Sometimes we need a mental health boost. Whether you’re stressed about work, school, or anything else, going through tough times is one of the most universal of human experiences. Although improving your mental health can be expensive, like paying for therapy, there are alternatives that won’t break the bank, like downloading an app

Here are the best iPhone and Android apps you can use to boost your overall mental health.

1. Woebot

Woebot is a personal self-care assistant. Designed to be an AI therapist, Woebot can help you keep track of your mental health, mood, and even teach you Cognitive Behavioral Therapy skills. Woebot also has lessons based on Mindfulness and Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT.

The app offers plenty of flexibility for your own mental health goals. Whether you want to reduce anxiety, depression, or both, Woebot can generate a personalized plan that you can implement in less than five minutes a day. You can also schedule a check-in time that works for you and the app will notify you then.

It also allows room for you to vent about problems. While it may be software, it does help you feel better by letting go of emotions. And Woebot has a built-in gratitude journal.

Download: Woebot for iOS | Android (Free)

2. 5 Minute Journal

Made by the same team that developed one of the most popular gratitude journals of all time, the 5 Minute Journal, this app offers the best features of the physical journal in digital form.

It offers two check-in times, morning and evening, with questions that help you plan out a great day and reflect on positive events at the end of the day. One feature that makes this journal unique is that it offers a place to write about improvements, or what could have made a day better. This helps you aspire to improve yourself each day.

If you like the format of the journal but don’t like the questions, don’t worry! Having a premium account allows you to set your own questions and organize your writing prompts. Many advanced users find this helpful to keep track of their mental health in one place. You are also able to add photos and videos for each entry and can keep track of your journaling progress.

If you’re looking for a great gratitude journal packed with features, this is the one.

Download: 5 Minute Journal for iOS | Android (Free, subscription available)

3. Breathe

Breathe isn’t a meditation app, as its name and icon would imply. Rather, Breathe is an app that helps you control your emotions through breathing. Based on science-backed exercises, Breathe offers a wide range of breathing patterns to change your physical and mental state. Simply choose your desired breathing pattern and breathe along with the on-screen animations.

You can choose a variety of patterns including 478 breathing for sleep, equal breathing for boosting your energy, and box breathing, which works great for panic attacks and anxiety.

Related: The Best Apps for Relieving Anxiety and Panic

As you continue to use the app, you’ll notice that you begin to do many of these breathing patterns on your own, whenever you need them most. If straight up meditation isn’t your style, be sure to give Breathe a try.

Download: Breathe for iOS | Android (Free)

4. Calm

One of the most popular meditation apps on the market, Calm offers plenty of guided meditations to fit your lifestyle. Whether you want to fall asleep quickly or reduce general anxiety, there are dozens of courses available in the Calm app. Some of them are even narrated by your favorite celebrities, like Idris Elba.

The 7 Days of Calm course also offers a great introduction to meditation, teaching you the basics and providing a follow-up course to become a seasoned meditator.

One of the most unique aspects of Calm is the meditation timer, accompanied by a personalized background noise. If you prefer a calming rain or a windy beach background noise, you can have this set as your default. Then, you can set your "reminder bell" timer, which plays a bell at certain intervals to remind you to focus back on your breath in case your mind wandered off.

Premium users can download additional sound backs for an even more personalized touch.

Download: Calm for iOS | Android (Free, subscription available)

5. Mindfulness Coach

While Calm is a great meditation app for beginners, Mindfulness Coach is great for those who already have a meditation practice and don’t need a guided one. Its meditation timer is incredibly easy to use and it also offers several basic guided meditations.

Mindfulness Coach is great for beginners who want a free app, as it has a training section where you can learn how to perform your own mindfulness practice without the need for a guided audio file.

For a completely free meditation app, Mindfulness Coach is full of other features. There is a goal section where you can write about your meditation goals, a practice log, and even a mindfulness mastery quiz that tracks your progress. Mindfulness Coach also has the best free guided meditations out of any free meditation app and its educational section is top-notch.

Download: Mindfulness Coach for iOS | Android (Free)

6. MindDoc

Created by clinical psychologists, MindDoc is an all-in-one app for managing your mental health. Whether you suffer from anxiety, depression, or another diagnosed mental health disorder, MindDoc can help you track your mood and better understand your illness.

The other apps mentioned each serve an individual purpose, and with MindDoc, that purpose is education. Sometimes better understanding what’s going on in our mind can help us see problems differently and formulate a solution. They offer courses that you can read yourself or listen to like an audiobook.

Related: The Best Therapy and Counseling Apps for Mental Health Aid

MindDoc also has a course developed by therapists to help individuals deal with the pandemic and the following stressors that stem from it. Its courses are constantly being updated with the latest science and you can be sure you’re getting the most up-to-date knowledge by using MindDoc.

Download: MindDoc for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)

Better Mental Health Is Within Reach

If you’re looking to improve your general mental health, you should consider trying the apps above. Sometimes better mental health can be found on your mobile device. Many people say that mobile devices can harm mental health, but why does that have to be so? With such great technology available at our fingertips, we can reverse that statistic and improve our lives by simply downloading an app that works for us!