# Selftalk vs Lightly

The clearest difference is rating: Lightly at 4.8 against Selftalk's 4.0. Lightly also leads on ratings volume (5.2K vs 7) and review sentiment (81% vs 60%). Selftalk's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.2). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lightly sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Selftalk asks for nothing beyond the download.

Lightly holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lightly has 5.2K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Selftalk's written reviews are positive against 81% of Lightly's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Selftalk | Lightly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/selftalk-transform-within/id6449945529/reviews) | **[4.8 (5.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightly-wellbeing-companion/id6575383588/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **5.2K** |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | **81.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 51 MB | 120 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Self Talk Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1691111697) | [Reface Lithuania UAB](https://appshunter.io/developer/1736165250) |

## What reviewers say

### Selftalk

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/selftalk-transform-within/id6449945529)

This app offers personalized self-therapy journeys designed by psychologists to help you manage life's challenges. It provides a cost-effective and accessible way to understand your emotions, build confidence, and improve relationships.

**Highlights:** Personalized therapy journeys, Therapist-backed content, Emotional understanding, Increased confidence, Improved relationships, Cost-effective alternative, Secure data encryption

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Lightly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightly-wellbeing-companion/id6575383588)

This app provides AI-powered mental health journaling to help you release stress, clear your head, and understand your moods. It offers gentle prompts and personalized insights to guide your reflections and build habits for better wellbeing.

**Highlights:** AI-powered journaling, Stress release, Mood tracking insights, Personalized wellbeing plans, Voice reflection summaries, Emotional trend analysis, Private and secure data storage

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Annual Subscription | $24.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $34.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $34.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Excellent voice-to-text functionality
- 📊 Insightful analysis and feedback
- 🕰️ Helpful journaling prompts and reminders
- 🎨 Beautiful and user-friendly interface
- 🤖 Powerful AI assistant

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable saving of entries
- 🔍 Inconsistent transcription accuracy
- 🔒 Limited trial period, no free version
- 🔧 Compatibility issues with Apple Pencil
- 🤔 Unclear next steps after initial journaling

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Errors when trying to upload/save journal entries

**Requested features**

- Ability to import journal entries from other apps
- Option to have multiple journals
- Improved syncing between devices
- More customization options for journal prompts


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Selftalk free?

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

### Is Lightly free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Selftalk or Lightly?

Lightly is rated higher. Selftalk averages 4.0 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Lightly averages 4.8 from 5.2K ratings.

### Do Selftalk or Lightly have ads?

Neither Selftalk nor Lightly shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Selftalk or Lightly?

Selftalk ships an update every 2 weeks, and Lightly every 2 weeks. Most recently, Selftalk was updated on November 3, 2026 and Lightly on November 6, 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.*