Apps for the Journey
This collection brings together apps that can support you along your mental health journey — from mindfulness and affirmations to therapy skills, trackers, and productivity tools. Recovery looks different for everyone, but sometimes these small tools can make the load a little lighter and the days feel a little steadier.
Here’s what you’ll find:
-
A mix of mindfulness, therapy, tracking, and self-care tools to explore what works for you.
-
Apps that encourage curiosity, compassion, and reflection, not perfection.
-
Suggestions to lighten your daily load — whether you need structure, calm, or a gentle reminder to breathe.
About This Section:
-
Curated collection of mental health and wellness apps and tools.
-
Categories include meditation, mindfulness, sleep support, stress relief, and overall well-being.
-
Highlights both free and premium options, with notes on subscriptions and trial periods.
-
Focuses on ease of use, accessibility, and personalisation features.
-
Provides quick insights on what makes each app unique, including key features and limitations.
-
Helps users find the right tools to support their mental health journey.
Mindfulness & Grounding Tools
Find calm in the chaos. These apps help you slow down, reconnect with your breath, and come back to the present moment. Whether through guided meditation, grounding exercises, or gentle reminders to pause, they’re here to help you build small moments of peace into your day.
.png)
HEADSPACE
COST: Subscription & Limited Free Version
Headspace is a user-friendly meditation app designed to help users build mindfulness habits through structured courses and guided sessions.
Headspace’s free version is quite limited, but it does include access to their AI chat assistant, Eb
INSIGHT TIMER - MEDITATE & SLEEP
COST: Subscription & Free Version
It features a customisable meditation timer, live events, and community discussions, making it a comprehensive tool for mindfulness and well-being.
Insight Timer is great because its free version offers a wide range of meditations and other content, all without ads
OAK
Cost: Free
Oak is a free meditation app designed to help users build a consistent mindfulness practice through guided and unguided sessions.
Oak seems like a really good app, offering a wide variety of meditations, simple visuals, and helpful progress tracking
.png)
BALANCE
Cost: Subscription & Limited Free & 1 year Free Trial
The Balance app is a personalised meditation and sleep tool designed to help users manage stress, improve sleep, and enhance focus
Balance offers a helpful one-year free trial for users to try its meditation and sleep features.
.png)
BETTERSLEEP
COST: Subscription & Limited Free Version
BetterSleep is a comprehensive sleep and relaxation app designed to help users improve their sleep quality through a variety of features and content.
The free version is limited and the full subscription can be relatively costly
.png)
SMILING MIND
COST: Free
Smiling Mind is a free, evidence-based mental fitness app developed by psychologists and educators to support users of all ages in building resilience, managing stress, and enhancing overall well-being.
Great for its free access, ability to favourite preferred sessions, and the option to build personalised mindfulness routines
.png)
CALM: SLEEP & MEDITATION
COST: Subscription & Limited Free Version
Calm provides guided meditations, sleep stories, breathing exercises, stretching routines, and relaxing music to support mental well-being.
The free version is limited and the full subscription can be relatively costly
SPOTIFY
COST: Free with ads or various subscription plans available.
Spotify is a music and podcast streaming platform that includes guided meditations, evidence-based podcasts and calming music.
The free version is great for podcasts; however, there are ads between music tracks. Student and family plans available
Other Podcasts
These podcasts explore wellness, personal growth, and practical life advice across a variety of topics. They offer inspiration, tips, and reflections to help you navigate everyday challenges and live more intentionally. Perfect for listeners looking for motivation, curiosity, and guidance on improving overall wellbeing and embracing personal growth. Their work reminds us that creativity isn’t about perfection; it’s about honesty. Through rhythm, colour, and imagery, they show that expression can be a form of release — a gentle way to connect with the parts of ourselves that need to be witnessed without judgment. Whether you listen, write, draw, or simply let their words wash over you, these creative spaces invite you to slow down, breathe, and meet yourself with softness.
