CBT without a Therapist: Helpy vs Thrive AI

CBT without a Therapist: Helpy is a self-help platform centered on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), with materials drawing on DBT and ACT. Its thought journal helps users distinguish facts from assumptions, identify cognitive distortions, and assess how well thoughts fit reality. Helpy’s AI assistant asks clarifying questions and may suggest a thought record, grounding, or breathing practice. The service offers audio and written exercises, along with screening questionnaires for anxiety, mood, sleep, and burnout; results are not diagnoses. An anxiety program is available, with its first module free, while other programs are described as forthcoming. Helpy runs on Android, iOS, and the web. The free plan includes unlimited journal use, limited AI chat replies, the full exercise library with audio, and the first module of every course. Full Access costs $29.00 USD as a one-time payment and includes unlimited conversations and journal entry analysis. Optional end-to-end encryption is off by default. When users request an entry review, its text is decrypted on their side and sent to the AI. Helpy is not medical care, therapy, or a substitute for professional care.

Thrive AI is a chatbot within the Saalvio mobile app, built around cognitive behavioural therapy techniques for everyday mental wellness. It supports reflection on feelings, brief conversational exercises, and noticing mood patterns, with suggested thought records, behavioural activation prompts, grounding techniques, and journaling cues. The maker describes use for anxious thoughts, stress, low mood, worries, and daily mood check-ins. The app is available for iPhone and Android in Canada and the United States, and its first language is English. The Free tier includes standard chat, while AI-guided exercises and end-of-exercise recommendations are on paid tiers. Saalvio Free costs nothing; Saalvio Basic is C$4.99 a month, Pro is C$9.99 a month, and Premium is C$14.99 a month, billed through Apple App Store or Google Play. The maker says conversations are encrypted in transit and at rest, not sold or shared with advertisers, and not used to train models. Users can export conversation history and mood tags, delete conversations, or close an account in the app. Thrive AI is not therapy or a crisis service and does not diagnose or prescribe; it surfaces crisis resources when it detects high-risk language.