Honest comparisons to help you find the right mental health tool. We believe in transparency -- including being clear about when a competitor might be a better fit for you.
Built by a licensed clinical psychologist (Psy.D.) with 100+ peer-reviewed citations. Not a wellness brand -- a clinical toolkit.
Designed for panic attacks, 3am insomnia, and pre-meeting anxiety. Not 15-minute meditation sessions.
Core reflection content is designed to remain on your device. No analytics tracking, no data selling, no behavioral profiling.
No gamification. No guilt mechanics. You come back because it helps, not because an app guilts you into it.
Meditation & sleep app
Looking for a Calm alternative with clinician-designed therapeutic techniques instead of guided meditation? See how Strua compares.
Meditation & mindfulness app
Exploring Headspace alternatives that go beyond meditation? Strua offers CBT, DBT, and mindfulness tools built by a clinical psychologist.
AI mental health chatbot (ceased operations June 2025)
Woebot ceased operations in June 2025. This comparison covers Strua's clinician-designed approach vs Woebot's former AI chatbot model.
| Strua | Calm | Headspace | Woebot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Built by | Clinical Psychologist | Wellness brand | Wellness brand | AI researchers |
| Approach | CBT, DBT, mindfulness tools | Guided meditation | Guided meditation | AI chatbot |
| Session length | 2-5 min | 10-30 min | 3-20 min | 5-15 min |
| Research citations | 90+ | Limited | Some studies | Several RCTs |
| Privacy | On-device only | Cloud storage | Cloud storage | Cloud storage |
| Free tier | 7 tools, no time limit | Limited | Limited | Free with limits |
| Gamification | None (intentionally) | Streaks, badges | Streaks, badges | Mood tracking |
| Price (annual) | $79.99/yr | $69.99/yr | $69.99/yr | Free / varies |
Calm and Headspace are meditation apps — they help you build a mindfulness habit through guided sessions. Strua is a clinical toolkit with 28 structured techniques (CBT thought records, DBT distress tolerance skills, grounding exercises, breathing protocols) designed for acute moments: panic at 2 AM, anxiety before a meeting, insomnia that won't quit. Strua's tools are built by a licensed clinical psychologist and cite 100+ peer-reviewed sources.
Yes. 23 tools are free forever — not a trial, not time-limited. Pro adds the full library (all 28 tools, 21 meditations, 11 rituals), guided sleep imagery, Sleep Insights, and unlimited custom tools for $9.99/month or $79.99/year.
Absolutely. Many people use a meditation app for daily practice alongside Strua for acute moments. They complement each other — Calm or Headspace for building a mindfulness habit, Strua for when you need a specific technique right now.
No. Strua does not use AI chatbots, generative AI, or conversational interfaces in the user experience. Every tool is clinician-authored, structured, and deterministic. No hallucination risk, no improvised responses.
23 clinician-designed tools. No credit card. No streaks. Just help when you need it.
Use Strua Free