Online therapy comes with its challenges, whether you’re trying to engage clients or choose the best assessments for your program. It’s never smooth sailing for a professional provider, and if you’re a psychology major, that’s exactly why practical online experience can be incredibly valuable.
Whether you’re still studying psychology or a provider hoping to streamline your work, we have reviewed some of the best psychology apps, tools, and platforms that can help you become more effective at helping others.
Overview: Best Psychology Apps of 2023
Best Overall: Quenza
Best for Psychology Research: APA Monitor+
Best for Psychology Majors: PsychGuide
Best for Telehealth: TherapyZen
Best for Telepsychiatry: ICANotes
What Are Psychology Apps?
A psychology app is a digital tool for a smartphone, tablet, or connected device that helps you increase your impact as a mental health specialist.
They tend to fall into three main categories:
- Apps that help students (and providers) to develop professionally or prepare for a psychology career, and
- Apps for therapists working directly with clients, which enable you to deliver treatments more effectively
- Mental health apps. These can be used as part of treatment and are great resources for helping clients self-manage symptoms, overcome challenges, or address specific behavioral health concerns. Check out our full article on 15 Best Mental Health Apps To Help Wellbeing [2023]
We’ll first take a look at the best apps for psychology students before considering the best software for mental health professionals.
How Do They Work? A Quick Overview
There are two main ways that psychology software can help you practice more effectively:
- By helping you design, plan, and deliver therapeutic treatments, e.g., crafting treatment plans (as shown in the screengrab below), communicating with patients, and tracking their progress, or
- By simplifying and streamlining your practice management tasks, e.g., client data management, creating therapy progress notes and intake forms online, or billing and payment processing.
Many platforms include tools and features that fall into both of these categories.
Whether you practice as a psychiatrist, counselor, mental health coach, or different type of specialist will determine what the most appropriate app is for you.
Regardless of what you choose, it’s always a good idea to ensure the app you’re using is HIPAA-compliant when you work with patients—we’ve covered the importance of privacy, security, and proper PHI storage in these articles:
- Writing HIPAA Compliant Psychotherapy Notes: 10 Tips & Apps
- HIPAA-Compliant Video Conferencing in Mental Health
4 Best Apps For Students: Android, iPad & iPhone
If you’re currently studying psychology or training to be a therapist, these four apps offer a range of ways for you to develop your knowledge and insights.
Whether you want to prepare for exams, find reliable research for your thesis, or access the latest psychology news, these solutions are a great place to start.
| Solution | Details |
|---|---|
 | APA Monitor+ is an online portal to the latest peer-reviewed psychology journals and a useful resource if you’re keen to stay on top of the latest developments in the field. As a psychology major preparing for a dissertation, APA Monitor+ access to a wealth of research that can help:
|
| Name | APA Monitor+ |
| Price | Free |
| Good for | Psychology Majors, Researchers, Therapists |
| More info | APA Monitor+ (Android & Apple) |
| Solution | Details |
|---|---|
 | The Examination of Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP) Flashcards app designed to help psychology majors study and prepare for their exams. It includes 2500+ flashcards on areas covered by the EPPP, such as Ethics and Professional Issues, Diagnosis & Psychopathology (Abnormal), and Clinical Psychology. Features include:
|
| Name | EPPP Flashcards |
| Price | $29.99 |
| Good for | Psychology Majors, Researchers, Therapists |
| More info | EPPP Flashcards (Android & Apple) |
| Solution | Details |
|---|---|
 | As an aspiring mental health practitioner, educational psychology apps like 3D Brain can be a convenient way to explore how the brain functions and is involved in mental illness. This app:
|
| Name | 3D Brain |
| Price | Free |
| Good for | Psychology Majors, Researchers, Therapists |
| More info | 3D Brain (Android & Apple) |
| Solution | Details |
|---|---|
 | PsychGuide contains useful resources from all around the internet to help you successfully navigate your studies in the field:
|
| Name | PsychGuide |
| Price | Free |
| Good For | Psychology Majors, Researchers, Therapists |
| More info | PsychGuide |
4 Apps for Psychologists To Use With Clients
As a psychology student hoping to upskill and gain hands-on experience, we’ve also reviewed a range of apps that can give you a taste of what online therapy really involves.
If you’re already a professional provider, these resources will help you spend less time on admin and prep work, allowing you to focus more on those you serve:
| Details | |
|---|---|
 | Quenza is an all-in-one platform that licensed and training therapists can use to design and deliver client treatments. It’s a great platform for learning how to build interventions and plan mental health journeys, as it comes with simple drag-and-drop tools to help you prepare sessions and track progress. Features include:
|
| Name | Quenza |
| Price | $49/month |
| Good For | Online Therapy, Psychology Tools, Online CBT, Online Treatment Plans |
| More info | Quenza |
| Software | Details |
|---|---|
 | Owl Practice is an all-in-one app for mental health professionals with features to simplify both your client work and your practice management. It includes EHR tools, note-taking and documentation features, and the following:
|
| Name | Owl Practice |
| Price | +$69+/month |
| Good For | Practice Management, Online Therapists, Counselors |
| More info | Owl Practice |
| Software | Details |
|---|---|
 | TherapyZen is another mental health platform for providers looking to streamline their day-to-day work. The platform can be used to simplify insurance claims management, hold live telehealth sessions, and more. Features include:
|
| Name | TherapyZen |
| Price | $29+/month |
| Good For | Practice Management, Online Therapists, Counselors |
| More info | TherapyZen |
| Details | |
|---|---|
 | ICANotes’ features include:
|
| Name | ICANotes |
| Price | $6/month and up |
| Good For | General Healthcare, Telepsychiatry, Teletherapy, EMR, Billing and Invoicing, Reporting |
| More info | ICANotes |
How To Choose The Best App for Your Practice
As we’ve seen, the right kind of therapy app for you will depend on your day-to-day workflow needs, clients, and specialty.
As a psychologist, ask yourself the following questions:
- What are my biggest challenges with regard to practicing online therapy or establishing a remote/blended care practice?
- How can I increase my impact as a psychologist or mental health professional?
- What tools will help me deliver solutions more effectively and efficiently when I work with clients?
Based on your answers to these questions, you can start to figure out what your current needs are and the types of tools you can use to meet those needs. Take a look at the options above or, alternatively, check out our full guide to choosing a therapy software solution.
Final Thoughts
This piece outlines some of the best digital options for your educational or professional needs—whether you’re still studying to become a psychologist or growing your practice, rest assured that there are great tools available to help you succeed.
Whatever challenge you’re having, you can be sure that other practitioners and students are probably facing them too. Take a look at the options we’ve reviewed and start designing your own treatments today with your $1, 30-day Quenza trial!
