Comparison

AnchorDBT vs Tether

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

Head to head
About

AnchorDBT

Features
Read full description

Anchor DBT is a gentle DBT companion for intense emotions, daily reflection, and therapy preparation. When things feel overwhelming, Anchor helps you pause, name what is happening, and choose a next step. You can make quick emotional check-ins, practice DBT skills, keep a diary card, and review weekly patterns you may want to bring to therapy. Designed for people who use DBT skills, experience emotional intensity, or want a calmer way to track their week, Anchor keeps the focus simple: notice, stabilize, reflect, and prepare. What you can do with Anchor DBT: โ€ข Quick check-ins for emotional intensity, urges, triggers, and skills used โ€ข Crisis Mode with grounding skills and support reminders โ€ข DBT skill library for moments when you need something practical โ€ข Daily diary card for emotions, behaviors, skills, and notes โ€ข Weekly report showing recent patterns, top triggers, skills used, and therapy talking points โ€ข Therapist-ready PDF exports with Premium โ€ข Clear reminders that Anchor is a support tool, not a replacement for therapy or emergency care Anchor DBT is built to be private, calm, and easy to use when your nervous system is already doing a lot. Crisis tools, basic check-ins, DBT skills, and the 7-day report stay free. Anchor DBT is not a medical device and does not provide diagnosis, treatment, or emergency services. If you are in immediate danger, call your local emergency number or crisis line. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.notion.so/Privacy-Policy-for-Anchor-DBT-35abea70602c8045bf5fca2a81250ece?pvs=12

About

Tether

Read full description

Tether is a DBT skills companion built for teens โ€” designed to work alongside therapy, not replace it. Whether you're learning Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills for the first time or reinforcing what you're already working on, Tether makes it easier to actually use these skills when it matters. WHAT'S INSIDE Skill Library 18 real DBT skills across Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness โ€” each explained in plain language, with clear steps and realistic time estimates. In the Moment When things feel like too much, get straight to a skill that can actually help โ€” no digging through menus. Diary Card Track your emotions, urges, and which skills you used each day. See real trends over time, not just how today felt. Cope Ahead Planning for something hard? Pick the skills you want ready, get a gentle reminder, and reflect on how it went afterward. Share With a Parent (Optional) If you want support at home, choose exactly which skills a parent can see โ€” never your private notes or check-ins, unless you choose to share those too. Therapist-Ready Export Generate a clean summary of your week to bring to your next session, with one tap. Crisis Resources Real, immediate access to 988, Crisis Text Line, and more โ€” always available, no login required. BUILT WITH REAL DBT PRINCIPLES Tether isn't a replacement for therapy, and it's not a crisis service. It's a practice space for skills you're already learning โ€” built to fit into an actual teenage life. Free to download, with a 7-day free trial for Tether Plus (personalized skill recommendations, full Diary Card history, and more). Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

AnchorDBT4 screens
Tether4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Tether at every 3 weeks against AnchorDBT's every 3 months. Tether also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. AnchorDBT sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Tether sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AnchorDBT ships an update every 3 months, Tether every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
AnchorDBT versus Tether: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAnchorDBTTether
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 weeks โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod โ€” better
Requires iOS18.015.1 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size10 MB35 MB
Age rating12+17+
Developerๆ˜Ž้œ ่ฐขGolden Sunset Studios LLC

In-app purchases

2 purchases

AnchorDBT

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Premium$4.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium7 Days trial$24.991 Year
4 purchases

Tether

Subscriptions4
  • Tether Plus7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Tether Family7 Days trial$11.991 Month
  • Tether Plus7 Days trial$49.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Tether Family7 Days trial$89.991 Year

Questions

Is AnchorDBT free?
AnchorDBT is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Tether free?
Tether is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do AnchorDBT or Tether have ads?
Neither AnchorDBT nor Tether shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AnchorDBT or Tether?
AnchorDBT ships an update every 3 months, and Tether every 3 weeks. Most recently, AnchorDBT was updated on October 31, 2026 and Tether on October 29, 2026.

Other comparisons