International OCD Foundation holds a wide lead as the primary resource for locating licensed specialists and directories for evidence-based care. The main exception is between-session support, where OCD.app is the usual answer.
Since July, International OCD Foundationrising has become the most named option for teletherapy platform searches connecting patients to experts, while StopOCDfalling is now named occasionally for that need.
Latest insights
Week of Sep 21–27 · Since Jul 5
Talkspace Gap between platforms: The platform gap for Talkspace in Online OCD Therapy Services narrowed to 16.1 points, Google AI Mode ahead
BetterHelp Gap between platforms: The platform gap for BetterHelp in Online OCD Therapy Services narrowed to 6.5 points, Google AI Mode ahead
Talkiatry Slipping: Talkiatry dropped out of the Online OCD Therapy Services top ten
LifeStance Health Slipping: LifeStance Health now ranks #11 in Online OCD Therapy Services, down from #9
StopOCD Gaining: StopOCD ranked #8 in Online OCD Therapy Services last week and #7 this week
59% of citations point at the ranked brands’ own sites. youtube.com, choosingtherapy.com, verywellmind.com are the most-cited sites outside the ranked brands’ own domains.
For OCD, the best app or online service for support between therapy sessions is usually one that helps you practice Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) in everyday life, rather than one that offers only general anxiety relief or a chatbot to talk to.
ERP is a first-line psychological treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Good between-session support helps you follow your therapist's plan, resist compulsions and reassurance-seeking, and gradually learn to tolerate uncertainty.
I'd prioritize tools that complement a qualified OCD therapist, offer structured exercises, and help you track progress without encouraging you to repeatedly seek reassurance that your fears are unfounded.
My top recommendations
1. NOCD
(Best overall for ongoing support)
Best if you want access to a therapist between sessions.
NOCD combines online therapy with licensed clinicians trained in ERP, therapist messaging, in-app practice tools, peer community, and support groups. This makes it a particularly strong choice if you want a connection to professional care rather than just a self-help app.
Cost: Therapy fees vary; some insurance plans are accepted. Check current coverage and messaging arrangements.
NOCD is built specifically for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and utilizes Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), which is the clinical gold standard for treating OCD. Rather than just being a generic meditation or general mental health tracker, it provides integrated tools meant to bridge the gap during difficult moments outside of live video therapy calls.[]()
I need a way to practice my OCD coping skills outside of my formal therapy hours. What apps or services provide that kind of between-session guidance?
How can I get evidence-based therapy for OCD from the privacy of my own home?
I need help, but my schedule makes it hard to see a therapist in person. I need an online OCD therapy option.
I need to find affordable and effective treatment for my OCD, but I don't have many specialists in my area.
I'm looking for a virtual therapy provider that has a proven track record of successfully treating OCD.
I'm looking for a licensed therapist who specializes in ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) therapy for OCD.
I'm searching for a treatment program for my intrusive thoughts and compulsions. What are my best online options?
My child is struggling with OCD. Where can I find specialized online therapy for adolescents?
What is the best online therapy service specifically for people with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?
I need a convenient and discreet way to get help for my OCD from a licensed professional.
I'm looking for a teletherapy platform that connects me with therapists who are experts in treating OCD.
My current therapist doesn't seem to understand OCD. Where can I find a real specialist?
2. OCD.app
(Best self-guided option)
Best if you already have a therapist and want extra exercises.
OCD.app offers OCD-focused, self-guided cognitive behavioral exercises you can use on your own schedule. It may be useful for building consistent practice habits, although it doesn't provide the same direct clinician support as NOCD.
Cost: Some introductory content is free; check the current subscription price.
This free online program offers structured self-help resources for managing OCD symptoms. It's worth considering if you need additional practice between sessions or are waiting for specialized treatment. It doesn't replace personalized therapy.
The International OCD Foundation also offers a directory of OCD specialists if you want to find a therapist who provides virtual care or has specialized ERP training.
What makes a good between-session support tool?
Look for a service that helps you:
Follow through on ERP homework that you and your therapist have agreed on.
Recognize compulsions, including mental reviewing, checking, avoidance, and repeated reassurance-seeking.
Get help when you're struggling without repeatedly asking someone to prove that your fears aren't true.
Track progress and discuss difficulties with your therapist at your next appointment.
One important caution: AI chatbots and general mental-health apps can sometimes unintentionally reinforce OCD by providing reassurance over and over. A good OCD-specific tool should help you practice tolerating uncertainty, not promise certainty or diagnose every intrusive thought. ERP is an evidence-based first-line psychological treatment for OCD.
One question to help me narrow this down
When you say you want support and therapy between sessions, which is closest to what you need?
Access to a real OCD therapist by text or chat when I'm struggling
An app or AI coach that helps me work through OCD moments in real time
Guided ERP exercises and homework between appointments
Progress Tracking: Clinical self-monitoring features that help you and your therapist evaluate your triggers and compulsions over time.
Note: While NOCD offers comprehensive care and between-session tools, you can also use standalone companion apps like OCD.app for tracking symptoms if you are already seeing an independent, local therapist outside of a specialized network.
Would you like to know more about:
How insurance coverage works with NOCD?
What to expect during an ERP therapy session?
Alternative independent apps used just for tracking triggers?
