CBT without a Therapist: Helpy

Overview

Helpy gives users several ways to work through concerns: a thought journal, an AI assistant, audio and written exercises, screening questionnaires, and a course program. The journal prompts users to separate facts from assumptions, notice cognitive distortions, and check whether thoughts fit reality. In chat, Helpy asks clarifying questions and may suggest a thought record, grounding, or breathing practice.

This is a toolkit for self-directed reflection, not a substitute for professional judgment. Questionnaires cover anxiety, mood, sleep, and burnout, but their results are not diagnoses. The maker says Helpy is neither medical care nor therapy, and it is not a licensed therapist.

Key features

Journal and AI guidance

The journal’s structured prompts can make reflection more specific than free-form note-taking, while the assistant can connect a concern to a suggested technique. That pairing suits people who want prompts and exercises they can use independently. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs a human response: Helpy offers no human escalation.

Privacy and crisis limits

End-to-end encryption for journal text is optional and off by default. When enabled, text is encrypted on the device, though dates and entry counts remain visible. Asking Helpy to review an entry changes the privacy picture: the text is decrypted on the user’s side and sent to the AI for that reply.

The privacy policy says account details, journal entries, chats, and quiz results are stored using Google Firebase, and AI providers process chat messages to generate responses. Users should consider that data flow before putting sensitive material in the journal or asking for AI review. Crisis messages can prompt helpline details without an account, but the service is not monitored and its wording checks can miss danger; it should not be relied on for crisis support.

Exercises and courses

Audio and written exercises provide more than a chat interface for practicing techniques. The anxiety program is available, with its first module free; the maker says other programs are on the way. This gives new users a course entry point without requiring a paid plan, though the course offering is currently centered on anxiety.

Pricing

Helpy is freemium, with no free trial. The free plan is free forever. It includes an unlimited thought journal, limited AI chat replies, the full audio exercise library, and the first module of every course. This is enough to explore the journal and exercises, but the chat cap makes it less suitable for people who expect frequent AI guidance.

Full Access costs 29.00 USD per once, billed as a one-time payment with no subscription. It adds unlimited conversations, a model with better understanding, unlimited journal entry analysis, and lifetime access. It is the stronger fit for regular AI-guided practice, while the free plan remains the sensible choice for occasional use or trying the course material. The maker names Freemius as Merchant of Record and says customers may request a full refund within 14 days of purchase.

Platforms

Helpy is available on web, iOS, and Android. That spread makes it practical for users who want to switch between desktop and mobile, without requiring a single operating system.

Who it's for

Helpy fits people seeking self-guided practice alongside CBT, DBT, or ACT, particularly those working through anxiety, stress, panic, burnout, or emotional overwhelm. It also suits users who value exercises and structured journaling more than a human counselor. It is not the right choice for diagnosis, therapy, monitored crisis support, or anyone who needs a person to escalate to.

Pros and cons

• Pros: An unlimited journal and full audio exercise library are available on the free plan, making it possible to build a routine without paying.
• Pros: One-time Full Access pricing avoids a recurring subscription for users who expect to use unlimited conversations and journal analysis over time.
• Pros: Optional on-device journal encryption offers an additional privacy measure for stored journal text.
• Cons: Encryption is off by default, and AI review sends the decrypted journal entry to the AI for a response.
• Cons: There is no human escalation, and crisis wording checks can miss danger, so Helpy cannot serve as a monitored support channel.
• Cons: Free users have limited AI replies, which restricts ongoing conversational practice unless they upgrade.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison set, see AI Mental Health Chatbots.

• Elomia is another freemium option with Android, iOS, web, and API platforms; its individual subscription pricing varies by option, with monthly and lifetime plans.
• Clare may suit users who prefer calls and messages available 9 am–5 pm in their local time; its free plan includes those hours, and its $4.99 USD monthly plan has a 7-day free trial.
• Dr. Riya by Mindtalk is a free option across iOS, Android, and web, and explicitly offers no diagnosis, prescribing, or therapy.
• GiGi is a web-based freemium alternative.
• Mentis is an Android and iOS alternative whose free plan combines tracking, articles, basic journaling, core CBT activities, and a limited AI plan, chatbot, and daily activities.
• Noa by Anshap is a freemium Android, iOS, and web option with its core features offered at no cost and no paywalls or hidden fees.
• Thrive AI may fit users who want free blogs and self-assessments alongside a chatbot; its free tier does not include AI-guided exercises.
• Blue Fever is a free alternative for iOS and macOS users.

Verdict

Choose Helpy if you want a structured, self-guided CBT-oriented journal and exercises, with a free starting point and a one-time route to unlimited AI conversations and journal analysis. Its main advantage is combining repeatable reflection with practice tools without a subscription. Look elsewhere if you need clinical care, human escalation, monitored crisis support, or stronger privacy assurances when sharing journal entries with AI.