# FreeCBT vs Meta Learn

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: FreeCBT at none against Meta Learn's 12. FreeCBT also leads on ratings volume (143 vs 3). Meta Learn's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 9 months) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Meta Learn sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. FreeCBT asks for nothing beyond the download.

Meta Learn holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FreeCBT has 143 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 96% of FreeCBT's written reviews are positive against 100% of Meta Learn's.

FreeCBT ships an update every 9 months, Meta Learn every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and August 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FreeCBT | Meta Learn |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (143 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freecbt/id1516063390/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meta-learn/id1531463974/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **143** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 96.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 35 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Evan Rosson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1516063389) | [Meta Learn ApS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1531464067) |

## What reviewers say

### FreeCBT

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freecbt/id1516063390)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and intuitive user interface
- 💰 Completely free with no ads or subscriptions
- 🎯 Effective CBT methodology in 3-column format
- ⚡ Quick and easy to use in the moment
- 🔒 Private and secure thought tracking

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Swipe navigation causes accidental distortion selection
- 💾 Data loss issue after app updates
- ⌨️ Keyboard covers input area while typing
- 📱 Limited cross-device synchronization
- 🎨 Missing dark mode option

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### Meta Learn

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meta-learn/id1531463974)

This app offers tools and exercises to help manage overthinking, stress, and restlessness. It provides personalized programs based on your responses to foster calm, focus, and mental clarity. Track your progress and understand the connection between your thoughts and well-being.

**Highlights:** Exercises to reduce overthinking, Tools to manage stress, Support for low mood, Personalized programs, Track mental progress, Metacognitive therapy principles

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $9.99 | per year |
| Monthly Subscription | $12.49 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $17.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscripsion | $17.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $22.99 | per year |
| Yearly subscription | $23.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $25.99 | per year |
| SpecHealth Offer | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FreeCBT free?

FreeCBT is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Meta Learn free?

Meta Learn is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, FreeCBT or Meta Learn?

Meta Learn is rated higher. FreeCBT averages 4.8 out of 5 from 143 ratings, while Meta Learn averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do FreeCBT or Meta Learn have ads?

Neither FreeCBT nor Meta Learn shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FreeCBT or Meta Learn?

FreeCBT ships an update every 9 months, and Meta Learn every 9 days. Most recently, FreeCBT was updated on September 23, 2026 and Meta Learn on August 5, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*