Other Podcasts
These podcasts explore wellness, personal growth, and practical life advice across a variety of topics. They offer inspiration, tips, and reflections to help you navigate everyday challenges and live more intentionally. Perfect for listeners looking for motivation, curiosity, and guidance on improving overall wellbeing and embracing personal growth. Their work reminds us that creativity isn’t about perfection; it’s about honesty. Through rhythm, colour, and imagery, they show that expression can be a form of release — a gentle way to connect with the parts of ourselves that need to be witnessed without judgment. Whether you listen, write, draw, or simply let their words wash over you, these creative spaces invite you to slow down, breathe, and meet yourself with softness.
Therapy & Skills Tools
A companion for practising what you learn in therapy or exploring new coping skills. These apps offer resources based on CBT, DBT, ACT, and other therapeutic approaches, making it easier to track emotions, challenge thoughts, or work through tough moments with guidance and structure.
.webp)
MOST
COST: Free
MOST is a free digital mental health support service for young people aged 12-25 in Australia, providing evidence-based therapies, resources, and human support.
MOST provides access to a range of content around mental health for young people and is monitored by clinicians
MELLO
COST: Free
Mello is a mental health app designed specifically for young Australians by researchers at Orygen Digital within the University of Melbourne.
For young people struggling with anxiety and depression, Mello is an evidence-based app that provides tools to relieve negative thinking patterns
ACT COMPANION
COST: Limited free version with option to subscribe
ACT Companion is packed full of dozens of fun, interactive ACT exercises and tools based on the best-selling self-help book, The Happiness Trap, that will help you develop the ACT superpowers you need to live life more fully and openly.
Limited tools are available for free others require a subscription.
WHAT'S UP
COST: Free
What's Up? can help you cope with anxiety, stress and feelings of depression. It has interactive games, forums, thought tracking diary and helpful techniques to manage your feelings.
There is also the option to make a donation but the app and tools are free. Very simple to use.
.png)
KABOOSE
COST: Free
Kaboose is a community app for autistic & neurodivergent individuals over 18, to connect, learn and thrive. Our community is built by neurodivergent people, for neurodivergent people.
_edited.jpg)
DARE
COST: Limited free version with option to subscribe
Welcome to Dare, the evidence-based training program to help people overcome anxiety, panic attacks, worry and insomnia.
Very limited options with the free version however, the guided tracks for panic attacks are available.
LETHEIA
COST: Free
Letheia is an emotionally fluent pocket guide designed for Gen Z to check in, ground themselves, and process feelings in real-time without the pressure to perform. Shaped by mental health experts, the app offers "truth-telling" tools like AI-driven reflection threads and rhythmic breathing exercises to support honest emotional self-care.
.png)
BEYOND NOW
COST: Free
Beyond Now Safety Planning provides an app and website for you to create a step-by-step plan to stay safe when you are overwhelmed or having thoughts of suicide.
It also provides the numbers of crisis services for easy access
Mood, Habit & Health Tracking Tools
Notice patterns, not perfection. These tools help you keep gentle track of your moods, habits, sleep, or wellbeing — offering insights that can help you understand what supports or drains you. They’re not about control, but awareness and curiosity.
_edited_edited.jpg)
GRIT
COST: Free with optional subscription
GRIT allows you to pick habits that you would like to work toward and provides a way to track your progress,
Basic statistics are available on the free plan however, a paid plan is required for more in depth analysis.
.webp)
DAILYBEAN
COST: Free with optional subscription
DailyBean lets you track your daily mood using a simple 5-point Likert scale. You can also log habits, emotions, steps, and add photos from your day.
When you first open the app, it may take you to a subscription page — simply tap the back arrow to continue using the free version.
DAYLIO
COST: Free with optional subscription
Daylio lets you track your daily mood using a simple 5-point Likert scale. You can also log habits, emotions, steps, and add photos from your day.
It is very similar to Daily Bean and depends on personal aesthetic preferences
HOW WE FEEL
COST: Free
How We Feel helps people find the right word to describe how they feel while tracking their sleep, exercise, and health trends in order to spot patterns over time.
Highly recommend! This app is easy to use and provides a range of emotions to help you put a name to your feelings.
_edited.jpg)
DAYS
COST: Free and Subscription ($9.99/year)
This app allows you to add countdowns to events on your lock screen.
The free version allows you to have a limited number of events; however, I have yet to reach the limit, and you can delete events once they have passed.
