Happify is a mood-improvement app that turns science-based skills into short games and activities. Instead of long lectures, you get small, guided tasks that help you worry less, feel more optimistic, and build better coping skills over time. It’s best for people with stress, mild to moderate anxiety or low mood who like app-based exercises. It’s not a stand-alone treatment for severe depression, crises, or suicidal thoughts.
Positive Psychology & CBT
With regular use over a few months, many people report feeling less anxious or down, more motivated, and more emotionally resilient. Happify is best used consistently — benefits accumulate over time. {CITATION_START}cite{CITATION_DELIMITER}turn0search10{CITATION_END}
Happify works best for people who:
Multi-week or ongoing programs combining positive psychology, CBT, mindfulness and behavioral activation exercises to boost well-being.
Evidence: Digital interventions using CBT & positive psychology elements have shown reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms. {CITATION_START}cite{CITATION_DELIMITER}turn0search10{CITATION_DELIMITER}turn0search16{CITATION_END}
Short interactive activities such as gratitude journaling, thought reframing, optimism practices, and behavioral experiments — designed to be engaging and easy to complete.
Evidence: Consistent, repeated practice of behavioral activation and cognitive restructuring helps build emotional resilience and improve mood over time. {CITATION_START}cite{CITATION_DELIMITER}turn0search23{CITATION_DELIMITER}turn0search14{CITATION_END}
Allows users to log how they feel and observe changes over time, reinforcing positive change and awareness of patterns.
Evidence: Self-monitoring combined with therapeutic exercises is associated with better adherence and improved outcomes in digital mental health interventions. {CITATION_START}cite{CITATION_DELIMITER}turn0search12{CITATION_DELIMITER}turn0search18{CITATION_END}
Happify is available under multiple models depending on how you access it:
$0
Trying core activities, tracking mood, seeing if the style fits.
Annual cost: $0
Varies — monthly or annual (promotions change)
Full access to all tracks and activities; recommended for users seeking consistent long-term use.
$0 (for user if provided via employer or health plan)
People whose employer or insurer covers Happify as part of wellness benefits.
Happify may be covered under employer wellness programs or health-plan benefits, but not typically reimbursed like formal therapy.
Full app experience — tracks, activities, mood tracking
Happify collects self-reported mood & activity data, usage metadata, and optional demographic/health info. It claims de-identified analytics and does not sell personal data, but is not a HIPAA-grade medical record system — treat sensitive info with caution. {CITATION_START}cite{CITATION_DELIMITER}turn0search25{CITATION_DELIMITER}turn0search23{CITATION_END}
Not a full HIPAA-governed system — treat as wellness tool, not medical record.
More focused on meditation and mindfulness training. Better for building a structured meditation habit and improving focus or sleep, less game-style than Happify.
Stronger emphasis on relaxation, sleep stories, and calming meditations — good for stress, insomnia, or winding down at night.
Simpler mood-tracking and journaling without structured CBT/positive-psychology tasks — good if you prefer journaling over gamified tasks.
Tracks using CBT and positive psychology skills can help reduce worry, rumination, and anxious thinking in people with mild to moderate GAD symptoms when used consistently. {CITATION_START}cite{CITATION_DELIMITER}turn0search16{CITATION_END}
Activities that increase positive emotion and engagement can modestly reduce depressive symptoms in mild to moderate depression. {CITATION_START}cite{CITATION_DELIMITER}turn0search12{CITATION_END}
Regular use of brief, structured activities may lower perceived stress and improve coping.