Comparison

WorryTree vs FreeCBT

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

WorryTree

This app helps you manage overthinking and anxiety by guiding you to write down your worries, assess their solvability, and take action or let them go. It incorporates CBT and ACT techniques, offering journaling, sensory practices, and reminders to promote mental well-being.

Highlights
  • Write down worries
  • Assess solvability
  • Create action plans
  • Practice letting go
  • Identify thinking traps
  • Gratitude and acceptance journals
  • Sensory practices for calm
Features
Read full description

Overthinking? Worry on a loop? WorryTree helps you write the worry down, check whether you can do anything about it, and then act on it or let it go. Formerly Luma: same app, same account, same tools. Named best CBT app by Marie Claire (2023). HOW IT WORKS • Write it down: get the worry out of your head and into words. • Run it through the worry tree: can you do something about this? • Yes: make a short plan and choose one step to start with. • No: let it go for now, with a walk, some music or a short sensory practice. • Look back: see which worries actually happened, and what helped before. ALSO IN WORRYTREE • Notice thinking traps: check a thought against 8 common thinking styles • Gratitude, acceptance and uncertainty journals • Short sensory practices for in-the-moment calm • Worry time reminders • Works across your devices BUILT ON CBT AND ACT The worry tree is a widely used technique from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). WorryTree also draws on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Many people use it alongside therapy, and many reviewers say a therapist or CBT course recommended it. "The absolute best app out there for managing your thoughts and worries." App Store review FULL ACCESS Full access to WorryTree needs a monthly or yearly subscription. Eligible new subscribers can start with a free trial. Prices vary by region and are shown in the app before you subscribe. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when you confirm your purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription at any time in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Service: https://www.myluma.app/terms-of-service Privacy Policy: https://www.myluma.app/privacy-policy PLEASE NOTE WorryTree is a self-help tool. It is not a substitute for professional mental health care, therapy or medical advice, and it does not diagnose or treat any condition. If you're worried about your mental health, speak to your doctor or a trained therapist. If you're in crisis, call or text 988 (US) or call 911.

About

FreeCBT

This app provides a digital thought diary to practice Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). It helps users identify and challenge negative automatic thoughts, retrain their brains, and ultimately improve mood and behavior. It's an open-source tool for self-help and as a companion to traditional therapy.

Highlights
  • Thought diary
  • Challenge automatic thoughts
  • Identify cognitive distortions
  • Train alternative thoughts
  • Open source
  • CBT self-help tool
Features
Read full description

FreeCBT is an open source thought diary for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the "gold standard" of psychotherapy and is widely considered to be one of the most effective, evidence backed treatments for depression, anxiety, and panic. If you go into just about any therapist or psychiatrist, CBT will likely be one of the first treatments they try. FreeCBT is a companion and self-help app for one of the most common formats of CBT. You may have heard it called "the three column technique" or "catch it, check it, change it." Your brain is really good at making you feel exactly what you're thinking. Often, we find ourselves thinking "automatic negative thoughts" that lead us to fume on something that may not be true. That can cause us to feel depressed or anxious. CBT helps you record "automatic thoughts," challenge them with cognitive distortions and then train your brain with an alternative thought. If you do it enough, you can change your thoughts, your moods and your behavior. FreeCBT, a fork of Quirk, is open source under the GPL. You can find the code on Github at: https://github.com/erosson/freecbt

Screenshots

WorryTree4 screens
FreeCBT3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: FreeCBT at none against WorryTree's 12. FreeCBT also leads on ratings volume (170 vs 9) and review sentiment (96% vs 83%). WorryTree's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 9 months). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. WorryTree sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. FreeCBT asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for WorryTree against 4.7 for FreeCBT. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FreeCBT has 170 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 83% of WorryTree's written reviews are positive against 96% of FreeCBT's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

WorryTree ships an update every 2 weeks, FreeCBT every 9 months. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
WorryTree versus FreeCBT: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWorryTreeFreeCBT
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (9 ratings)4.7 (170 ratings) — better
Positive reviews82.5% of reviews96.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings9170 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 9 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscriptionFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size60 MB35 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperCalverra Holdings LLCEvan Rosson

Customer experience

WorryTree

All ratings9 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral11.1%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews40 reviews
Positive82.5%
Neutral7.5%
Negative10.0%

FreeCBT

All ratings134 ratings
Positive94.0%
Neutral2.2%
Negative3.7%
Written reviews79 reviews
Positive96.2%
Neutral2.5%
Negative1.3%

Bugs and requests

WorryTree

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

FreeCBT

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Swiping from distortion page selects/deselects distortions unintentionally
  • App update deleted all past user entries
  • Keyboard covers answer input area on some screens
  • Swipe navigation doesn't work properly on certain screens
  • Inconsistent touch response during navigation

Requested features

12 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Analytics to track thoughts and patterns over time
  • Export feature to share entries with therapist or notes app
  • Cross-device synchronization
  • Bottom navigation bar
Show 7 more
  • Ability to tag or categorize thoughts by topic
  • Filter and view thoughts by category
  • Evidence section with for/against columns
  • Worst case scenario section with probability assessment
  • More detailed examples for alternative thought step
  • Additional cognitive distortion options (jumping to conclusions)
  • Better help documentation and explanations

In-app purchases

10 purchases

WorryTree

Subscriptions10
  • WorryTree Plus7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • WorryTree Plus Monthly7 Days trial2 variants$3.991 Month
  • WorryTree Plus Monthly7 Days trial2 variants$5.991 Month
Show 7 more
  • Luma Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • WorryTree Plus7 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • WorryTree Plus Yearly7 Days trial$24.991 Year
  • WorryTree Plus Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • WorryTree Plus Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • WorryTree Plus Yearly7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • WorryTree Plus Yearly7 Days trial$69.991 Year
None

FreeCBT

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is WorryTree free?
WorryTree is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is FreeCBT free?
FreeCBT is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, WorryTree or FreeCBT?
FreeCBT is rated higher. WorryTree averages 4.6 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while FreeCBT averages 4.7 from 170 ratings.
Do WorryTree or FreeCBT have ads?
Neither WorryTree nor FreeCBT shows ads.
Which is updated more often, WorryTree or FreeCBT?
WorryTree ships an update every 2 weeks, and FreeCBT every 9 months. Most recently, WorryTree was updated on October 29, 2026 and FreeCBT on October 29, 2026.

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