Best AI Therapy & Mental Health Apps in 2026, Compared

How this comparison was made

On September 6, 2026, we checked public English-language product pages, help pages, privacy policies, and developer-provided store descriptions. For each app we looked for the same five things: free-access terms, conversation format, continuity or history, data-use and deletion terms, and limits on intended use. A feature is described as documented only when a linked official source supports it. Missing or inaccessible information is marked unconfirmed, rather than treated as an absent feature.

This is a document-based comparison. We did not create competitor accounts, buy plans, run conversation scripts, test crisis responses, audit security, or measure memory and voice quality. No app versions were tested. Store descriptions are supplied by developers; policy statements are commitments, not independent verification. Some sites exposed only indexed text or incomplete pages, as noted in their sections.

The selection keeps the apps from our earlier guides so readers can see what changed. Headspace's Ebb, checked September 7, 2026, replaces Youper, which closed on September 30, 2026. It is not an exhaustive market survey. We use no numerical score because the evidence is not comparable enough to justify one. We do not establish a clinical winner or attribute research on another product to sokoon. The fit judgments are editorial interpretations by a competing provider, and this article has not received a clinical review.

Best free AI therapy apps: compare the actual allowance

For a documented ongoing allowance, start by comparing sokoon’s daily free text session with Wysa’s free AI conversation. sokoon includes exercises, Mood Radar, and Mind Map; voice requires Premium. Wysa includes tools offered inside conversations, while its wider library is paid. The format you prefer matters more than a free-download label.

Abby’s official FAQ describes free basic text access as well as a trial offer, so our earlier “trial only” label was too strong. Earkick advertises free web chat, but its mobile listing sells full access through subscriptions. We could not establish Ash’s current free allowance from its public pages. Check the actual message limit, renewal date, and cancellation terms before choosing a paid offer; this review did not enter a checkout.

1. sokoon: daily conversation with memory

sokoon offers browser-based AI conversation, exercises, mood tracking, and context carried between sessions. Its published plans include one full text session daily on Free, unlimited text on Basic, and text plus voice on Premium. Free does not expire and requires no card, but does require an account. Better memory is listed on the paid plans; we have not benchmarked recall against these apps.

Privacy and limits: Our privacy policy says conversations are encrypted, data is not sold, and conversations are not used to train our AI. It also describes collected content, legal disclosures, and deletion requests. That narrower commitment does not substantiate a claim about every third-party model. sokoon is for adults 18 and over, has no human coaching option, and this guide provides no product-specific clinical trial. It is a poor fit if you need free voice or support without an account.

2. Ash: text and voice with continuing context

Ash’s product page advertises phone-style voice, text, weekly insights, and remembering previous stories and preferences. Those features make it relevant if speaking is easier than typing. We did not test the accuracy of its memory or the quality of its responses, and cannot call it a better listener from documents alone.

Privacy and limits: Its August 19, 2026 privacy policy says conversation transcripts are used for training or improvement only if you opt in; it describes transcript retention, deletion controls, and no stored voice data. It also covers subscriptions and payment processing. We could not confirm an ongoing free allowance, so the earlier “fully free” recommendation has been withdrawn. See our sokoon vs Ash comparison for additional context, and check Ash’s current offer before subscribing.

3. Wysa: guided reflection and exercises

Wysa’s FAQ describes structured reflection, self-help exercises, free AI conversations, a paid wider library, and additional-cost human coaching in some locations. It also says versions differ: some use rules, others combine rules and large language models. Calling every version a scripted workbook would misrepresent that range. Confirm which version your employer, institution, or app provides.

Privacy and limits: The FAQ allows a nickname, describes conversation history and a reset-data control, and says anonymized messages may be used to train its AI. A nickname is not proof of complete anonymity. Read the global privacy policy for the service you use. Voice availability and continuity should be checked for that version. See sokoon vs Wysa; this document review does not establish that either app is more effective.

4. Headspace (Ebb): reflection alongside meditation

Headspace’s Ebb page describes an AI companion inside its app that recommends meditations and activities. The surrounding sleep and meditation library makes it relevant if those are already part of the routine you want to build.

Privacy and limits: Ebb is part of a Headspace subscription, so confirm your eligibility, access route, and renewal terms. We have not tested its response depth and cannot conclude that it is shallow from its content recommendations. Official page checked September 7, 2026.

