Mental Health Information
This content is for informational purposes only. AI therapy tools are not substitutes for professional mental health treatment. Always consult a licensed mental health professional.Important — Youper discontinued September 30, 2026: Youper has shut down. Before the shutdown, Youper's own website carried a site-wide banner reading “Youper is shutting down September 30, 2026 — export your data” (archived copy of youper.ai, August 7, 2026). youper.ai has since gone offline.
Updated October 14, 2026: this page previously compared Wysa and Youper as two available apps. It is now kept as a historical comparison; Wysa is the only one of the two you can still use.
Wysa vs Youper (Historical): How They Compared Before Youper Shut Down
Until Youper shut down on September 30, 2026, Wysa and Youper were two of the AI therapy chatbots with published clinical evidence. Both offered CBT-based interventions through conversational AI. This page records how they differed. If you are looking for an app to use today, read our Wysa review or the full consumer AI therapy app rankings.
First AI mental health chatbot to receive FDA Breakthrough Device Designation (April 2026); 30+ peer-reviewed publications; NHS-endorsed; acquired April Health (May 2026) to add PCP-integrated mental health escalation pathway; available in 65+ countries
Discontinued (Sep 2026)
Stanford-validated AI emotional health assistant combining multiple evidence-based therapy modalities (CBT, ACT, DBT, PST) with clinically validated outcome assessments
The Youper column records the app as it was before its September 30, 2026 shutdown.
| Feature | Wysa | Youper (discontinued) |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2015 | 2016 |
| HQ | Boston / Bangalore | San Francisco |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Premium Price | $6.25/mo (annual) | $5.83/mo (annual only) |
| Human Coaching | Yes ($19.99/session) | No |
| App Store Rating | 4.9/5 (20,200+ ratings) | 4.8/5 (15,300+ ratings) |
| Therapy Modalities | CBT, DBT, ACT, Solution-Focused, MI, Mindfulness | CBT, ACT, DBT, PST, Mindfulness |
| Clinical Evidence | 30+ peer-reviewed papers including RCTs | 1 Stanford study (N=4,517, observational) |
| Regulatory Status | CE-marked Class I medical device (EU), NHS endorsed | None |
| Crisis Detection | Yes | Premium only |
| Validated Assessments | Yes | GAD-7, PHQ-9 |
| Countries | 65+ | USA + English-speaking |
| Affiliate | 15% via Refersion | None |
Clinical Evidence Comparison
This is the most important differentiator. Wysa has 30+ peer-reviewed publications, including randomized controlled trials published in JMIR. It is endorsed by the UK NHS through the Innovation Accelerator programme and holds CE-mark status as a Class I medical device in the EU. Its therapeutic alliance studies show users form human-level bonding with the chatbot.
Youper had one significant study — a Stanford University observational study with 4,517 participants published in JMIR showing statistically significant reductions in anxiety (d=0.57) and depression (d=0.46) within 2 weeks. The study also showed 42.66% 4-week retention. However, this was not an RCT with a control group, making the evidence weaker than Wysa's.
Winner: Wysa — by a significant margin on clinical evidence quality and quantity.
Therapy Approach
Both apps covered the core evidence-based modalities (CBT, DBT, ACT, Mindfulness). Wysa adds Solution-Focused Therapy and Motivational Interviewing. Youper added Problem-Solving Therapy (PST). In practice, the coverage was similar enough that most users would not have noticed the difference.
Youper's GAD-7 and PHQ-9 integration was a strength — it used clinically validated assessment instruments to track symptom severity over time, giving users a clearer picture of their progress. Wysa offers similar tracking but less prominently featured.
Pricing Comparison (Historical)
Both offered free tiers with limited features. Youper was marginally cheaper on premium ($5.83/month annual vs. Wysa's $6.25/month annual), but Youper only offered annual billing — no monthly option. Wysa adds optional human coaching ($19.99/session) that Youper did not offer.
Safety and Crisis Detection
A critical difference for a mental health app: Wysa includes crisis detection and safety monitoring in all tiers, including free. Youper locked crisis support features behind its premium paywall. For a vulnerable user population, free crisis detection is the responsible design choice.
Verdict (Historical)
Even while both apps were available, Wysa was the stronger choice for most users: deeper clinical evidence, crisis detection in the free tier, optional human coaching sessions, and availability outside the US. Youper's distinctive strengths were GAD-7/PHQ-9 symptom tracking built into daily use and a slightly lower annual price.
Youper discontinued its services on September 30, 2026, so the choice is no longer open. Former Youper users looking for a like-for-like replacement should start with our Wysa review; see our Youper review for what happened, and the consumer AI therapy app rankings for every option you can still use.
No app replaces professional therapy. If you're experiencing severe anxiety, depression, or any mental health crisis, please contact a licensed professional or call 988.
FAQ
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Read Full Reviews
First AI mental health chatbot to receive FDA Breakthrough Device Designation (April 2026); 30+ peer-reviewed publications; NHS-endorsed; acquired April Health (May 2026) to add PCP-integrated mental health escalation pathway; available in 65+ countries
Stanford-validated AI emotional health assistant combining multiple evidence-based therapy modalities (CBT, ACT, DBT, PST) with clinically validated outcome assessments