Article by Cora Miller
Prioritizing goals such as creating routines, checking in with ourselves, allocating time for self-care, or maintaining relationships can be challenging. I have experimented with many apps to evaluate their usefulness and identify who might benefit from them. Well-being apps offer immediate support, are convenient to use on your schedule, maintain privacy for those hesitant to seek help, and serve as valuable tools for individuals in therapy or counseling. While some apps are free, many require subscriptions or annual fees. To accommodate a range of needs, I’ve included mostly free apps and a few with short-term free trials. Some apps, like Lasting Marriage, are more intensive and require payment.
Testing new apps and revisiting old ones was enjoyable and proved useful. Accessing features like short messages, audio content, and check-ins helped me stay focused and reflect on myself. Most of the apps on this list can be used and enjoyed by individuals with diverse needs and preferences.
Therapy and counseling apps, such as BetterHelp and Talkspace, provide virtual or telephone counseling and match individuals with suitable counselors. These apps are incredibly helpful but come with costs that may not be affordable for everyone. Having used them before, I found their matching process user-friendly. For instance, BetterHelp takes an inclusive approach by matching individuals with counselors based on factors like faith, spirituality, financial situation, gender, or sexuality. Through the app, you can connect with a counselor and receive support via messages or calls at any time. The service costs approximately $80–$100 per week and requires credit card information to access.
Lastly, in emergencies in Alberta, dial 8-1-1 to access the mental health crisis helpline. If you or someone you know requires urgent mental health support, contact 8-1-1, and for life-threatening emergencies, call 9-1-1 immediately.
Relationship Apps
Lasting Marriage – Free for 1 week then paid subscription (be sure to cancel after you register so you don’t have to pay after the 7-day trial if you just want to test it out!)
- Identifies areas of challenge in the relationships
- Used by both partners
- Workshops for improving areas of low satisfaction
- Learning sessions themed around sex, communication, rebuilding trust, conflict management, diversity considerations such as finances
- Easy to use
- Option to connect account with a therapist for additional support
- Good for those who are not yet married but can discuss a marriage in the future
Gottman Card decks – Free
- Easy to use
- Like flashcards for conversation to have with a partner
- New features for bringing a baby home
- Getting to re-know each other
- Useful for ages 18 and up I would suggest it is better for people in relationships over 6 months
Financial support tools
YNAB (you need a budget) – Free trial then paid subscription after
- Connects your personalized budget plan to your banking information to help you allocate your funds to different things such as bill savings and vacation funds
- Easy to use
- Helps visualize organizing money and allotting funds to all the areas of expenses so you visually navigate where you need to adjust spending or where you have extra money
- Helps prioritize paying off debts
- Award-winning software
Self Care & Emotion support tools
Finch self-care pet – Free
- Good for all ages
- Kid-friendly
- Helps check in with how you are feeling
- Goal page for building mindfulness
- Self-care tools and ideas
- Cute and colourful app
Moodpress – Free with ads, option to upgrade to paid bonus features
- Diary tracker options
- Track your moods daily
- Helpful for checking in with yourself
- Soundscape page for listening to soothing sounds (cat purrs, dolphins, ocean sounds etc.)
- A self-care page for ideas on self-care and routines or guides to meditation and journal ideas
I am Sober – Free, option for paid subscription
- More of a support tool for someone who has successfully been able to kick a habit for a few days, but will not replace self-motivation to start making changes
- Supports recovering from addictions on a wide scale from foods to nicotine to substances like alcohol or behaviours like skin picking, shopping, or video games
- A community where people connect on the app and post conversations together about their journey
- Motivation section to get a daily quote for self-motivation
- Tracks progress, Journal feature, The app uses feedback for trying to improve users
I am – Free
- Good for all ages/everyone
- Shows daily affirmations and positive quotes
Fabulous Routine Planner – Free
- Good for most ages
- Helpful for people who struggle to remember their lists or plan routines
- Small steps are helpful and used well in the app
- It helps with creating long-term changes if you stick with the app and use it daily
- Could be useful for people who struggle to manage their time and live better with a structure
Gratitude – Free, option to pay to upgrade
- Gratitude journaling prompts on the app
- Daily zen quotes
- The affirmation page has guided visual/audio calming affirmation phrases
