# ACT Coach vs DBT Coach

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 16). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

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.

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 16, 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.

ACT Coach ships an update every 14 months, DBT Coach fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ACT Coach | DBT Coach |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/act-coach/id804247934/reviews)** | [4.6 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dbt-coach/id1452264969/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 16 | **1.7K** |
| Positive reviews | 62.5% of reviews | **68.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 28 MB | 139 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)](https://appshunter.io/developer/430646305) | [Resiliens Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1295868545) |

## What reviewers say

### ACT Coach

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/act-coach/id804247934)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### DBT Coach

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dbt-coach/id1452264969)

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:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $11.99 | per month |
| Family Monthly Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Six Month Subscription | $59.99 | per 6 months |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent interface and packed with skills and tools
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🌟 Helpful for managing BPD, anxiety, and depression
- 📚 Comprehensive DBT content and lessons
- 💻 Seamless integration with therapist's app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription, especially for those with limited means
- 🔒 Paywall blocks access to important features like crisis support
- 🐛 Frequent bugs, crashes, and login issues
- 🔄 Constantly logging users out, requiring re-authentication
- 📝 Editing and customization options are limited

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


## Frequently asked 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 is rated higher. ACT Coach averages 4.6 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while DBT Coach averages 4.6 from 1.7K ratings.

### 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 21, 2026 and DBT Coach on October 19, 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.*