools give you practical strategies to manage anxious thoughts in the moment and build resilience for the long term.

1. CBT-Informed Apps

These apps are built on the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy: they help you identify what‘s at the core of your anxious thoughts and develop coping strategies to address those unhealthy thinking patterns.

Liven

Liven is a self-discovery companion designed to help users understand anxiety, manage stress, and build daily habits that support long-term health.

What does the app offer?

• Anxiety Course, which helps users understand the roots of anxiety, explains how the mind and body respond to stress, and teaches coping strategies.
• Mood Tracker, with the help of which users can track emotions daily and uncover patterns tied to stress and habits.
• Journal to process anxious thoughts, but don’t know where to start.
• Self-Care Routines & Daily Quests Users can choose self-care activities to build positive habits and add them to their Liven calendar.
• Smart Companion that can chat with you, help process your thoughts, and bounce ideas around.

💸 Pricing: Starts at $7.99 per week.

Note: Always check the app’s official site for current pricing and plans.

Mindshift CBT

In one small study, 30 adults aged 20–24 used Mindshift CBT daily for approximately one week. Most participants started with moderate anxiety, and by the end, many had moved into the low-anxiety range.

A larger study followed 154 adults aged 18–74 from Canada and the U.S. who used MindShift for 16 weeks. Regardless of how confident or helpless users felt at the beginning, their anxiety improved over time.

What does the app offer?

• CBT tools for anxious thinking help users identify and challenge unhelpful thought patterns.
• Anxiety tracking & check-ins.
• Practical coping exercises for real-life anxiety triggers.

💸 Pricing: Completely free.

Youper 

Youper is an AI-powered mental health app that uses CBT-style conversations. Research shows that users found the app’s cognitive restructuring, gratitude exercises, and problem-solving tools the most effective. 

Another study found anxiety and depression dropped within two weeks, and 43% of users were still using the app after four weeks.

What does the app offer?

• AI-guided CBT conversations enable users to reframe negative thoughts in real-time.
• Mood tracking.
• Short, actionable exercises are designed for busy users.
• Reflection & gratitude tools encourage healthier thinking patterns.

💸 Pricing: 7-day free trial, $69.99/year (No monthly option)

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2. The Panic Emergency Apps

Panic companion apps are most effective when paired with CBT-based therapy or self-help apps.

Rootd

Rootd works best as an anxiety aid for acute moments. 

What does the app offer?

• SOS button for panic attacks provides immediate guidance.
• Reassuring audio tracks help regulate breathing and reduce fear.
• Breathing exercises;
• Educational panic tools help users better understand panic symptoms.

💸 Pricing: $9.99/mo, $79.99/year, or $199 Lifetime

Dare

Dare uses audio guides, mindfulness exercises, and motivational reminders to provide quick relief during overwhelming anxiety, though these tools are mainly effective in the short term and may not change long-term coping patterns.

What does the app offer?

• Step-by-step voice guidance during anxiety and panic episodes;
• Guided meditations, breathing techniques, relaxing music;
• Motivational reminders & notifications;
• On-demand reassurance tools for moments when anxious thoughts feel out of control.

💸 Pricing: $9.99/mo or $59.99/year

Calmer

Many users mention that Calmer’s SOS techniques are especially helpful when anxiety feels sudden. 

What does the app offer?

• SOS grounding tools help bring focus back to the present.
• Guided breathing exercises.
• Immediate reassurance content that normalizes anxiety and, in some cases, helps prevent escalation.

💸 Pricing: 7-day free trial, $12.99/mo, $69.99/year, or $149 Lifetime

3. Traditional Therapy Platforms 

These platforms connect you with licensed mental health professionals and offer affordable therapy overall.

BetterHelp

Research suggests that online CBT can be as effective as in-person therapy for some anxiety disorders. The same research shows that people who used BetterHelp had meaningful symptom reductions in anxiety and depression after 3 months.

What does the app offer?

• Access to licensed therapists.
• CBT-informed therapy sessions.
• Messaging, chat, phone, or video sessions for flexible mental health support.

💸 Pricing: $65–$90 per week (Billed every 4 weeks)

Brightside Health

Brightside Health combines therapy with psychiatric care. 

What people love most about the platform is that they can find a therapist in 24-48 hours. However, some users note that 30-45-minute sessions are too short.

What does the app offer?

• Fast therapist matching.
• Psychiatric evaluation and ongoing medication support.
• Structured therapy plans.
• Regular symptom monitoring.

💸Pricing: Psychiatry: $95/mo | Therapy: $299/mo | Both: $349/mo

Talkiatry

Talkiatry is perfect for users who want medical-grade mental health support. Research shows that users who developed a strong therapist–patient relationship on the platform saw anxiety improve by 41% and depression by 39%.

Meanwhile, a large real-world study also found that anxiety dropped by about 46% and depression by 45% within 3 months, even among users with severe symptoms. 

What does the app offer?

• Comprehensive psychiatric evaluations.
• Ongoing medication management.
• Strong continuity of care.

💸 Pricing: Insurance Only. No cash pay. Average copay: ~$30

Final Thoughts

The best app for anxiety therapy provides judgment-free mental health support, mood tracking & journaling, and teaches you coping strategies that last.

Continue your path to emotional well-being with Liven: try the Liven app (Google Play or App Store), explore anxiety management tips on the Liven blog, and take free wellness tests to learn more about your current mental health.

References

1. Anser et al. (2025). Advancing mental health care with digital tools. Health Care Science. https://doi.org/10.1002/hcs2.70018
2. Kwon et al. (2024). Digital mental health apps for anxiety: A review. Psychiatry Investigation. https://doi.org/10.30773/pi.2023.0339
3. Nalepa, A., & Kopecka-Piech, K. (2024). Mobile apps for panic attacks and anxiety. Annales UMCS. https://doi.org/10.17951/j.2024.37.4.123-145
4. Person et al. (2023). Clinical outcomes of telepsychiatry. JMIR Formative Research. https://doi.org/10.2196/53293
5. Phillips et al. (2025). Therapeutic alliance in virtual psychiatry. medRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.05.09.25327264
6. Yarrington et al. (2025). Digital just-in-time mental health interventions. Journal of Affective Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.119878