Choosing an app and what it costs
Which AI mental health app should I try first?
By Siri Bandagiriye · Start with what you need, then try one with a free tier for a week. Notice how you feel afterwards: if you're steadier and more connected to people, keep it; if you feel more alone or more hooked, move on.
Start with what you need, not with a ranking. Do you want to talk things through, learn coping skills, meditate, or track your mood? Different apps lean different ways.
Then try one with a free tier for a week. Notice how you feel after using it, not during. Do you feel a little steadier and more connected to people? Keep it. Do you feel more alone or more hooked? Move on.
If you want a companion you can talk to by voice or text, built on a contemplative care model and made in Canada, try Saati. The free tier is enough to know whether it's for you.
What the research says
Mental health apps can earn a Mental Health Commission of Canada Assessed badge, which shows they meet national standards. The list is updated to check apps still meet the requirements.1
The American Psychiatric Association's App Evaluation Model calls privacy and security among the most critical things to consider when choosing an app.2
A review of 578 mental health apps found that app-store popularity was little help in identifying the apps with better privacy.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.