I AM SOBER
COST: Free and Subscription
I Am Sober is a sobriety tracking and support app that can help you manage urges and stay sober from alcohol, drugs, and other harmful behaviours.
The free version allows you to track up to two behaviours and is quite easy to use.
.png)
BRIGHTER BITE
COST: Free
Brighter Bite is an app designed for people in eating disorder recovery. It allows you to track mood, urges, and eating patterns while also allowing you to journal about thoughts and feelings.
Warning: Use this app with discretion, as it does include a food diary tool and may be triggering to some individuals
Productivity & Focus
For the days when getting things done feels hard. These apps help you stay on track with gentle structure — whether that’s timers, focus playlists, body doubling, or task management tools. Think of them as scaffolding, not pressure.
.png)
FOCUS FRIEND
COST: Free with optional paid extras
Focus Friend is a popular, free gamified focus timer app by Hank Green that uses a virtual "Bean" character to motivate users to stay off their phones by completing tasks like knitting, earning rewards (socks/furniture) for successful focus sessions.
.png)
FINCH
COST: Free with the option of a paid subscription
The Finch app is a popular, gamified self-care and mental wellness tool where users nurture a virtual pet bird (a "Finch") by completing real-life self-care tasks like journaling, mood tracking, meditation, and setting goals, earning rewards to customise their pet and house.
_edited.jpg)
TIIMO
COST: Free with the option of a paid subscription
Tiimo is a visual daily planner designed to support ADHD, Autism, and executive functioning. Stay focused, get organised, and follow through with ease.
Simple and pleasant to look at. Has a pomodoro timer, a to-do list and allows you to import your calendar.
.png)
FOCUS KEEPER
Cost: Free with the option of a paid subscription
This app allows you to plan tasks, block distractions on your phone, and serve as a Pomodoro timer, among other functions.
When opening the app, it will give you the option to start a free trial - click the x in the top right corner to get back to the free version
.jpeg)
FLORA
COST: Limited free with the option of a paid subscription
Flora is a popular productivity app that gamifies focus by turning tasks into virtual tree-growing adventures; you set a timer for a task, and if you stay off your phone
Essentially the same app as Forest
OPAL
COST: Limited free with the option of a paid subscription
Opal is a screen timer app that allows you to block certain apps, set time limits and reduce your screen time.
I have not personally tested this one
FOREST
COST: Limited free with the option of a paid subscription
A gamified focus timer that helps you stay off your phone by planting a virtual tree when you start a session; if you leave the app, the tree withers, motivating you to stay focused, while successful sessions grow a forest
.png)
FOCUS POMO
COST: Free with the option of a paid subscription
This app is a Pomodoro timer that works in blocks of 25 minutes however the timer can be modified.
When opening the app, it will give you the option to start a free trial - click the x in the top left corner to get back to the free version
_edited.jpg)
EMPIRE
COST: Free
Empire is a time management app where you are rewarded for completing blocks of time without using your phone. If successful you receive rewards and are able to create a mini city.
One of the best free apps I have found for focus
TAPPY
COST: Free with the option to upgrade to a paid subscription
Tappy: Self Care Fidgeter is a free fidgeting app designed to help reduce stress and anxiety quickly and in a fun way. This app offers multiple features that are satisfying and engaging, such as mood tracking, fidget games, and tools like a Fidget Spinner.
Rest & Relaxation
Rest is recovery too. When life feels overwhelming, slowing down can be an important part of healing. This collection of calming apps and games offers simple, low-effort ways to wind down, gently distract your mind, and create space to rest. Whether you’re looking to settle your nervous system, pass time safely, or just take a quiet pause, these tools are here to support moments of rest for both your body and mind.
TAPPY
COST: Free with the option to upgrade to a paid subscription
Tappy: Self Care Fidgeter is a free fidgeting app designed to help reduce stress and anxiety quickly and in a fun way. This app offers multiple features that are satisfying and engaging, such as mood tracking, fidget games, and tools like a Fidget Spinner.
.png)
I LOVE HUE
COST: Free with the option to upgrade
I Love Hue is a gentle journey into colour and perception. Reorder mosaics of coloured tiles into perfectly ordered spectrums. Lovingly made for players who enjoy beautifully crafted puzzle games - or anyone who needs a few moments of visual tranquility.
