Best free wellness apps for mental health and wellbeing in 2023

Because they’re neutral and non-judgmental, apps can be helpful motivators when it comes to building good mental health habits.

From health and fitness apps that assist in keeping your diet and fitness goals on track, to self-care apps that will help you start a mindfulness or gratitude practice, wellness apps can help you build regularity and consistency into your daily routine.

But with so many wellness apps available for download, it can be hard to know which ones are right for you when it comes to helping you reach your physical and mental health goals.

Whether you’re considering learning how to create healthy meals, or you’re looking for peace of mind that you’re getting the sleep you need, these popular wellness apps have got you covered.

With so many wellness apps out there these days, it can be challenging to figure out which ones are worth downloading and using. Here are a few things worth keeping an eye out for:

Accurate information: Look for a wellness app that has a good reputation and provides accurate information. Whether you’re wanting to improve your fitness, or learn how to meditate, using an app that’s supported by knowledgable experts will give you the peace of mind that the steps you’re following are correct.

Actionable advice: While you can read lots of information, this often isn’t enough to make positive changes in your life, which is where having concrete details and steps laid out for you can be really helpful.

User-friendly: Does it have a clear interface? Is it laid out in a logical fashion? Can you easily navigate around it? The best apps are intuitive and moving around is seamless — if it’s aesthetically pleasing as well, that’s a bonus!

Builds on itself: A good wellness app will grow with you. If you’re completely new to meditation, for example, you might want an app that offers short, guided meditations to get you started, but that also has more advanced, unguided options for when you’re feeling ready to go solo.

Below, you’ll find a selection of great wellness apps across a variety of topics that tick all of the boxes above. Some are completely free, while others come with a free trial but require a small annual subscription after that.

Platforms: iOS and Android

Cost: Free

Looking for an amazing selection of fitness classes that won’t cost you anything? Look no further than Nike Training Club, an app that doesn’t put a price on health and fitness.

Browse workouts by muscle group, workout type, or equipment, and take advantage of their nutrition and wellness tips. Their workouts also cater to small spaces, so it’s ideal if you live in an apartment.

“In love with it!”- Nike Training Club reviews, Veronika H

Platforms: iOS, Android, Desktop

Cost: Annual subscription costs $69.99 and comes with a free 14-day trial. Monthly subscription costs $12.99 and comes with a free 7-day trial.

With over 10 million users, Headspace is one of the most popular health and wellness apps on the market — and it’s not hard to see why. With a fun and easy-to-use interface, Headspace offers a range of features, including guided meditations, bedtime stories, relaxing music, and sleep sounds.

And because their goal is to improve the health and happiness of the world, everything they do is backed by science — with a recent study showing that users of the app reported a 32% decrease in stress after just 30 days, and a 19% decrease in anxiety symptoms after eight weeks.

“This is the first and only app I pay for. Sometimes it can feel like a chore to do stuff that is good for you and this app takes that away for me. It teaches you gently and pleasantly and I’ve been able to stick to it and understand more about how the mind works.”

Headspace reviews, Brona M

“Absolutely love this app but a bit disappointed that sleep wind-downs are not refreshed, the same content's been there for a long time. Would also love the possibility to add a timer to nightcasts so that I can listen e.g. for 15 min only instead of 45.”

Headspace reviews, Sofia M

Platforms: iOS and Android

Cost: 7- day free trial. Prices vary after that with a monthly plan costing $70 and an annual subscription coming in at $209.

One of the best nutrition apps around, Noom is a fantastic choice if part of your wellness journey includes learning to eat mindfully. Rather than focusing on strict meal plans or food tracking, Noom uses the latest in proven behavioral science to empower you to take control of your health in a sustainable way that will last a lifetime.

You’ll be guided to uncover the behaviors and triggers that have led to unhealthy eating patterns and learn how to replace them with healthier ones that support your long term health and fitness goals.

Platforms: iOS and Android

Cost: Free with in-app purchases

Clue is a fantastic period and ovulation tracker that makes getting in tune with your body that little bit easier.

