Best AI mental health tools, for both sides
Two distinct markets in one category: provider tools (therapy-scribes, supervision AI, session analytics) and patient tools (CBT chatbots, mood trackers, AI companions). We separated them.
- 22
- 22
- May 23, 2026
Which mental health are worth shortlisting in 2026?
Four tools survived our 2026 review for clinical use: Mentalyc for therapy-specific ai scribe; Eleos Health for enterprise behavioral-health ai; Wysa for evidence-backed patient chatbot; Headspace for consumer brand for patient referral.
Four tools we actually recommend
Each pick wins a specific use case. The wrong question is “which is best”. The right question is “which fits my situation”. Skip past the ones not matching yours.
by Mentalyc Inc.
DAP, SOAP, BIRP, GIRP notes generated from session audio with strong solo-therapist following.
$19.99-69.99/mo. HIPAA-compliant. Direct referral program for therapists.
- $19.99-69.99/mo.
- HIPAA
by Eleos Health
Behavioral-health-only ambient AI with voice analytics layer.
5-seat min enterprise. HIPAA + SOC2 Type II. Group-practice deployments.
- Enterprise (5-seat minimum).
- HIPAA / SOC2 Type II
by Wysa Inc.
CBT/DBT/mindfulness chatbot deployed by NHS, Singapore MOH, Aetna.
Free + ~$74.99/yr. Optional human-coach tier. Strongest research backing among patient apps.
- Free + ~$74.99/yr Premium.
- HIPAA / GDPR / NHS DTAC
by Headspace Inc.
Largest consumer mental-health brand with AI companion Ebb (2024).
$12.99/mo or $69.99/yr. Strong Impact affiliate program. Patient-recognizable.
- $12.99/mo or $69.99/yr.
- —
What should clinicians look for when buying mental health?
The right tool depends on your workflow, your specialty, your budget, and your scale. Five criteria do most of the work narrowing your shortlist.
Provider tool or patient tool
Provider tools (Mentalyc, Eleos, Upheal) sit in your workflow. Patient tools (Wysa, Headspace, Woebot) are something you recommend. Don't confuse the two when comparing.
Clinical evidence
Woebot has 14 RCTs. Wysa is NHS-deployed. Most newer apps have minimal evidence. For something you recommend to patients, evidence matters more than marketing.
Therapy-modality fit
Patient tools center on CBT (Woebot, Wysa), DBT (Sonia), ACT (Rosebud), or unstructured companionship (Replika). Match modality to patient need.
Documentation and compliance
Provider tools must carry HIPAA. Lookback periods, recording consent, and EHR write-back differ widely. Eleos and Mentalyc lead on compliance posture.
Pricing for solo vs group practice
Solo therapists thrive on $20-50/mo tools (Mentalyc, Quill). Group practices need 5+ seat enterprise tiers (Eleos, Blueprint). Pricing models differ accordingly.
How do all 22 tools compare side-by-side?
Pricing from vendor documentation, certifications verified against public attestations. Highlighted rows were directly evaluated by an MD on our editorial team within the past six months.
| Ref | Tool | From | Founded | Compliance / EHR | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MH-001 |  | Subscription, quote-based. | — | HIPAA | Visit |
| MH-002 | Free + $14.99/mo or $89.99/yr. | — | Visit | ||
| MH-003 |  | Enterprise (5-seat minimum). | 2020 | HIPAASOC2 Type II | Visit |
| MH-004 |  | Freemium / Subscription. | — | Visit | |
| MH-005 | $12.99/mo or $69.99/yr. | 2010 | Visit | ||
| MH-006 |  | $150/mo. | — | Visit | |
| MH-007 |  | Enterprise (NHS, IAPT services). | — | NHS DTAC | Visit |
| MH-008 |  | Enterprise. | — | Visit | |
| MH-009 |  | $19.99-69.99/mo. | — | HIPAA | Visit |
| MH-010 |  | $10-15/mo. | — | Visit | |
| MH-011 |  | $20/mo. | — | Visit | |
| MH-012 |  | Free + $19.99/mo Pro. | — | Visit | |
| MH-013 |  | ~$8.99/mo. | — | Visit | |
| MH-014 | Free. | 2023 | Visit | ||
| MH-015 |  | ~$20/mo. | — | Visit | |
| MH-016 | $30-50/mo. | — | Visit | ||
| MH-017 | Freemium (6 notes/week free). | — | Visit | ||
| MH-018 |  | From $29/mo. | — | HIPAA | Visit |
| MH-019 |  | B2B-only (pivoted from consumer in 2024). | 2017 | FDA BreakthroughHIPAA | Visit |
| MH-020 |  | Free + ~$74.99/yr Premium. | 2015 | HIPAAGDPRNHS DTAC | Visit |
| MH-021 |  | Free + ~$69.99/yr. | — | Visit | |
| MH-022 |  | From $39.99/mo (130 sessions). | — | Visit |
Scroll horizontally to see all columns.
Where mental health touch the rest of the stack
What do clinicians ask about mental health?
Sourced from public therapist discussions, and patient-app reviews.
Browse all questionsDeeper articles
Best AI Study Tools for USMLE Step 1 in 2026
Step 1 has been pass/fail since 2022, but the content load hasn't shrunk. We compare UWorld, AMBOSS, Anki/AnKing, SketchyMedical, and Pathoma for medical students preparing in 2026.
Read article
AI for Prior Authorization in 2026: Cohere, Waystar, and the State of Automation
Prior authorization remains the most expensive friction in US revenue cycle. We map the AI vendors closing that gap in 2026: Cohere Health on the payer side, Waystar on provider RCM, and the realistic state of automation.
Read article
Heidi Health vs Freed AI: Head-to-Head for Solo Clinicians (2026)
Both cost around $99 a month, both are HIPAA compliant, both work in a browser. We compared Heidi Health and Freed AI on note quality, template flexibility, language support, and onboarding for solo practice.
Read article