Comparison

ACT Coach vs DBT Coach

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

Head to head
About

ACT Coach

This app helps users practice Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to manage difficult thoughts and feelings. It provides exercises, tools, and tracking logs to support living a value-driven life. Developed in consultation with therapists, it's designed for individuals undergoing ACT.

Highlights
  • ACT exercises
  • Tools for managing thoughts
  • Commitment to values
  • Tracking logs
  • Information on ACT
Features
Read full description

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) aims to help you live with unpleasant thoughts, feelings, and impulses without avoiding them or being controlled by them. In ACT, you are encouraged to commit to actions so that you can live your life by your values, even in the face of these unpleasant experiences. This app was developed for Veterans, Service members, and other people who are in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in consultation with a therapist. It offers exercises, tools, information, and tracking logs so you can practice what you’re learning in your daily life. ACT Coach was created by VA’s National Center for PTSD.

About

DBT Coach

Learn and practice Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills to manage emotions, build resilience, and improve relationships. This app offers expert-created lessons, interactive exercises, and progress tracking to support personal growth and emotional well-being.

Highlights
  • Comprehensive DBT skills library
  • Interactive video lessons and animated guides
  • AI-powered personalized skills coach
  • Intuitive diary card for mood tracking
  • Progress visualization and clinician sharing
  • Guided meditations and self-reflection questionnaires
  • Crisis support hotlines
Features
Read full description

Transform Your Life with Evidence-Based Skills. Feel more in control. Build resilience. Transform overwhelming emotions into actionable skills. DBT Coach is the most comprehensive DBT app available - trusted by over 3 million users. WHY DBT COACH WORKS Real Results: Most users show measurable improvement within 90 days. Our evidence-based approach combines DBT expertise with engaging, memorable content. Learn Skills That Stick 100+ expert video lessons 60+ animated skill guides Interactive exercises that reinforce learning Effortless Progress Tracking: Your intuitive diary card makes daily tracking simple. Visualize patterns, celebrate wins, and share seamlessly with your therapist - no more weekly emails. WHAT'S INSIDE - Comprehensive, beautifully designed DBT Diary tracking which lets you control what you want to track, how much detail (context) you want to provide. Additional context lets you to see advanced analytics - your patterns, progress, risk and provides recommendations. - Ability to share in graphical format as well as the traditional (tabular) diary card format - Complete DBT Skills Library Master Mindfulness, Emotion Regulation, Distress Tolerance, and Interpersonal Effectiveness. - Each skill includes videos, exercises, and real-world guides. 1,000+ Guided Meditations World-class teachers across mindfulness, crisis management, sleep, and self-compassion themes. - Smart Analytics and Insights Discover connections between skills practice and emotional well-being with data-driven insights. - Motivation System Earn achievements, track streaks, and celebrate milestones as you build your practice. 100+ Interactive Worksheets Practice exercises linked to lessons. - Review history to see your progress. - Crisis Survival Toolkit Quick access to distress tolerance skills when you need them most. - Therapist Integration Share diary cards, exercises, and progress with your clinician in real-time through our companion platform. - Beautiful Design Dark mode, customizable tracking, and intuitive interface. WHO IT'S FOR - Dealing with stress or emotional overwhelm - In DBT therapy and need a companion tool - Committed to personal growth and wellness WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT - Comprehensive: Complete DBT curriculum coverage - Clinically rigorous: Expert-reviewed, cited in journals - Visual and engaging: Video, animation, and interaction - Therapist-connected: Seamless clinical care integration - Proven effective: Real outcomes, real data SUBSCRIPTION Free trial available $11.99/month or $59.99/6 months (save 17%) Cancel anytime in settings Auto-renews unless turned off 24 hours before period ends Payment charged to account at confirmation IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER DBT Coach is an educational and self-help wellness app. It is NOT a medical device and does NOT provide medical diagnoses, treatment plans, or prescriptions. All content is psychoeducational in nature, designed to teach general Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) coping skills. The AI coach feature is a skills coaching tool, not a licensed therapist or medical professional. This app complements - not replaces - professional therapy. For best results, use alongside a qualified mental health provider. If you are in crisis, please contact emergency services or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You deserve support that meets you where you are. Download DBT Coach and take the next step toward a life worth living. Privacy: https://www.resiliens.com/privacy Terms: https://www.resiliens.com/terms

Screenshots

ACT Coach4 screens
DBT Coach1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ACT Coach at none against DBT Coach's 3. DBT Coach's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 14 months) and ratings volume (1.7K vs 14). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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. DBT Coach sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. ACT Coach asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for ACT Coach against 4.6 for DBT Coach. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DBT Coach has 1.7K ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 63% of ACT Coach's written reviews are positive against 69% of DBT Coach's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ACT Coach ships an update every 14 months, DBT Coach fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
ACT Coach versus DBT Coach: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterACT CoachDBT Coach
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (14 ratings)4.6 (1.7K ratings)
Positive reviews62.5% of reviews68.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings141.7K — better
Update frequencyEvery 14 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB139 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperUS Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)Resiliens Inc.

Customer experience

ACT Coach

All ratings14 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral7.1%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive62.5%
Neutral12.5%
Negative25.0%

DBT Coach

All ratings1,729 ratings
Positive90.2%
Neutral2.6%
Negative7.2%
Written reviews323 reviews
Positive68.7%
Neutral9.6%
Negative21.7%

Bugs and requests

ACT Coach

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

DBT Coach

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Diary card entries not saving properly
  • Inability to log food or physical activity
  • Apple Health integration not working
  • Certain meditations and lessons not functioning
  • Inconsistent performance and unexpected crashes

Requested features

5 requests
  • Allow more customization of diary card and tracked items
  • Improve stability and reduce bugs
  • Offer more affordable subscription options
  • Add ability to share diary entries with multiple providers
  • Improve navigation and make the app more user-friendly

In-app purchases

None

ACT Coach

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

DBT Coach

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly Subscription3 Days trial$11.991 Month
  • Family Monthly Subscription$19.991 Month
  • Six Month Subscription3 Days trial$59.996 Months

Questions

Is ACT Coach free?
ACT Coach is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DBT Coach free?
DBT Coach is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ACT Coach or DBT Coach?
ACT Coach and DBT Coach are both rated 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store, from 14 and 1.7K ratings respectively.
Do ACT Coach or DBT Coach have ads?
Neither ACT Coach nor DBT Coach shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ACT Coach or DBT Coach?
ACT Coach ships an update every 14 months, and DBT Coach fortnightly. Most recently, ACT Coach was updated on October 17, 2026 and DBT Coach on October 19, 2026.

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