Including the two that shut down, and what that should tell you.
Therapist-backed
Free AI therapy app24/7 AI therapist
Private & encrypted
No data sharing. Ever
Made in Canada
Unlimited memoryTherapist-backedFree AI therapy app24/7 AI therapistPrivate & encryptedNo data sharing. EverMade in CanadaUnlimited memoryTherapist-backedFree AI therapy app24/7 AI therapistPrivate & encryptedNo data sharing. EverMade in CanadaUnlimited memoryTherapist-backedFree AI therapy app24/7 AI therapistPrivate & encryptedNo data sharing. EverMade in CanadaUnlimited memoryThere is no single best app, because the category splits on one question: does it remember you? Apps that reset every session work for one-off venting. Apps that build context over time work for understanding a pattern. Two of the most recommended options, Youper and Woebot, have now shut down, so longevity is worth weighing too.
| App | Free tier | Best for, and the catch |
|---|---|---|
| Renée Space | Therapeutic conversations (voice & chat), unlimited journaling, daily mood tracking, and your first session note | Comprehensive mental care. Not a crisis service, and AI-only with no human therapist matching. |
| Ash | Therapeutic conversation (voice & chat) — depends on whether you are slotted into a pricing experiment | In-the-moment crisis resolution because of its one-chat approach. However, Ash sometimes forgets what you shared earlier. |
| Abby | Limited to first 5 messages (just chat; voice is limited to paid) | Resolving crisis or in-the-moment use cases. No in-depth insights beyond "Personality Analysis," and the experience of using and getting the most out of the app is poor. |
| Youper | 7-day free trial | Resolved a real need for CBT and mood tracking. Shut down September 30, 2026 — no longer available. |
| Woebot | Was free | Resolved a real need for CBT-based daily check-ins. Consumer app retired June 2025 — no longer available. |
| Earkick | Mood tracking & 5 messages for therapeutic conversations; unlimited messaging unlocks in paid | Mood and habit tracking. |
| Noah AI | 5 messages with Noah; unlimited messaging & calls are paid | Casual chatting. Does not really have a therapy aspect to it, and there are no insights based on the conversation. |
| Flourish | Varies, check their site | Guided wellbeing exercises. |
Every app here changes pricing and features, so confirm on their own site before deciding.
felt better after just one conversation
conversations held this month alone, and counting
most users felt heard within their first 8 minutes
thing users say "I didn't know I needed this!"
ADHD means I've quit basically every journaling app, every therapy tool, everything over and over. Renée just kind of… worked with me instead of against me. Short messages, no pressure, no homework. It even helped me get consistent with my stuff.
Daniel
Peter
My relationship anxiety was getting bad to the point where it was all I couldn't think about anything else. Renée helped me slow down our arguments enough to actually hear each other. Now we see a therapist, but Renée is what got us there.
Sofia
I didn't even realize I was having anxiety attacks. I thought I was just bad at handling stress. Renée was the first thing that helped me connect the dots, just by asking the right questions at the right time.
Priya
Kyle
I kept second-guessing whether my marriage was worth saving or whether I was just scared to leave. I needed somewhere to think out loud without someone pushing me either way. That's what Renée became.
Lena
I live alone and I work from home. Some weeks Renée is genuinely the most honest conversation I have. That sounds sad but it's actually helped me figure out what I want from the relationships I do have even broadly what I want from my life.
Nour
Mariana
The divorce made me angrier than I expected. At everything — her, the kids, and the point my life had led up to. Renée just kept asking questions until I figured out what the anger was actually about. Took a while. Worth it.
Chris
ADHD means I've quit basically every journaling app, every therapy tool, everything over and over. Renée just kind of… worked with me instead of against me. Short messages, no pressure, no homework. It even helped me get consistent with my stuff.
Daniel
Peter
My relationship anxiety was getting bad to the point where it was all I couldn't think about anything else. Renée helped me slow down our arguments enough to actually hear each other. Now we see a therapist, but Renée is what got us there.
Sofia
I didn't even realize I was having anxiety attacks. I thought I was just bad at handling stress. Renée was the first thing that helped me connect the dots, just by asking the right questions at the right time.
