Type mental health keywords into your app store, and you’ll be hit with a sea of mental health apps. Some claim to be highly effective for mental health, while others position themselves as the best options for overall well-being.
But can we trust them? There are estimated to be around 20,000 mental health apps available globally, yet only a handful have received any form of FDA clearance.1 Rather than ranking specific apps, this article focuses on what to look for in mental health apps so you can use them safely. This includes the FDA guidance on mental health apps, as most fall outside regulatory oversight entirely.
Once you know what to look for, it becomes much easier to choose a mental health app that actually works for you.
How Can I Use Mental Health Apps Safely?
When research tells us that only a small number of mental health apps are clinically approved, the conversation around mental health apps’ pros and cons starts to change.
Instead of weighing up vague benefits against potential drawbacks, it becomes more practical to focus on what a mental health app should actually include to be considered safe and reliable.
A useful question to ask yourself when assessing the pros and cons of mental health apps is: “Is there any clinical evidence for this mental health app?” If the answer is yes, that’s a good starting point. From there, the remaining mental health apps’ pros and cons tend to come down to personal preference and the type of mental health support you are looking for.
The following seven points highlight common mental health apps risks and what to watch out for. If an app shows even one of the following issues, it may be best to consider an alternative, unless its use has been specifically advised by a mental health professional.
1. Ratings and Downloads Are Not a Reflection of Efficacy
This is an important first point to make, as the app store is usually the first place users search for wellness apps. One of the first things we all look for in an app is how many stars it has amassed, followed by whether that star rating feels justified by the number of downloads it’s had.
If the app you’re downloading is something like a diet-tracking tool or even a game, ratings and downloads can be a fairly good indicator of quality. These ratings exist because the idea behind the app is simple, and judging user experience is straightforward. The diet tracker allowed you to log what you ate that day, and the game was genuinely fun to play.
The same can’t really be said for mental health apps, largely because mental health support is far more multifaceted. If you download an app that promises help with a mental health condition, does it take into account all the factors a therapist would consider before offering support? The research suggests it doesn’t.2
Dr. Torous, Director of Digital Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, explains:3
“No one is competing based on privacy, safety, or evidence. They’re competing on aesthetics, page ranking, marketing, and brand awareness.”
2. Review Privacy and Security Carefully
Dr. Torous raised serious concerns about privacy with regard to mental health apps, and it’s a serious issue. Mental health apps handle very sensitive data from millions of people around the globe, yet many have weak protections.
One study found common privacy problems such as excessive permissions, insecure encryption, and data leaks in “top” mental health apps.4 Even more worryingly, less than half of the apps that claim to help with depression have a clear privacy policy.5
Before using any app, read its privacy policy and check what data it collects from your interactions. In some cases, the app may share your information with third parties, such as advertising or analytics companies.
Privacy is one of the key limitations of mental health apps that users often overlook until it’s too late. If the terms you see are vague or invasive, it may be worth considering a different app.
3. Verify Regulatory or Clinical Endorsements
Some apps are classified as “digital therapeutics” and require FDA approval, while others are simply unregulated wellness tools.6 If an app claims medical benefits, see if it’s FDA-approved or evidence-based.
Apps that aren’t regulated may still be helpful, but their claims should be treated skeptically. Knowing whether an app is reviewed by health authorities or medical institutions can guide you on its reliability. Many digital mental health tools fall into a gray area, where they are not strictly medical devices, but make health-related claims nonetheless.
4. Look for Evidence Beyond the App Store Description
It’s easy for a mental health app to sound convincing. Phrases like “science-backed” or “research-driven” often appear in app descriptions, but those phrases are rarely explained in any meaningful way.
When an app genuinely claims to improve mental health outcomes, there should be something tangible behind that claim. That might be a published study or involvement from a recognized medical or academic institution.7 In stronger cases, apps will reference controlled trials that measured whether users actually experienced improvements, rather than relying on user satisfaction alone.
Research suggests that this level of evidence is uncommon in the mental health app space.7 Many apps promise significant results without having been tested by clinicians or assessed in real-world clinical settings.7 Instead, benefits are implied rather than demonstrated, with apps becoming popular due to persuasive language, not proof.
Before committing to an app, take a few minutes to see whether its methods have been studied or endorsed by reputable organizations. If an app makes bold claims but offers no research and no clinical oversight, that missing evidence is worth paying attention to.
