Living in a digital age means there is an app for everything. But there are still some spheres that need powerful mobile app solutions. For example, there are only a few mental health apps on the market. Why not develop an app to track mental health and ease life for lots of people?
Mental health is a sensitive matter so it definitely requires a special approach. While developing a mental health app, it’s better to take into account the experience of doctors as well as people facing mental health problems. Finding the right tools as well as doctors to deal with mental health issues is a hard thing. And a properly-built mental health tracking app can help prevent mental health issues and minimize their negative effects during exacerbations.
Table of contents
Intro Types of mental health apps The best mental health apps on the market Core features for mental health apps Privacy and confidentiality of mobile mental health apps How much does it cost to build a mental health app with mova.io How to make money with mental health applications Final thoughts
Today we’re going to share our thoughts on how to build an app for mental health. Keep reading if building mental health apps is right up your street 🔽
Types of mental health apps
Before developing a mental health app, it’s vital to decide what users’ pains to keep in focus. The following decision affects the logic of the app and is crucial for the development processes and its subsequent market success. Mental health diary apps can be created for any age group, any mental disorder, and any gender. Generally, we can set off three categories of mental health apps:
Mental disorder apps
Mental self-improvement apps
Mental health apps for everyone
Let’s find out the peculiarities of each app category before creating an app for mental health disorders.
Mental disorder apps
There are quite a lot of mental health monitoring apps helping people to cope up with their mood swings as well as depressions. Some of the apps provide 24/7 chat support with doctors and anxiety specialist, and others feature a set of mood training programs and mediations with gamification elements that people can carry out on their own.
For example, MoodTool tracks all mood swings and keeps depressions under control. In case everything gets too bad, there is a suicide safety plan. Depressions aren’t the only mental disease that people suffer from. You can find apps for most widespread mental disorders including schizophrenia.
However, mental health tracker apps are a relay treatment and they cannot replace therapeutic sessions as well as medication. Unlike mental apps for healthy people, mental health symptom tracker apps should have doctors onboard to bring maximum benefit to users and assist in case of a crisis.
Moreover, a built-in chat function can also help treat mental disorders. It connects people with similar symptoms and allow building a strong community and never feel alone or isolated.
Mental self-improvement apps
Mental self-improvement apps are created for mentally healthy people to help monitor their mood swings, break unhealthy habits, and think positively. They’re sometimes called meditation apps as well. Such apps help cope up with stress and anxiety. Meditation apps are ideal means to find your Zen and boost up productivity.
Some of the mental self-improvement apps feature a supportive chat with psychologists for those who want to find what causes such problems and how to overcome them. It’s an extremely handy feature, isn’t it? It allows people to get support anytime they need it.
We can divide mental self-improvement apps into general mental health apps, stress and anxiety apps, and apps for addiction recovery.
General mental health apps are here to enhance self-awareness, help control mood, keep healthy habits and get rid of bad ones, and think positively. For example, What’s Up can recognize your feelings by just asking questions. And Thinking Patterns can help you think positively and overcome negative thoughts. Some people just need to talk with someone in case of a personal crisis, then 7 Cups comes in handy. It’s an app with free but trained active listeners who will listen to your problems and give professional advice.
Stress and anxiety apps help people struggling with anxiety and stress. The following mental health journal apps provide anxiety tools and diaries to keep track of thoughts and situations that provoke stress.
Apps for addiction recovery help people overcome unhealthy and damaging habits such as smoking, drinking, or taking drugs. Such apps monitor bad habits and encourage users to get rid of them.
Mental health apps for everyone
A mobile app cannot solve the needs of both healthy people and people with mental health issues. In this case, it’s hardly possible to kill two birds with one stone. But mental health chat app can help anyone who suffers from stress or has any mental health issues.
Such apps offer a range of doctors providing scheduled care. For example, Talkspace has 3000+ licensed therapists to hold a session via chat, video or phone call.
Haven’t you decide on the app type yet? Contact us and we’ll try to find the best suitable solution and bring your app idea to life.
The best mental health apps on the market
Calm
Supported devices: iOS and Android
Calm is #1 app for relaxation, meditation, and sleep. The app features sleep stories as well as mediation programs by Jeff Warren, famous for its dynamic and accessible style of mediation teaching. Calm can minimize the manifestations of stress or anxiety and help sleep better.
What’s Up?
Supported devices: iOS and Android
What’s Up is a free app utilizing the best CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and ACT (Acceptance Commitment Therapy) methods to help cope up with anger, stress, anxiety, depression, etc. This adult & teen mental health tracker app keeps track of users’ mood swings.
