☰

Ash – AI Mental Health is presented as the first AI designed specifically for therapy, aiming to provide support for various mental health concerns like stress, anxiety, relationships, or general difficult days.

Here’s a detailed review of its features, pricing, and AI alternatives based on the sources:

Features of Ash – AI Mental Health

Ash offers a comprehensive set of features designed to provide personalized and accessible mental health support:

  • Therapy-Focused AI
    • Ash is built on a foundation model for psychology, trained on clinically relevant data and the world’s largest and most diverse dataset of real human therapy. It incorporates various therapeutic approaches such as CBT, DBT, and psychodynamic therapy.
    • It is fine-tuned by a clinical and advisory team of top mental health leaders and developed by a team of therapists, mental health leaders, AI researchers, engineers, and designers.
  • Personalized & Growth-Oriented Support
    • Ash is designed for long-term growth, learning from your patterns and building a program tailored to help you reach your goals.
    • It provides weekly personalized insights to help users understand themselves more deeply, identify themes and patterns in their life, and move forward with clarity. Users have praised these insights for spotting thought patterns in new ways and providing next steps for growth.
    • It remembers conversations and progress, allowing for continuous and evolving guidance.
  • Accessibility and Convenience
    • Ash is available 24/7 via voice and text, allowing for quick check-ins or longer deep dives whenever needed. Users appreciate being able to talk at any time, even at 1 AM.
    • It provides a private, secure, and zero-judgment space where users can share unfiltered thoughts. Chats are designed to be secure and anonymous, with a privacy-first approach.
  • Therapeutic Approach and Benefits
    • Ash can be used for motivation, accountability, support, reflection, encouragement, pattern-breaking, or as a catalyst for change.
    • It provides professional guidance and helps users connect thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
    • Unlike some general AI tools, Ash is designed to create “productive friction” by challenging users’ perspectives rather than just validating everything they say, leading to breakthroughs and healthier perspectives.
    • Testimonials highlight its effectiveness in helping with anxious thoughts, procrastination, ADHD, organizing thoughts for action plans, and reframing emotions. Users have reported feeling heard, seen, and empowered to take practical steps.
  • Recent Updates
    • Version 2.2.0 (released July 22, 2025) includes improvements like better support for older phones and operating systems, a home screen display of conversation frequency, and “next step” cards to show conversation topics in advance. Voice volume issues and display problems were also fixed for a smoother experience.
  • Important Disclaimers
    • Ash is designed for users 18+. The App Store rating is 12+, with mild content warnings.
    • It is not a replacement for medical diagnosis or treatments and cannot, and does not intend to, provide medical advice or diagnosis.
    • Interaction with Ash does not constitute a medical professional–patient relationship.
    • Users are advised not to avoid or delay medical attention based on statements from Ash.
    • Ash is not designed to be used in crisis; users in crisis are directed to seek professional help or a crisis line at www.findahelpline.com.
    • The app developer notes that Ash sometimes makes things up.
  • Privacy
    • The developer, Slingshot AI, states that certain data, such as Identifiers, Usage Data, and Diagnostics, may be collected but are not linked to your identity. Privacy practices can vary based on features used or age.

Price of Ash – AI Mental Health

Ash is free to use. Many users express gratitude for its free availability, especially those who cannot afford professional therapy. One user mentioned they would happily pay $50/month for it, highlighting its perceived value.

AI Alternatives

The sources suggest several AI mental health and coaching alternatives listed in the “You Might Also Like” sections of the app store:

  • Rosebud: AI Journal & Diary
  • ChatMind: AI Therapist
  • Yuna – Mental Health Companion
  • Sonia: AI Emotional Support
  • Noah AI: Your Emotional Coach
  • AI mindfulness coach – Earkick / Earkick – Self Care AI Coach
  • Honestly: Wellbeing Coaching
  • MIND: AI Therapist & Coach
  • AI Companion & Friend: Deepen

Users also compare Ash to other AI tools or therapy apps they have used:

  • ChatGPT and Claude: Users have noted that while these AIs might say what you want to hear, Ash offers more helpful insights and fosters a healthier perspective by challenging users.
  • BetterHelp (formerly Ginger app): One user who is a trained counselor found Ash to be better than what they could offer, especially for solution-focused therapy, and found it more focused than their experiences with apps like Ginger/BetterHelp.