Comparison

MindShift CBT vs Healthy Minds Program by Humin

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

Head to head
About

MindShift CBT

This app offers free, science-backed tools based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help users manage anxiety, stress, and panic. It provides techniques for reframing thoughts, relaxation, and facing fears, with features like a thought journal and progress tracking.

Highlights
  • Thought journal
  • Fear ladder
  • Guided meditations
  • Community forum
  • Progress tracking
  • Science-backed CBT strategies
Features
Read full description

Take control of anxiety, stress, and panic with MindShift CBT. Get free, science-backed tools based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help you reframe your thoughts, relax your mind, and face your fears. Struggling with anxiety? You're not alone. MindShift CBT is a free mental health app developed by experts to provide you with proven tools for anxiety relief. Using the evidence-based strategies of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), MindShift CBT helps you learn to relax and be mindful, develop more effective ways of thinking, and take active steps to face your anxiety. WHAT YOU GET: • A Powerful Toolkit: From a thought journal and fear ladder to guided meditations and a supportive community forum. • Science-Backed Strategies: All tools are based on proven Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) methods. • Progress Tracking: Visualize your mental health journey with daily check-ins and insights. • Always Free: No subscriptions, no hidden costs. Just effective, accessible support. Whether you're dealing with general worry, social anxiety, panic attacks, or phobias, MindShift CBT is your personal guide to better mental health. Download today and start your journey to a calmer mind.

About

Healthy Minds Program by Humin

This app offers science-backed meditation and mindfulness practices to improve focus, reduce stress, and enhance social connections. It features guided lessons and assessments based on neuroscientific research, designed to fit into busy lifestyles.

Highlights
  • Science-backed meditation practices
  • Guided lessons on focus and stress reduction
  • Neuroscientific well-being framework
  • Active meditation for busy lives
  • Mobile mental and emotional well-being assessments
  • Integration with Apple Health
Features
Read full description

• 2024 Pick: Best Meditation App by Healthline, The New York Times Wirecutter, Vogue, and Sports Illustrated Well-being is a skill that can be learned. We’re here to guide you along the way. Backed by four decades of research from world-renowned neuroscientist Dr. Richard Davidson and the team at Humin (formerly Healthy Minds Innovations) & the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin—Madison, the Healthy Minds Program trains your mind through meditation and podcast-style lessons to develop skills for gaining focus, reducing stress, and maintaining positive social connections. Research with the Healthy Minds App showed that just 5 minutes a day of practice leads to a 28% reduction in stress, an 18% reduction in anxiety, a 24% reduction in depression, and a 13% increase in social connection. Featuring our scientific Awareness, Connection, Insight, and Purpose, Well-being Framework, the Healthy Minds Program is a holistic, all-encompassing meditation app that offers the best of both guided meditations and opportunities to learn. You’ll learn simple skills to enhance personal well-being, build healthy relationships, and improve communication, performance, and creativity. –––––––––––––––––––––––––– What makes us unique? Developed from Science: While many meditation apps can claim the scientific benefits of meditation, our practices are developed directly from neuroscientific research. You’ll also hear from the world’s foremost neuroscientists about neuroplasticity and how to train your mind. Made for Busy Lives: Our app features active meditation practices that fit into your busy lifestyle. Don’t have time to sit for 20 minutes? Put on an active practice and train your mind while you fold the laundry. Guided by Measurement: Thanks to our pioneering scientific research, the Healthy Minds Program offers the first mobile mental and emotional well-being assessments. Learn about your current level of well-being and contribute to cutting-edge research on the science of well-being. Our app also integrates with Apple Health to track your mindful minutes. Goes Beyond Mindfulness: Our guided path offers step-by-step instructions for becoming more present in the moment and developing a sense of purpose, meaning, and connection in life. Driven by Mission and Supported by Donation: The Healthy Minds Program is made possible by our donors, who support our vision of a kinder, wiser, more compassionate world. Unlike other apps that require a subscription, the Healthy Minds Program is available by donation, driven by a mission to translate science into tools to cultivate and measure well-being. –––––––––––––––––––––––––– Read the End User License Agreement and Terms of Use here: https://hminnovations.org/terms-of-use Read our Privacy Policy here: https://hminnovations.org/privacy-policy