5. Make Sure Crisis Support Is Available
Mental health apps that touch on serious or high-risk issues carry an extra responsibility. If an app invites users to reflect on intense emotional distress, it should also make it immediately clear where to turn when things escalate.
Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case, as research has shown that millions of downloads come from apps that either list incorrect crisis contact details or fail to include them altogether.1 In some cases, emergency resources are buried several menus deep, making them difficult to find when someone is already overwhelmed.
Before relying on any app for mental health support, check how it is built to handle moments of crisis. Look for visible help sections and prompts that encourage seeking professional support when risk increases. If that safety net isn’t there, the app may not be suitable for more vulnerable moments that may arise in the future.
6. Be Cautious with Chatbot Tools
Recently, some mental health apps have integrated chatbot tools, and while they can serve some purpose, the general guidance is to approach AI-driven mental health support with caution.
Researchers found that AI therapy bots sometimes reinforced harmful stigmas and failed to respond safely to critical issues.8
AI lacks human judgment and empathy, which means it may offer unsafe guidance when dealing with complex issues such as suicidal ideation.
If you use the chatbot feature of a wellness app, do so with caution and always double-check its guidance with a real professional if you have serious concerns.
7. Use Apps as a Supplement, Not a Substitute
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, quality mental health apps should only be used as a supplement in mental health recovery. Apps can reinforce coping skills or provide temporary relief, but they aren’t a replacement for professional therapy.
Studies agree that nothing can fully substitute the human elements of therapy, like diagnosis, human empathy, human reasoning, and treatment that’s tailored to you.5
Experts note that apps may help increase symptom awareness or manage mild issues, but they cannot replace a trained clinician for serious problems.5 Recognizing when mental health apps are not enough is a critical part of using them wisely.
If you’re experiencing severe symptoms, like intense depression or thoughts of self-harm, your first step is to seek professional care.
Mission Connection offers flexible outpatient care for adults needing more than weekly therapy. Our in-person and telehealth programs include individual, group, and experiential therapy, along with psychiatric care and medication management.
We treat anxiety, depression, trauma, and bipolar disorder using evidence-based approaches like CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and trauma-focused therapies. Designed to fit into daily life, our services provide consistent support without requiring residential care.
Mission Connection: Here When Mental Health Apps Aren’t Enough
If you reach a point where even the highest-quality mental health apps are no longer easing your mental health distress, it’s important to know that support does not stop there. Some may form an overreliance on mental health apps because deeper support feels harder to access. But no app can provide the clinical oversight or human connection that more serious conditions require.
Mission Connection supports those who may need more help than what a mental health app can provide. That might include depression, anxiety, personality disorders, or conditions such as schizophrenia, where care benefits from human connection and clinical oversight.
We offer both residential and outpatient treatment options, providing flexibility depending on your situation and needs.
If mental health apps have helped you get this far but no longer feel sufficient, Mission Connection is here to offer a level of care that adapts to you.
References
- Agarwal, S., Jalan, M., Wilcox, H. C., Sharma, R., Hill, R., Pantalone, E., Thrul, J., Rainey, J. C., & Robinson, K. A. (2022, May 1). Evaluation of mental health mobile applications. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK580942/
- Lagan, S., D’Mello, R., Vaidyam, A., Bilden, R., & Torous, J. (2021). Assessing mental health apps marketplaces with objective metrics from 29,190 data points from 278 apps. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 144(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.13306
- Gold, J. (2021, June 21). Mental health apps abound. Picking the right one is tough. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-06-21/mental-health-apps-consumer-challenge-picking-the-right-one
- Iwaya, L. H., Babar, M. A., Rashid, A., & Wijayarathna, C. (2022). On the privacy of mental health apps. Empirical Software Engineering, 28(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10664-022-10236-0
- Collier, S. (2022, February 7). Is a mobile app as good as a therapist? Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/is-a-mobile-app-as-good-as-a-therapist-202202072683
- Wilhelm, S. (2025, January 16). Mental health apps: What you need to know. Mass General Brigham. https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/about/newsroom/articles/mental-health-apps
- Shahsavar, Y., & Choudhury, A. (2025). Effectiveness of evidence based mental health apps on user health outcome: A systematic literature review. PLOS ONE, 20(3), e0319983. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0319983
- Wells, S. (2025, June 11). Exploring the dangers of AI in mental health care. Stanford HAI. https://hai.stanford.edu/news/exploring-the-dangers-of-ai-in-mental-health-care