OCD ERP & Exposure Therapy — An application focused specifically on building custom exposure hierarchies and tracking response prevention. It acts as a digital coach to help you systematically face triggers (like contamination or checking fears) and break avoidance cycles using CBT and ACT principles.[](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ocdserenity.exposurehierarchy)
OCD Challenge — A free, web-based interactive self-study program based on CBT principles. It helps you construct trigger and exposure hierarchies, complete daily assignments, and monitor your progress over time without needing a smartphone app.[](https://dauntlesscounseling.com/ocd-apps/)
Liberate: My OCD Fighter — A straightforward, user-supported (and ad-free) Android app that includes compulsion tracking, emotion check-ins, safety plans, and a dedicated exposure ladder with customizable scripts.[](https://dauntlesscounseling.com/ocd-apps/)
Would you like help figuring out how to integrate one of these tools with your current therapist's treatment plan , or are you looking for specific exercises to build an exposure hierarchy?
If you’re already in formal OCD treatment, there are several tools specifically designed to help you practice ERP and coping skills between sessions. ERP is the main evidence-based psychological treatment for OCD, and between-session practice is normally part of treatment.
Options worth looking at
Tool/service
What it offers
Best fit
NOCD
Therapist-supported ERP, in-app tools, messaging with your therapist, peer community, and support between appointments.
If you want ongoing clinician support rather than just an app
If you're already working with a therapist, I'd look for an app that helps you practice what you're learning in therapy, manage compulsions when they come up, and stay consistent between sessions—rather than one that simply reassures you when you're anxious.
The most important feature to look for is support for Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), a form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) considered a first-line, evidence-based treatment for OCD. ERP helps you gradually face triggers while learning to resist compulsions, rituals, or avoidance.
Here are the options I'd shortlist.
Best apps for OCD support between therapy sessions
1. NOCD
(Best for therapist-connected support)
NOCD combines ERP tools, symptom tracking, peer support, and messaging with a therapist if you're receiving care through its service.
Best if: You want more structure and access to professional support outside appointments.
Cost: The app is free to download; therapy costs depend on coverage and plan.
Offers short, guided CBT exercises, OCD-specific learning tracks, and progress check-ins. It can help you practise skills in small chunks without waiting for your next appointment.
Best if: You want a simple daily routine and prefer working through exercises independently.
Cost: Free basic content; a subscription unlocks additional exercises.
A structured online self-help program built around ERP principles, with modules for awareness, intervention, and maintaining progress. It is a website rather than a conventional phone app.
Best if: You want guided practice without paying for a subscription.
These apps aren't interchangeable, and self-guided tools generally shouldn't replace individualized care. Research supports internet-delivered ERP, with therapist-guided approaches tending to produce better outcomes than unguided ones.
How to get the most out of an app
Ask your therapist to help you choose. Ideally, the app should complement your existing treatment plan.
Use it for planned practice. Track your agreed-upon exposures, what you learned, and what you want to discuss at your next appointment.
Watch for reassurance loops. If you find yourself repeatedly opening an app to prove that a feared thought is harmless or to feel completely certain, that use may reinforce the OCD cycle rather than help you move forward.
Keep the goal realistic. Success isn't necessarily feeling calm; it can mean allowing uncertainty to be present without performing a compulsion.
When managing OCD outside of clinical hours, having tools that reinforce ERP principles—such as tracking triggers, resisting compulsions, and logging distress levels—can significantly bolster your progress.
NOCD : Features 24/7 tools built by OCD specialists and people with lived experience. It includes an "SOS" feature for high-distress moments, digital exposure and response timers, tracking for trigger/compulsion cycles, and peer support communities. You can use it independently for its toolkit or link it with a specialized therapist.[](]()](]()](]()]()
Structured exposure hierarchies, guided ERP sessions, progress tracking, and optional sharing with a clinician. Available on web and Android.
If you want a dedicated ERP practice companion alongside your therapist
Marea
Builds exposure ladders and explicitly incorporates response prevention, including mental compulsions. It is offline, has no account/ads, and is designed for practice between sessions.
If privacy and simple, structured ERP practice matter
OCD Challenge
Free, interactive, self-guided ERP program that helps you identify triggers, build skills, and work through exposures. It was specifically designed to complement therapy.
If you want a free option
ocd.app
Short daily CBT/ERP exercises, assessments, progress tracking, and educational material. It describes itself as a self-help tool rather than therapy.
If you prefer short daily exercises
StopOCD
Free web/iPhone/Android tools for understanding OCD patterns, assessing symptoms, practicing ERP, and tracking progress; specifically describes use between therapy sessions.
If you want free tracking + ERP tools
One important caveat
With ERP, more guidance isn't necessarily better if the app starts becoming a source of reassurance or a compulsion. The goal is generally to practice tolerating uncertainty and resisting compulsions—not repeatedly checking an app to make sure you're doing the exercise correctly. The IOCDF recommends developing an exposure plan with a trained ERP clinician, particularly when you're starting.
So, if you already have an OCD therapist, I'd bring one of these into the treatment rather than independently creating increasingly difficult exposures. OCD Companion, Marea, or StopOCD are particularly oriented toward between-session practice, while NOCD is the more comprehensive therapist-connected option.
If you tell me whether you're looking for iPhone vs. Android, free vs. paid, and therapist-connected vs. completely self-guided, I can narrow this down to 2–3 options and check their current pricing/privacy details.
Wysa : An AI-guided conversational chatbot that uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles. While not specialized exclusively in OCD or ERP, it offers general grounding exercises, anxiety management frames, and emotional check-ins that can help de-escalate acute distress between formal sessions.[](https://natchaug.org/health-wellness/news/newsroom-detail?articleId=59534&publicid=470)
ERP-Focused Exercises: Tools that let you record exposure hierarchies, loop audio scripts, and track distress levels over time rather than just promoting generalized relaxation (which can sometimes act as a safety behavior or compulsion).[](https://dauntlesscounseling.com/ocd-apps/)