Priya
Kyle
I kept second-guessing whether my marriage was worth saving or whether I was just scared to leave. I needed somewhere to think out loud without someone pushing me either way. That's what Renée became.
Lena
I live alone and I work from home. Some weeks Renée is genuinely the most honest conversation I have. That sounds sad but it's actually helped me figure out what I want from the relationships I do have even broadly what I want from my life.
Nour
Mariana
The divorce made me angrier than I expected. At everything — her, the kids, and the point my life had led up to. Renée just kept asking questions until I figured out what the anger was actually about. Took a while. Worth it.
Chris
ADHD means I've quit basically every journaling app, every therapy tool, everything over and over. Renée just kind of… worked with me instead of against me. Short messages, no pressure, no homework. It even helped me get consistent with my stuff.
Daniel
Peter
My relationship anxiety was getting bad to the point where it was all I couldn't think about anything else. Renée helped me slow down our arguments enough to actually hear each other. Now we see a therapist, but Renée is what got us there.
Sofia
I didn't even realize I was having anxiety attacks. I thought I was just bad at handling stress. Renée was the first thing that helped me connect the dots, just by asking the right questions at the right time.
Priya
Kyle
I kept second-guessing whether my marriage was worth saving or whether I was just scared to leave. I needed somewhere to think out loud without someone pushing me either way. That's what Renée became.
Lena
I live alone and I work from home. Some weeks Renée is genuinely the most honest conversation I have. That sounds sad but it's actually helped me figure out what I want from the relationships I do have even broadly what I want from my life.
Nour
Mariana
The divorce made me angrier than I expected. At everything — her, the kids, and the point my life had led up to. Renée just kept asking questions until I figured out what the anger was actually about. Took a while. Worth it.
Chris
ADHD means I've quit basically every journaling app, every therapy tool, everything over and over. Renée just kind of… worked with me instead of against me. Short messages, no pressure, no homework. It even helped me get consistent with my stuff.
Daniel
Peter
My relationship anxiety was getting bad to the point where it was all I couldn't think about anything else. Renée helped me slow down our arguments enough to actually hear each other. Now we see a therapist, but Renée is what got us there.
Sofia
I didn't even realize I was having anxiety attacks. I thought I was just bad at handling stress. Renée was the first thing that helped me connect the dots, just by asking the right questions at the right time.
Priya
Kyle
I kept second-guessing whether my marriage was worth saving or whether I was just scared to leave. I needed somewhere to think out loud without someone pushing me either way. That's what Renée became.
Lena
I live alone and I work from home. Some weeks Renée is genuinely the most honest conversation I have. That sounds sad but it's actually helped me figure out what I want from the relationships I do have even broadly what I want from my life.
Nour
Mariana
The divorce made me angrier than I expected. At everything — her, the kids, and the point my life had led up to. Renée just kept asking questions until I figured out what the anger was actually about. Took a while. Worth it.
Chris
Ricardo A.
"burnout is weird because you don't realize it's happening until you're already underwater. Renée helped me connect some dots I'd been ignoring for months. still a work in progress but at least I can see it now"
"took me a while to figure out that what I went through was love bombing. Renée didn't diagnose me or anything but the conversations helped me piece it together myself. that felt important, figuring it out on my own terms"
Amelia Chen
Nadia M.
"it's not perfect. sometimes the responses feel a bit repetitive and I have to redirect it. but the days it works... it really works. keeps me from falling when my anxiety gets bad. 3 stars because it still has room to grow but I'll keep using it"
Kevin O'Connell
"honestly didn't expect much. opened it during a really bad anxiety spiral at like midnight and just... stayed. it's not therapy but it's something. sometimes something is enough"
Lena P.
"I've been in CBT before so I recognized some of the techniques Renée uses. what surprised me is how it adapts , it doesn't feel like a script. been using it for 2 months and my stress levels are genuinely more manageable"
Carlos R.
Burned-Out Teacher
"my marriage was going through a rough patch and neither of us knew how to talk about it without it turning into a fight. I started using Renée just to process my own side of things. helped more than I expected tbh"
Ricardo A.