5. Earkick: mood records, habits, and a companion

Earkick’s US App Store description lists check-ins, progress statistics, breathing exercises, a habit tracker, and voice customization. Its release history also describes voice and video mood entries. These document tracking and voice features, not a tested guarantee of accurate long-term conversational memory. The listing offers a trial and paid full access; its official site separately advertises free web chat.

Privacy and limits: The store description claims no registration and device or iCloud storage. During this check, the linked privacy URL redirected to the blog, so we could not confirm its current detailed data-use, training, or deletion terms. We have not independently verified the store’s privacy claims. Confirm those terms and your mobile free allowance before sharing sensitive information or paying.

6. Abby: basic text reflection and paid voice

The indexed text of Abby’s official FAQ describes a basic free version with text and reflection exercises, and Premium with voice, unlimited messages, check-ins, and bookmarks. It lists Pro at $19.99 per month. Direct page access returned a verification screen during this review, so confirm the live offer before relying on that price. We have not tested its language quality or verified a current language count.

Privacy and limits: Its indexed privacy policy permits training on anonymized and aggregated inputs and outputs, and says conversation history supports personalization. It provides deletion options with retention exceptions. This is not a blanket no-training commitment. We cannot infer response depth or memory accuracy from that policy. See sokoon vs Abby for further comparison.

Privacy, memory, and voice: the questions that change the choice

Memory: Ash and sokoon describe continuity across sessions. Wysa documents history, Earkick documents progress records, and Abby describes retained history for personalization. Those are different claims. Before depending on remembered context, check how to correct or remove it. This review did not test whether an app recalls a detail correctly after a week.

Voice: Ash advertises voice conversations; sokoon and Abby reserve voice for paid plans. Wysa’s options depend on the service version. Earkick lists voice features, which do not by themselves establish an identical phone-style experience. Audio input, spoken replies, and a live voice call should not be treated as interchangeable.

Privacy: Keeping history for your next session and using conversations to improve a model are separate decisions. Compare training consent, processor access, retention, and deletion, not just an encryption statement. Ash describes an opt-in, Wysa and Abby describe some anonymized training uses, and sokoon’s policy excludes training its own AI. Unconfirmed policy details for Earkick are a research limit, not evidence of misconduct.

When choosing an app is not enough

The American Psychological Association’s advisory urges caution about using AI chatbots for mental health and distinguishes them from qualified providers. A reassuring answer, a CBT label, or a privacy policy does not establish clinical safety. If you need diagnosis or treatment, contact a qualified professional. For an immediate mental health emergency, use local emergency services or a human crisis service.

Our AI support fit quiz can help you consider the intended use and limitations; it is not a diagnosis. If you are weighing a general assistant, read ChatGPT for mental health. Youper, listed in earlier versions of this guide, discontinued its services on September 30, 2026. Woebot closed its consumer app in 2025. Other products, such as Replika, are outside this six-app review; their omission is not a current safety or availability judgment.

Common questions

What is the best AI therapy app?

The best fit depends on the task: sokoon documents daily text sessions with memory, Ash documents text and voice conversation, and Wysa documents guided reflection and exercises. This is a review of official documents, not a hands-on quality ranking or a clinical recommendation. Youper discontinued its services on September 30, 2026.

Which AI therapy apps are free?

sokoon has one full text session each day with no card, and Wysa says its AI conversation and tools offered within it are free. Abby describes a basic free text version alongside Premium. Earkick advertises free web chat, while its mobile listing includes a trial and subscriptions. We could not confirm a current ongoing free allowance for Ash. Free download, free trial, and ongoing free access are different offers.

Which apps support voice and memory?

sokoon documents memory and reserves voice for Premium. Ash advertises both voice and continuity across conversations. Abby lists voice as Premium. Wysa services vary by version, and Earkick documents voice features and mood history. We did not test recall accuracy, voice quality, or language quality; stored history alone does not prove reliable conversational memory.

Are AI therapy apps safe to use?

This comparison does not establish safety. AI can make mistakes and a product description cannot show how reliably it handles distress. Review the intended use, data policy, deletion controls, and current access terms. For diagnosis, treatment, or a mental health crisis, seek qualified human care rather than relying on an app.

Can ChatGPT or another AI be my therapist?

An AI chatbot is not a licensed therapist. A supportive conversation does not provide the clinical assessment, accountability, or care relationship of a qualified professional. The apps here are compared for everyday self-reflection; neither their branding nor this list establishes that they can diagnose or treat a condition.