Comparison

CBT Trainer vs StarryWords

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

Head to head
About

CBT Trainer

This AI-driven platform offers realistic virtual patient interactions for therapists in training. It provides real-time feedback aligned with CBT competency frameworks, helping users improve assessment and clinical skills in a judgment-free environment. Practice anytime, anywhere with a variety of virtual patient scenarios.

Highlights
  • AI virtual patients for various conditions
  • Supports CBT, DBT, ACT modalities
  • Real-time feedback on competency
  • Voice and text interaction
  • Judgment-free practice environment
  • Develop essential clinical skills
Features
Read full description

The first AI-driven virtual patient platform with real-time feedback aligned to established competency frameworks, validated by research and trusted by 2000+ mental health professionals and leading universities. Developed by clinicians and academics at University College London (UCL) and validated in a peer-reviewed study published in JMIR Medical Education (Zhang et al., 2026), CBT Trainer helps therapists in training build essential clinical skills through realistic virtual patient interactions. Backed by Research In a UCL pilot study of 59 DClinPsy and Low-Intensity CBT trainees: 96% reported improved assessment skills 83% reported improved clinical skills overall Trainees voluntarily engaged for an average of 95+ minutes of role-play Rated "Excellent" on the System Usability Scale (82.2/100) "Knowing that I could practice anytime made me feel so much more calm about my exam." — Study Participant "The competence section helped me recognise areas I missed during my roleplay." — Study Participant Read the published study → https://mededu.jmir.org/2026/1/e84091 Perfect for: Clinical psychology trainees · CBT, DBT, ACT therapists in training · CBT therapists in training · Mental health educators Key Features: - AI virtual patients presenting depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, social anxiety, and more - Supports multiple therapy modalities: CBT, DBT, ACT - Real-time feedback aligned to the CTS-R Competence Scale - Voice and text interaction for natural conversation - Judgment-free environment to practise, make mistakes, and learn - No scheduling required — practise anytime, anywhere - Develop Essential Clinical Skills: Assessment · Information gathering · Therapeutic engagement · Guided discovery · Agenda setting · Risk assessment · Treatment delivery Supported competence scales: - Revised Cognitive Therapy Scale (CTS-R) - Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Scale for Children and Young People (CBTS-CYP) - Assessment of Core CBT Skills (ACCS) - ENhancing Assessment of Common Therapeutic factors (ENACT) - Person-Centred and Experiential Psychotherapy Scale-10 (PCEPS-10) - MBT Adherence and Competence Scale (MBT-RACS) CBT Trainer is intended for educational purposes only and does not provide medical advice or treatment. This app uses Apple's Standard EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

StarryWords

Create custom vocabulary decks with AI assistance for any language. Study through flashcards, writing, matching games, or AI conversations. Track progress and use home screen widgets for daily learning.

Highlights
  • AI-generated vocabulary decks
  • Multiple study modes (flashcards, writing, games, conversation)
  • Home screen widgets for daily words
  • Smart review schedule
  • Progress tracking and stats
  • AI grammar explanations
  • Support for numerous languages
Read full description

Learning a new language can be easier than you think. With StarryWords, you can create your own vocabulary decks in just a few seconds. Tell the app what you want to learn, choose a topic and level, and let AI create the words for you — with translations and examples. And when you find a word you want to remember, you can add it to your Home Screen as a widget. So every time you look at your phone, there's one more little word waiting for you. A few seconds here and there can slowly become real progress. Learn a word. See it again. Remember it. This is StarryWords! AI THAT DOES THE HEAVY LIFTING • Ask AI — describe what you want to learn and get flashcards complete with translation, an example sentence, and a memory association • Add Using Text — paste any text and StarryWords pulls out the vocabulary worth learning • Stuck on a grammar rule? Just ask — your AI Assistant explains it in plain language FOUR WAYS TO STUDY • Flip Cards — the classic way to review • Writing — type the answer yourself so it actually sticks • Associations — a quick matching game • AI Conversation — have a real dialogue with an AI partner using your new words, then get feedback on how you did LOTS OF LANGUAGES, ONE APP Study English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Turkish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic — or type in any language of your own. STAY ON TRACK • A smart review schedule brings words back right when you're about to forget them • See your progress at a glance with per-deck stats and streaks • A Home Screen widget so a new word finds you — not the other way around MEET STARRY Your mascot is there through every session, celebrating streaks and making studying feel a lot less like a chore. Start with one deck, five minutes a day. StarryWords will meet you there. Terms of Use: https://romantic-apple-5a2.notion.site/Terms-of-Use-and-Privacy-Policy-for-StarWords-3bb59951f7f0802bba04daeacb250452? Privacy Policy: https://romantic-apple-5a2.notion.site/Terms-of-Use-and-Privacy-Policy-for-StarWords-3bb59951f7f0802bba04daeacb250452?

Screenshots

CBT Trainer4 screens
StarryWords4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: StarryWords at 100% against CBT Trainer's 0%. StarryWords also leads on update cadence (daily vs monthly). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. CBT Trainer sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month and StarryWords sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CBT Trainer ships an update monthly, StarryWords daily. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
CBT Trainer versus StarryWords: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCBT TrainerStarryWords
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyMonthlyDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.1 — better17
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB129 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSoy Educational Technologies LimitedNikita Pishchugin

Customer experience

CBT Trainer

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative50.0%

StarryWords

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

CBT Trainer

Subscriptions4
  • Monthly Premium Promo$19.991 Month
  • Monthly Premium3 Days trial$29.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium Promo$49.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Yearly Premium7 Days trial$199.991 Year
2 purchases

StarryWords

Subscriptions2
  • Pro (weekly)$4.997 Days
  • Pro (monthly)$9.991 Month

Questions

Is CBT Trainer free?
CBT Trainer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is StarryWords free?
StarryWords is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do CBT Trainer or StarryWords have ads?
Neither CBT Trainer nor StarryWords shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CBT Trainer or StarryWords?
CBT Trainer ships an update monthly, and StarryWords daily. Most recently, CBT Trainer was updated on October 16, 2026 and StarryWords on October 5, 2026.

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