.png)
I LOVE HUE 2
COST: Free with the option to upgrade
From the makers of the beloved colour puzzle game I LOVE HUE comes I LOVE HUE TOO - a psychedelic journey into colour, light and shape.
.png)
SCAVENGER HUNT
COST: Free with the option to upgrade
Welcome to the scavenger hunt! If you love playing search and find hidden objects games, you have come to the right place! Search, find, and collect hidden objects throughout the maps on your journey to unlock more maps in this search and find game!
Growth & Reflection
Tools to nurture your inner world. Journaling, gratitude, and reflection apps that help you explore your thoughts, dreams, and values. They invite curiosity — not self-criticism — and help you connect more deeply with your inner parts and purpose.
.png)
STOIC.
COST: Free version with option for a paid upgrade
stoic is your mental health companion & daily journal – it helps you understand your emotions and provides insights on how to be happier, more productive, & overcome obstacles.
REFLECTLY
COST: Free version with option for a paid upgrade
Vent your thoughts & feelings to track your mood & increase happiness. Get daily insights & explore how you feel with your own digital diary.
MINDDOC
COST: Free version with option for a paid upgrade
Utilise our intuitive mood tracking feature to monitor your emotional state and journal your thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
.png)
GRATITUDE: SELF-CARE JOURNAL
COST: Free version with option for a paid upgrade
With gratitude journal, affirmations, vision board, and daily motivation content, Gratitude provides you with all the tools and reminders you need to gain motivation and develop a healthy self-love routine in your life.
.png)
MOODFIT
COST: Free version with option for a paid upgrade
Moodfit is a powerful mood tracker and mental fitness app designed to help you reduce stress, practice CBT, and build lasting habits with breathwork, mindfulness, and a nervous system tool.
Affirmations & Hope
Words can heal, especially when we struggle to believe them. These apps offer daily affirmations, self-kindness prompts, and reminders to check in with yourself. They’re small doses of hope and encouragement for when you need a gentle voice in your corner.
.png)
I AM
COST: Free with the option of a paid subscription
The app provides customised affirmations with options to have them as reminders or widgets.
When opening the app, it will give you the option to start a free trial - click the x in the top left corner to get back to the free version
.png)
COST: Free
Pinterest is a visual discovery tool where you can find endless motivation and hopeful ideas to keep you going. It is a space to find content that truly resonates with your feelings, reminding you that you aren’t alone in what you’re going through.
Note: you will need to curate it to show you the content you are looking for
.png)
MOTIVATION
COST: Free with the option of a paid subscription
The app provides customised motivational quotes and sayings with options to have them as reminders or widgets.
When opening the app, it will give you the option to start a free trial - click the x in the top left corner to get back to the free version
THINK UP
COST: Free with the option of a subscription
ThinkUp allows users to record personalised affirmations and provides examples of popular affirmations.
When opening the app it will give you the option to start a free trial - click the x in the top right corner to get back to the free version
.jpeg)
MANTRA
COST: Limited free version with optional subscription.
Mantra provides affirmations that users can scroll through. The free version provides limited access to the basic affirmations and the subscription unlocks narrated affirmations and other sessions.
AFFIRMATIONS
COST: Free with optional subscription
This app allows you to scroll through various affirmations and is simple and clean to look at.
There are multiple categories and you can save the affirmations that you resonate with for later.
SUBSTACK
COST: Free with optional subscriptions to various creators
The Substack app is a media platform that connects readers and creators through ad-free original writing, videos, and podcasts, along with community features like live chats and discussions.
The apps and resources listed here are provided for informational purposes only; they have not been fully vetted and should be used at your own discretion and risk. I do not own or take responsibility for the content, privacy practices, or data security of these third-party tools, which are all available on the Apple App Store. These resources are designed to support emotional self-care and are not a substitute for professional therapy or emergency crisis intervention.
Explore lists that other organisations have compiled:
These links lead to external websites that have compiled their own lists of helpful apps.
This corner of the site is still under construction, but it's being built with compassion and connection! Our focus is on making it a truly valuable resource. You’re invited to explore what’s here so far, take what resonates, and leave what doesn’t. More content will be added over time, and feedback is always welcome as this space grows.