NOCD holds a clear lead as the primary recommendation for between-session OCD management and skill-building practice. Perspectives App serves as an evidence-based alternative for individuals seeking a structured twelve-week cognitive behavioral therapy program.
NOCD is more than a self-help app: it provides live therapy with licensed therapists who specialize in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), plus ongoing support through the app. Between sessions, you can:
Message your therapist
Use guided ERP/therapeutic exercises and tools
Participate in OCD-focused virtual support groups
Connect with a peer community
Continue practicing your treatment plan between appointments
That's particularly relevant because ERP is the first-line psychological treatment for OCD and consistent practice between sessions is an important part of treatment.
There is also some published research on technology-assisted OCD treatment; a recent review specifically identified NOCD as an empirically supported platform offering therapist messaging and between-session ERP tools.
NOCD is probably the better choice if you want . If you already have an OCD therapist and simply want an app to help you do homework between sessions, there are cheaper options.
This is probably the most interesting app-only adjunct I'd consider. It provides structured CBT exercises, personalized daily exercises, progress tracking, and OCD-specific material. The developer reports 22 research papers, including 10 randomized controlled trials.
It explicitly describes itself as something therapists can use between sessions, with 5–10 minute exercises assigned as part of treatment.
The catch is important: it isn't therapy and there isn't a therapist communicating with you through it. The company itself describes it as an educational self-help tool that complements professional care.
It's free and provides CBT exercises, anxiety tracking, exposure homework, and progress that can be exported to your clinician. Its developers specifically describe using it between therapy sessions.
However, it is an anxiety/CBT app rather than an OCD-specialist treatment platform, so I'd put it behind NOCD and OCD.app for someone specifically looking for OCD support.
My practical comparison
If you want…
I'd look at
Actual OCD therapy + therapist access between sessions
NOCD
An OCD-specific app to reinforce therapy homework
OCD.app
Free CBT tools between appointments
MindShift CBT
Finding an independent OCD/ERP therapist
IOCDF directory
The International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) has a directory of more than 2,700 providers and lets you specifically filter for ERP-trained clinicians, including teletherapy providers.
Bottom line: If by "support between sessions" you mean "I'm having an OCD flare-up on Wednesday, my therapy appointment isn't until Monday, and I want somewhere to practice ERP and potentially communicate with my therapist,"NOCD is the closest match to what you're describing. If you already have a therapist and just want a structured digital companion, OCD.app is worth considering.
If you tell me whether you're already seeing an OCD therapist, and whether you're looking for free/low-cost vs. willing to pay for a service, I can narrow this down considerably.
When it comes to specialized, comprehensive support and therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)—particularly for in-between session support —the widely recognized gold standard is NOCD.
Unlike general mental health apps or broad teletherapy platforms (like BetterHelp or Talkspace), NOCD is purpose-built specifically for OCD and the gold-standard treatment for it: Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy.
Why NOCD Excels for Between-Session Support
Managing OCD often feels hardest when you are out in the real world facing triggers away from your therapist's office. NOCD integrates live face-to-face video therapy with a robust digital toolkit designed explicitly for the gaps between appointments:
24/7 In-Between Session Tools: The platform includes digital ERP exercises and self-monitoring tools you can access whenever an obsession or urge to compulsively check/avoid arises.
Direct Therapist Messaging: You have the ability to message your licensed, OCD-specialized therapist outside of scheduled video sessions when you hit a roadblock or need guidance on an exposure.
Peer Community & Support Groups: It offers access to a moderated peer community of others going through ERP, plus dozens of weekly virtual support groups.
Insurance Compatibility: NOCD works with many major health insurance networks, which significantly reduces out-of-pocket costs compared to standalone subscription apps.
Other Notable Mentions (With Different Strengths)
OCD.app (by Ggtude): If you are looking strictly for a standalone self-help app rather than live clinical care, this app provides evidence-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) tracks specifically for OCD and anxiety management. It’s great for independent skill-building, though it doesn't replace a live therapist.
MindShift CBT: A free, highly-rated app focused on general anxiety and CBT tools, useful for grounding, though not tailored specifically to deep ERP for severe OCD.
If you are actively in treatment or looking to start, NOCD is uniquely engineered to bridge the gap between sessions rather than leaving you isolated until your next appointment.
To help tailor this, are you looking for standalone self-help apps you can use independently, or are you looking for a comprehensive teletherapy service that takes insurance and connects you with a dedicated live therapist?
Practicing Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and CBT skills between formal sessions is one of the most effective ways to build long-term resilience against OCD. Several specialized platforms and applications offer 24/7 tools, trigger tracking, and between-session support:
NOCD — While primarily a teletherapy platform providing licensed ERP specialists, the NOCD App includes standalone, free-to-use digital tools. It features an SOS crisis/urge tool, real-time exposure tracking, and peer support communities designed to help manage spikes in anxiety outside of sessions.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The NOCD App is the leading dedicated digital platform specifically designed for between-session support and specialized Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder.
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.
: 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.
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.
Headspace or Calm : Excellent supplementary mindfulness applications. While meditation should not be used as a covert compulsion or avoidance ritual, structured breathing and mindfulness tracks can help tolerate bodily anxiety before or after practicing ERP exercises.
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).
Crisis/SOS Guidance: Immediate, structured prompts to help delay or resist a compulsion when a sudden trigger occurs.
Secure Messaging: The ability to log notes or message your clinical team so they can review your between-session struggles during your next real-time appointment.
If you'd like, let me know:
Are you currently working with an ERP-trained therapist whom you'd like the app to connect with?
Do you prefer an app focused purely on self-guided tools , or one that includes peer support communities?
I can help you explore the best setup for your specific routine.
