The best mental health apps for students
By the MOJO team · Updated · 3 min read
The short answer
The best mental health apps for students are quick, free to start and help with the things uni throws at you: irregular sleep, exam stress and loneliness. MOJO is best for spotting how sleep and routine affect your mood with 30-second voice check-ins; How We Feel helps you name your emotions; Finch makes self-care feel rewarding; Daylio is a fast tap-based mood diary; and Insight Timer offers a large free meditation library.
What students should look for
Student life is irregular, so an app needs to work on chaotic days, not just calm ones. Look for something fast, free to start, private, and able to show you how your sleep, routine and social life affect your mood, especially around exams.
- Free to start, so you can try it without commitment.
- Quick enough to use in a corridor between lectures.
- Tracks sleep as well as mood: it's the biggest lever for most students.
- Private by default.
Our picks
Disclosure: we make MOJO, so it's listed first. Every other app here is one we'd genuinely suggest for the use case, and we've kept descriptions to what each app is known for.
1. MOJOBest for: Seeing how sleep and routine affect your mood
Talk for 30 seconds about your day and MOJO logs your mood, sleep and activity, then points out patterns like better days after seven-plus hours of sleep or when you leave your room before noon. Launching on iOS and Android on 1 December 2026.
2. How We FeelBest for: Naming your emotions
A free mood check-in app from a nonprofit that helps you put a precise name to how you feel and suggests short strategies to help.
3. FinchBest for: Making self-care feel rewarding
Look after a virtual pet by completing small self-care goals and reflections. Popular with students who find it hard to stick to basic routines.
4. DaylioBest for: A quick tap-based mood diary
A micro-diary where you pick a mood and tap the activities you did, no writing needed. Good for building a simple daily mood habit.
5. Insight TimerBest for: Free meditations for exam stress
A large library of guided meditations, many free, including sessions for stress, focus and sleep.
Pair the app with campus support
Most universities offer free counselling and wellbeing services, and can arrange extensions or adjustments if you're struggling. An app is a great daily habit; your university's support team is there for the times you need more.
Apps help, but they're not treatment
Wellness apps are good at building habits and helping you notice patterns. They don't diagnose or treat anything. If low mood, anxiety or exhaustion last for weeks or make it hard to function, talk to a doctor or mental health professional. If you're in crisis, contact your local emergency number or a crisis line such as 988 in the US or Samaritans on 116 123 in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free mental health app for students?
Insight Timer and How We Feel are known for having a lot available for free, and MOJO is free to start. The best one is the one you'll actually open every day.
Can a mental health app help with exam stress?
It can help you notice what makes stress worse, such as short sleep, and give you tools like breathing exercises to calm down. If exam anxiety stops you studying or sleeping, talk to your university's wellbeing service.
This guide is general wellbeing information, not medical advice. If you're worried about your mental health, talk to a doctor or mental health professional.