"burnout is weird because you don't realize it's happening until you're already underwater. Renée helped me connect some dots I'd been ignoring for months. still a work in progress but at least I can see it now"
"took me a while to figure out that what I went through was love bombing. Renée didn't diagnose me or anything but the conversations helped me piece it together myself. that felt important, figuring it out on my own terms"
Amelia Chen
Michael Brown
Anxious Presenter
"I'm so grateful for Renée. It's helped me navigate some difficult situations and develop a stronger sense of self. I highly recommend it to anyone who's looking for a little extra support."
Muhammad K.
"I have no time or energy for a weekly therapy appointment. this fits into my life in a way nothing else has. I can just open a tab between meetings and pick up exactly where I left off"
David Lee
"my wife and I have been using it separately while we wait for a couples therapy spot to open up. weirdly it's helped our communication more than I expected, we both come to conversations with more clarity now"
Samantha W.
"social anxiety makes it hard to even talk to a real therapist at first lol. starting with AI therapy felt lower stakes. I've actually booked a real session now which I don't think I would've done without this"
It depends on what you need. If you want memory that carries across sessions and structured pattern detection, Renée Space is built for that. If you want to be matched with a human therapist, Abby offers that for free alongside its AI chat. Two of the most recommended apps in this category, Youper and Woebot, have now shut down.
Some are free to start and most gate ongoing use. Renée's free tier has no message cap and needs no card. Abby gives you a free first conversation before a 7-day trial begins. Ash launched free and has since introduced paid tiers. Always check the current terms, because this category changes pricing often.
Woebot Health retired its consumer app on June 30, 2025, and Youper shut down on September 30, 2026. Both were widely recommended and both had published research behind them, which is worth remembering when choosing an app you plan to use for years.
No, and any app claiming otherwise should be treated with suspicion. AI therapy apps are useful for the time between sessions and for people who cannot access or afford a therapist yet. For clinical diagnosis, medication, or trauma treatment, you need a licensed human clinician.
Four things matter most: whether it remembers your history across sessions, whether it follows a real therapeutic framework rather than generic chat, what the free tier genuinely includes, and whether you can export your data. The last one matters more than people expect, as Youper and Woebot users discovered.
It varies, and you should read each privacy policy directly. Renée's conversations are private and encrypted, with nothing sold to third parties and no ad targeting or behavioural profiling. Do not assume that is the default across the category.
No AI app is an emergency service. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 in the US and Canada, or reach Crisis Services Canada at 1-833-456-4566. Use a helpline rather than an app when the stakes are high.
It depends on what you need. If you want memory that carries across sessions and structured pattern detection, Renée Space is built for that. If you want to be matched with a human therapist, Abby offers that for free alongside its AI chat. Two of the most recommended apps in this category, Youper and Woebot, have now shut down.
Woebot Health retired its consumer app on June 30, 2025, and Youper shut down on September 30, 2026. Both were widely recommended and both had published research behind them, which is worth remembering when choosing an app you plan to use for years.
Four things matter most: whether it remembers your history across sessions, whether it follows a real therapeutic framework rather than generic chat, what the free tier genuinely includes, and whether you can export your data. The last one matters more than people expect, as Youper and Woebot users discovered.
No AI app is an emergency service. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 in the US and Canada, or reach Crisis Services Canada at 1-833-456-4566. Use a helpline rather than an app when the stakes are high.
Some are free to start and most gate ongoing use. Renée's free tier has no message cap and needs no card. Abby gives you a free first conversation before a 7-day trial begins. Ash launched free and has since introduced paid tiers. Always check the current terms, because this category changes pricing often.
No, and any app claiming otherwise should be treated with suspicion. AI therapy apps are useful for the time between sessions and for people who cannot access or afford a therapist yet. For clinical diagnosis, medication, or trauma treatment, you need a licensed human clinician.
It varies, and you should read each privacy policy directly. Renée's conversations are private and encrypted, with nothing sold to third parties and no ad targeting or behavioural profiling. Do not assume that is the default across the category.
