Looking for a grounding app? 8 apps compared from their own listings (October 2026)
I'm Dr. Nicholas Gehle, a licensed clinical psychologist, and I make Strua, one of the apps below. Each app is described from its App Store or Google Play listing or its official site, checked on October 25, 2026. The source for each is named in the table. If something here is out of date, email hello@strua.app and I'll fix it.
Where Strua fits (it's mine)
Strua is a self-guided coping skills app designed by me, a licensed clinical psychologist. It runs in your web browser rather than coming from an app store, and it has no chatbot by design. Grounding is one of its practices: the 5-4-3-2-1 senses exercise comes with step-by-step prompts, and there's an anchoring phrase practice too. You can use a whole tool before you sign up for an account (four are open to try first, and grounding is one). I've held Strua to the same rules as every other row below.
Why people look for a grounding app
Grounding techniques like 5-4-3-2-1 are simple on paper. In a hard moment, though, it can be tough to remember the steps. An app that walks you through them one at a time can take that load off. Most of the apps below are small and do one thing; a few fold grounding into a wider set of tools.
How I compared them
- Grounding features are the ones each app's own listing or site names as of October 25, 2026. I didn't test every app, and a feature not listed may still exist.
- "AI chat listed" means the app's current listing or official site describes an AI chat feature as of October 25, 2026. "None listed" doesn't prove an app uses no AI anywhere.
- Prices are US list prices from each app's checked source on October 25, 2026. They can differ in other countries.
- No star ratings or download counts. The order of the table isn't a ranking.
The comparison
| App | What it's for | Who makes it | Grounding features listed | Platforms | Price | AI chat listed? | Source checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strua | Self-guided coping practices, grounding among them | Designed by a licensed clinical psychologist (me) | 5-4-3-2-1 senses grounding with step-by-step prompts; an anchoring phrase practice | Web app that runs in your browser. Not in the App Store or Google Play. | Free to start, with a paid Pro tier. You can use a whole tool before you sign up for an account (four are open to try first, and grounding is one). | No ("no chatbot" by design) | strua.app 5-4-3-2-1 page (fetched Oct 25, 2026) and our own product record |
| Ground5: Panic Attack Help | A one-tap 5-4-3-2-1 session for anxious moments | App Store lists Shantanu Sarkar | Guided 5-4-3-2-1 steps, with short breathing pauses between phases. No sign-up; the core exercise works offline. | iPhone, iPad | Free with ads; a $3.99 one-time purchase removes ads | None listed | App Store listing |
| Ground Me: Dissociation Aid | Support for people dealing with mild to moderate dissociation | Ground Me Limited (UK) | A "Ground Me Now" button for in-the-moment help, plus a toolbox of grounding techniques. Includes the DSS-B self-check (18+) to track dissociation over time. | iPhone. Its site says Android is coming soon. | Free; optional supporter purchases | No current AI chat. The listing names AI features only as future plans. | App Store listing + groundme.app |
| Grounding Now | Grounding for intense feelings such as anger, stress or anxiety | Treatment Innovations, LLC; method drawn from the book Seeking Safety | Three types of grounding: mental, physical and soothing ("mind, body, heart") | iPhone, iPad | Free; in-app purchases available | None listed | App Store listing (latest version dated Oct 24, 2023) |
| Rootd | Panic and anxiety support | Simply Rooted Media Inc. | No feature named "grounding." Its tools include a panic button (the Rootr), guided breathing, and body scans and visualizations "to get rooted." | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Android | Core features free; Full Access by subscription or a lifetime purchase | None described. The App Store lists a $2.99 "Chat With Ron" purchase without saying what it is. | App Store + Google Play listings |
| Grounded (PDM) | Grounding and panic tools in one place | App Store lists Andrea Hammontree | 5-4-3-2-1 sensory grounding and a temperature reset. Also grounding statements, visual focus drills and two breathing tools. Premium tools include Dissociation Grounding and Panic Reassurance. | iPhone, iPad | $0.99 on the US App Store; the listing also describes a one-time purchase for premium tools | None listed | App Store listing |
| Anchor - Grounding App | Short calming phrases for hard moments | App Store lists Nicolas De Giacomo | Five phrase modes (Panic, Anxiety, Sadness, Anger and Grounding) that follow a three-phase approach based on Self-Instructional Training. You can add, edit or hide phrases. Works offline. | iPhone, iPad | Free | None listed | App Store listing |
| Ground My Mind: Anxiety & Calm | Quick grounding when stress or overwhelm builds | Ground My Mind (App Store seller: Camden Harper); listing says it was made with the help of licensed professionals | 5-4-3-2-1 grounding, box breathing, optional physical exercises and an "In the Moment Mental Reset" | iPhone, Android | Free (the App Store listing says all in-app purchases were removed) | None listed | App Store + Google Play listings |
What each one does well
- Ground5 is about as simple as it gets: one tap starts a 5-4-3-2-1 session, with no sign-up.
- Ground Me is one of the few apps built specifically around dissociation, with a self-check you can repeat to see changes over time.
- Grounding Now comes from the makers of Seeking Safety and sorts grounding into mental, physical and soothing types, which is a useful way to find the kind that suits you.
- Rootd centers on panic, with a big panic button and an emergency contact feature to call someone you trust.
- Grounded (PDM) packs many grounding styles into one app. It's the only app here whose listing names a temperature reset.
- Anchor works with short phrases you can edit, so the words can sound like you.
- Ground My Mind keeps a minimal design and is free on both iPhone and Android.
- Strua puts grounding next to breathing, thought records and other practices, so if grounding isn't the right fit in a given moment, something else is nearby.
How to choose (no rankings, just fit)
- If you want 5-4-3-2-1 and nothing else, Ground5 is built for exactly that, and Ground My Mind adds box breathing.
- If what you feel is detached or unreal, Ground Me is designed for dissociation.
- If you'd like to learn different kinds of grounding, Grounding Now and Grounded (PDM) each offer several.
- If it's panic, Rootd has a panic button and breathing support.
- If words help you most, Anchor's phrases and Strua's anchoring phrase practice are options to look at.
- If you're on Android, check the Platforms column: several of these are iPhone only. Strua runs in a web browser.
One honest caution
Grounding doesn't suit everyone. If focusing on your senses or surroundings leaves you feeling worse or more detached, that's a sign to stop and switch to something body-based, like slow breathing or pressing your feet into the floor.
A note on what apps are for
Strua is a self-guided coping skills app, not therapy. If you're in emotional distress in the U.S., the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers free, confidential support 24/7: call or text 988. More options: strua.app/crisis
Strua's grounding practice
The 5-4-3-2-1 practice is one of the four tools you can use in full before you sign up for an account. This might help the next time your thoughts start to run ahead of you.
Open the 5-4-3-2-1 practice →Want the how-to first? Read the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding guide.