Screenshots

MindShift CBT4 screens
Healthy Minds Program by Humin4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Healthy Minds Program by Humin at 4.9 against MindShift CBT's 4.3. Healthy Minds Program by Humin also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months) and review sentiment (96% vs 71%). MindShift CBT's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Healthy Minds Program by Humin holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Healthy Minds Program by Humin has 9.3K ratings behind it against 562, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of MindShift CBT's written reviews are positive against 96% of Healthy Minds Program by Humin's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MindShift CBT ships an update every 4 months, Healthy Minds Program by Humin every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
MindShift CBT versus Healthy Minds Program by Humin: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMindShift CBTHealthy Minds Program by Humin
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (562 ratings)4.9 (9.3K ratings) — better
Positive reviews71.1% of reviews95.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings5629.3K — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.1
Further details — not scored
Size85 MB64 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer247 Labs IncHealthy Minds Innovations, Inc

Customer experience

MindShift CBT

All ratings557 ratings
Positive84.2%
Neutral6.1%
Negative9.7%
Written reviews342 reviews
Positive71.1%
Neutral10.2%
Negative18.7%

Healthy Minds Program by Humin

All ratings9,220 ratings
Positive98.1%
Neutral0.9%
Negative1.0%
Written reviews627 reviews
Positive95.7%
Neutral1.4%
Negative2.9%

User reviews

MindShift CBT

From 562 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🤩 Amazing
  • 👍 Helpful
  • 🙌 Calming
  • 🎉 Great app
  • 💯 Fantastic

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy/glitchy
  • 🔒 Privacy concerns
  • 🤔 Confusing/difficult to use
  • 🔍 Limited features
  • 🔢 Only 3 check-ins per day

Healthy Minds Program by Humin

From 9.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Best meditation app
  • 🚀 Flexible and customizable
  • 💡 Science-based approach
  • 🙌 Excellent for beginners
  • 🧠 Improves focus and awareness

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional technical issues
  • 🕰️ Meditations could use more silence
  • 🤖 Narrator can speak too fast at times

Bugs and requests

MindShift CBT

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Login/account creation issues
  • Saving/submitting entries not working
  • Crashing/freezing
  • Incompatibility with newer OS versions
  • Sharing/exporting data not functioning

Requested features

10 requests
  • Longer journal entries
  • More customization options
  • Ability to see full history
  • Improved accessibility features
  • Community access for under 18s
Show 5 more
  • Dark mode option
  • More interactive breathing exercises
  • Ability to add own anxiety symptoms
  • Reminders to use the app
  • Sync data across devices

Healthy Minds Program by Humin

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Progress not always saved correctly
  • Connectivity issues causing data loss

Requested features

3 requests
  • Offline mode for meditations
  • Ability to bookmark favorite sessions
  • More personalization options

In-app purchases

None

MindShift CBT

No in-app purchases

None

Healthy Minds Program by Humin

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MindShift CBT free?
MindShift CBT is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Healthy Minds Program by Humin free?
Healthy Minds Program by Humin is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MindShift CBT or Healthy Minds Program by Humin?
Healthy Minds Program by Humin is rated higher. MindShift CBT averages 4.3 out of 5 from 562 ratings, while Healthy Minds Program by Humin averages 4.9 from 9.3K ratings.
Do MindShift CBT or Healthy Minds Program by Humin have ads?
Neither MindShift CBT nor Healthy Minds Program by Humin shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MindShift CBT or Healthy Minds Program by Humin?
MindShift CBT ships an update every 4 months, and Healthy Minds Program by Humin every 3 weeks. Most recently, MindShift CBT was updated on November 6, 2026 and Healthy Minds Program by Humin on November 8, 2026.

Other comparisons