Talkspace
Supported devices: iOS, Android, and Desktop
Talkspace connects people with therapists anytime they need it. The app allows sending text and connects with a therapist via a tablet, laptop, and smartphone. Talkspace can help people cope up with both minor health issues as well as more serious problems.
Core features for mental health apps
Developing a college mental health app isn’t too complicated when it comes to development. It’s a challenge when it comes to content and research. While developing an app for healthy people, it’ll be more than enough to follow a well-known formula: eat well, sleep enough, exercise more, track your thoughts, and stick to a routine. But developing a nursing app for mental health patients needs more in-depth research and professional advice.
Stick to a routine
Following a schedule keeps our heads in check. There’s hardly anything better than a daily step-by-step plan on what to do.
Taking care of a quality sleep
A good night’s rest is crucial not only for the body but for the soul as well. People who get enough night’s rest are more stable and resilient when it comes to handling stressful situations.
Keep track of stress triggers
Specific events can provoke negative reactions and in most cases, people suffering from any mental health issues cannot even imagine what situations exacerbate mental health problems. And when users know what situations or emotions can harm them, they can easily avoid them. Ta-dam, no stress, and life is much better.
A trigger checklist is an integral part of your mental health symptom tracker app. Such a checklist can help therapists adjust their treatment and find more suitable ways to minimize the manifestations of mental health disorders.
Medication time
It’s sometimes vital to take medicine at specific times throughout the day. So a set of reminders with notifications will help users take their pills on time.
Keeping thoughts clear
Relaxation and mindfulness is a great way to enhance the quality of everyday life. Breathing techniques, meditations, positive affirmations, prayers. These are some of the features you can add to your mobile app solution.
Write down thoughts and emotions
Writing all thoughts down helps users sort out their thoughts and find out what is going on in their heads. A journaling feature will come in handy. Users can easily drop a line while commuting or waiting in the line. Moreover, keeping a diary is a part of most therapeutical sessions.
Finding like-minded people
Dealing with problems is much easier when you can talk about it and people can share your pains, right? This formula works with mental health problems. Finding a like-minded community helps users live their life to the fullest and never feel isolated. Let users communicate and share their thoughts: offer text, audio, or video chats.
Privacy and confidentiality of mobile mental health apps
While developing health and fitness apps, you should never compromise security. And mental health app security should be the greatest. Reliability is critical when it comes to apps dealing with personal information. Moreover, there are various rules and guidelines to take into account while developing an app for mental health. The following guidelines are the most important:
HIPPA compliance is required only for apps dealing with PHI (protected health information) that includes information about physical and mental conditions, digital healthcare services, payment details, and other information that can be traced back to a specific user.
According to GDPR privacy standards , all the client data should be stored in anonymized forms. GDPR is only required for apps that have clients in Europe. Moreover, mental health sessions should be provided only by licensed therapists. Otherwise, you may get civil or even criminal penalties. In-app therapists should know federal and state laws.
You can always check what regulations your app should meet using this tool by the Federal Trade Commission .
Any stored and shared data has to be encrypted at all stages. Encryption implies translating data into another form, and only people with a secret code (=users) can get access to it. Speaking about app security, a personal profile is an integral part of keeping information secure. Consider using biometric means of authentication such as fingerprint or facial recognition.
How much does it cost to build a mental health app with mova.io
Hours
Price
Backend
140h+
$4,900+
Frontend
300h+
$10,500+
UI/UX Design
30-60h
$1,000 - $2,000
Total
~3 months
$16,400
Note, the final cost may vary since it depends on many factors. Speaking about developing a native mental health app, it can take around xxx. But don’t forget about app updates and maintenance, it takes around 30% of the project estimate. You can also get a free estimate for your project.
How to make money with mental health applications
The most popular ways of getting money through apps are paid downloads and ads. You can also offer a free trial period to attract new users. For example, Calm offers a 7-day free trial to allow users to understand if they need Calm or not.
Another way of getting money is in-app purchases. Following this model, most of the app’s features are free, but users can buy additional features or tools. Subscriptions are the most suitable way of getting money thought mental health apps.
You can offer monthly or yearly subscription plans. For example, Calm offers guided mediations, a library of Sleep Stories, masterclasses, etc. You can offer paid therapy sessions, online chat support, or additional educational materials for your premium users.
Final thoughts
The market demand for mental health apps is actively growing and developing. Although there are lots of mobile applications. And some of them serve only one mobile operating system while others don’t work properly.
mova.io has developed several mHealth apps. So we know what hidden pitfalls you may face while developing your mental health app. If you would like to start the development of your app for mental disorders, feel free to contact us.
Have a question? Just write to us at:
📮 mail@mova.io