You can access a range of great features for free, including entering data that allows you to track your mood and sleep, as well as getting a sense of when you’re likely to ovulate and get your period. With cool illustrations and charts, Clue’s easy-to-navigate interface is a joy to use.

“Such a great app! I've used it for years now and it's always able to help me correctly track my PMS and next cycle. Like the new changes done and the design is spectacular.”

Clue reviews, Zoya M

Platforms: iOS, Android and Browser

Cost: Free basic library. To see what premium has to offer, take advantage of the free 7-day trial. After that, access to the full library costs $14.99 per month or $69.99 per year.

Designed to help you with sleep, meditation, and relaxation, Calm is a popular wellness app with an extensive content library. Enjoy a range of guided meditations, soothing sleep stories read by the likes of Matthew McConaughey, and ambient music to help you unwind. If you’re looking to navigate stressors and cultivate inner peace, Calm could well be the app for you.

“I love Calm. I've always struggled to adopt a steady meditation practice, but Calm makes it easy to form the habit!”

Calm reviews, Liz F

“The stories were weird for trying to sleep to, but maybe that's just me. The ability to browse all of their content is somewhat limited as well -hard to know where to navigate to sometimes.”

Calm reviews, Jocelyn

Platforms: iOS and Android

Cost: Free. Premium membership costs $7.99/month, $39.99/year, $99.99/lifetime

The number one app for affirmations and motivation, ThinkUp features personal affirmations from a selection of world-class experts, but you can also create your own.

Record yourself saying encouraging things and then play them on a loop to take advantage of the power of repetition. Add your own images and music or use one of the apps self-improvement soundtracks.

“I can customize my own affirmations. Very powerful.”

ThinkUp reviews, Amichai L

Platforms: iOS and Android

Cost: Free. Premium version costs $19.99 annually on Android and $59.99 annually on Apple.

Reflectly is an AI-guided journal app that lets you track your mood and offers inspirational quotes. As well as letting you write independently, it also has some great prompts for those days when you’re feeling a bit stuck.

It’s incredibly user-friendly and allows you to easily revisit previous posts, plus the gorgeous color palette is very soothing.

Platforms: iOS and Android

Cost: Free

Building a world full of confident home cooks is the mission behind Kitchen Stories, a bright and colorful app that comes packed with over 4,000 inspiring and delicious recipes that will have you feeling at ease in your kitchen in no time.

Featuring a seamless digital user-experience, video tutorials, and new, easy to follow recipes added daily, Kitchen Stories is ideal if you’re wanting to create wholesome meals at home.

Platforms: iOS and Android

Cost: 7-day free trial. $29.99/year

Sleep Cycle promises you’ll never wake up feeling tired thanks to its in-built alarm that knows exactly what time to gently and gradually begin to wake you.

Learn what affects your sleep quality and how it improves over time with the apps detailed daily insights, and stay on top of your sleep habits with advanced sleep tracking, tailored advice, and continuous coaching.

You can also listen to sound recordings of you sleeping (snoring and all!), and fall asleep more easily by listening to soothing music, relaxing ambience, and guided meditations.

Platforms: iOS and Android

Cost: Free. To access additional premium features, subscribe for $9.99/month, $59.99/year.

The number one free meditation app for sleep, anxiety, and stress, Insight Timer is downright impressive when it comes to both the breadth of content they offer and the depth of knowledge held by the world-class experts they have as part of their team.

You’ll need a subscription for some courses and premium features, but there are plenty of others offered completely free of charge. You’ll also have free access to a huge library of guided meditations, sleep stories, breathwork classes, and live yoga.

“I can't believe this app is still free. So many incredible talks and mediations; I wake up and go to sleep with Insight Timer!”

Insight Timer reviews, Natasha N

“The quality of the content has become questionable and with the increased number of content creators on the platform, it is harder to search and get contextual recommendations of getting relevant content.”

Insight Timer reviews, Atif S