June 16, 2025
Are the wide variety of mental health apps really helping, or just adding to the confusion? Discover the three core models driving digital mental health and what it takes to make a true impact.
Becky Minervino
There are over 10,000 mental health apps available in iOS and Android marketplaces, and you’ll find over 20,000 apps with a “meditation” tag. It’s safe to say digital mental health and wellness apps have flooded the market. But can we confidently say they’re helping people live healthier, happier lives?
The Care Crisis Behind the App Boom
Looking across the healthcare ecosystem, we’re facing a crisis of care, not just illness. The ratio of individuals needing services to mental health providers able to deliver services is staggeringly high at 350:1, while over half of U.S. counties lack even a single practicing psychiatrist. Meanwhile, we’re in the midst of a loneliness epidemic and seeing higher rates of stress, anxiety, disrupted sleep, and ongoing mental health conditions across all demographics.
People need help, and they’re searching for guidance–even asking generative AI chatbots. It’s no surprise that so many mental health and wellness apps have been created in an attempt to fill this care gap. Yet, these apps all sit side-by-side in the store with minimal details, making it difficult to know what’s for relaxation and what’s for a deeper clinical need. If consumers are confused, overwhelmed, or skeptical about what to use, all the digital health innovation in the world won’t solve the problem.
We know digital tools alone will not solve the mental health crisis. But if the available apps are designed with intent and alleviate some of the burden, we can dedicate resources to solving other aspects of the crisis.
As Licensed Clinical Psychologist Dr. Kelly Rabenstein shares, “I embrace the opportunity apps create for people to have access to mental health resources, whether support in preventative care or in contact with a professional. Successful apps will keep the patient central and be able to answer the question every therapist is asked throughout training—why are you doing what you are doing in this moment? Be clear—and based in research.”
One approach to cutting through the noise is figuring out which tools truly enhance health and quality of life, and which ones fall short or create unnecessary complications. Those that focus on and execute a well-designed strategy will be able to make a meaningful difference in people’s health, wellness, and happiness, while those that create confusion or unnecessary friction in the experience will be left behind.
Build What People Actually Need
MERGE initiated research to discover what experiences support people in achieving their mental health goals. Our dedicated user experience experts explored current mental health and wellness apps, key features that set them apart, and how to select tools that improve wellbeing.
When designing to meet the needs of these audiences, we must remember to put the human at the center. People searching for these apps have a goal in mind, and they’re solving a certain problem like relieving stress. While health plans, care providers, digital health innovators, and other stakeholders have their own objectives for digital health engagement, they should start by asking, “Who are we designing for, and what are they trying to do?”
Being laser-focused on the individual needs and leveraging data to build personalized experiences is how the industry will drive meaningful change and deliver better outcomes. What people need falls into different categories, and what most don’t understand is that there are three core models for digital mental health.
Three Core Models for Digital Mental Health
Most digital mental health tools fall into three categories, each with unique strengths, limitations, and regulatory implications. These categories reflect what regulators will allow, what insurers will reimburse, and what kind of outcomes users can reasonably expect.
General Wellness Apps
These platforms deliver guided meditation, breathing exercises, sleep aids, and mindfulness tools. They do not diagnose, treat, or make condition-specific claims. Notable examples include:
Calm focuses on stress relief and sleep, intentionally avoiding any language about mental disorders.
These apps draw widespread early engagement because of their intuitive user interfaces and wide variety of self-guided modules. However, if content becomes repetitive or doesn’t move the person forward to true behavior change, users tend to churn. The clinical risk with general wellness apps is low, and they may not have much rigor related to clinical evidence or data protection.
When thinking through the crisis of care, these general wellness apps offer a light-touch option without obligation to prove long-term clinical impact. Unless an app publishes peer-reviewed trials or partners with licensed therapists, relying on this type for moderate to severe anxiety, depression, or trauma can delay effective treatment.
Coaching and Remote Therapeutic Monitoring Tools
This new wave of AI-powered platforms targets specific behavioral symptoms such as anxiety, ADHD, or focus issues. There are often AI chatbots or digital coaches available 24/7 for guided journaling and cognitive support. They can include real-time symptom monitoring or progress streams for remote care teams. Notable examples include:
Healthy Minds employs evidence-driven meditation with multi-week lessons to lower distress in controlled trials.
These apps do not provide licensed care, but they do have greater regulatory and clinical evidence requirements than general wellness apps. They should comply with stronger privacy standards, especially if they’re streaming sensitive health data.
Licensed Therapy and Psychiatry Apps
These platforms make up the most regulated tier and offer one-to-one or group therapy with licensed clinicians through secure video and messaging. Notable examples include:
Headspace Health merges meditation content with licensed therapy and behavioral coaching, creating a single ecosystem for wellbeing and clinical care.
These platforms must comply with state licensure boards, HIPAA regulations, malpractice coverage, and regular audits. While their value is in delivering virtual healthcare and supporting more complex needs, they require careful consideration around integration, data protection, and workforce fit.
Merging Science, Experience, and Engagement for Better Outcomes
As expected, these thousands of apps have significant design differences and approaches. While we looked at just a selection of those available, we did identify why some mental health solutions keep users coming back and others fall short.
As Dr. Rabenstein notes, “People often expect the same outcomes from therapy apps as they do from traditional therapy, but clinicians aren’t always allowed—or able—to provide that level of care within digital platforms. There are limits around licensure, regulations, and even how relationships are built. The most effective tools tend to blend traditional expectations of care with greater accessibility.”
The most successful apps truly understand the person and their needs with verifiable proof that a particular intervention leads to better outcomes.
Their design and features move the user down a clear path from current state to desired future state with interesting engagement. Importantly, they’ve also accounted for many of the barriers and obstacles that people face when using an app or making a change.
What Successful Apps Get Right
Person-centered experience design transforms evidence into action: Apps that blend clinical rigor with trauma-informed user experiences, like Healthy Minds and Smiling Mind, guide users through personalized journeys based on age or setting, minimize friction, evoke calm through simplicity, and celebrate micro-achievements.
Why Some Apps Miss the Mark
Unlock the Full Potential of Digital Mental Health
No two people are alike, nor do they have the same exact struggles. Yet, these challenges fall into broader buckets like stress, anxiety, and sleep. When it comes to mental health, we’re not likely to have more providers or less stress anytime soon. That’s why we need effective digital mental health strategies that center on the human to close access gaps.
Through strong partnerships and sound strategy, we can unlock the full potential of AI-powered, digital mental health solutions that help ensure consumers have access to more personalized, effective, and engaging care.
Looking to cut through the noise and build an empowering digital mental health ecosystem that truly works? Contact MERGE to discover how our innovative, human-centered approach can elevate wellbeing for your team and realize value for your brand.
