Choosing an app and what it costs
How much does an AI mental health app cost?
By Siri Bandagiriye · Prices vary widely, and many apps have a free tier. Saati is free to start; the full app is CAD $6.99 a month or CAD $59.99 a year.
Prices vary widely. Many offer a free tier with limits and a monthly or yearly plan for full use.
Saati has a free tier. The full app is CAD $6.99 a month or CAD $59.99 a year.
I kept the price low on purpose, because the people who most need support are often the ones with the least money to spare.
What the research says
For comparison, Quebec's Order of Psychologists says a 50-minute psychotherapy session generally costs $120 to $180.1
In 2022, among girls and young women in Canada aged 15 to 29 with a mental health or substance use disorder who didn't get counselling, 37.2% said therapy was unaffordable.2
Canada's 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline is free and available 24/7, and has answered more than one million calls and texts since launching in November 2023.3
Written by Siri Bandagiriye
I've been a Buddhist monk and mindfulness teacher for 30 years, and for six years a chaplain with Correctional Service Canada, sitting with people in crisis. I built Saati in Halifax as a companion for the ordinary hard days. If you'd like to see what it's like, it's free to try.