last updated september 29, 2026
both are AI chatbots for mental health that you can use at any hour, and neither is therapy. the differences that decide it for most people: Wysa's AI chat is free and asks for no personal details, while Ebb only comes with a paid Headspace plan. Ebb takes voice as well as text and remembers past conversations. Wysa sells human coaching as an add-on in some places. with Youper closing on September 30, 2026 and Woebot's app retired in 2025, both are still live. every fact below comes from the two companies' own sites, checked on 2026-09-29.
checked on 2026-09-29 against wysa.com (FAQ and AI self-help page) and headspace.com (the Ebb page and the subscriptions page). prices and features change; treat these as what each company published that day.
| Wysa | Headspace's Ebb | |
|---|---|---|
| cost | "Talking to Wysa AI is free"; a premium tier with more tools is paid, price not published on its site | included only with a paid Headspace plan: $69.99/yr (14 days free) or $12.99/mo (7 days free) |
| what the AI does | conversation plus CBT, solution-focused and mindfulness exercises from a tool library | conversation that suggests Headspace meditations and activities; remembers earlier chats |
| voice | text chat | text or voice (voice for paid members 18+ in the US, UK, Canada and Australia) |
| humans available | optional paid coaching with "Wysa coaches" (Master's in psychology or social work and/or coaching certification), 30-min text sessions; audio-video for some US and India users | none inside Ebb; Headspace sells therapy and coaching separately |
| minimum age | FAQ says 13+ (under-18s read the terms with a parent); its AI self-help page says 18. the pages disagree | 18 |
| where | iOS, Android and web | US, UK, Canada and Australia, in English |
| personal data | "Wysa does not request Your Personal Data"; nickname fine; you can reset (delete) your data in settings | needs a paid Headspace account; messages encrypted, not used for targeted advertising |
| human review | FAQ says the team uses some anonymized messages to train the AI | "not monitored in real time by a human"; staff access on a need-to-know basis |
| crisis | not for crisis use; an SOS button links to crisis lines | not a crisis service; can connect you to crisis support; 988 listed |
| company news | its site leads with products for healthcare, insurers and employers | Headspace says it has agreed to be acquired by Sword |
Wysa's FAQ says: "Talking to Wysa AI is free, including tools offered within conversations." the premium version adds a larger tool library, and Wysa says it's free if your employer, school or insurer has a partnership with Wysa. Wysa doesn't list the premium price on its site. Ebb has no free version of its own. Headspace's page says it is "available to paid Headspace members," and on 2026-09-29 Headspace listed $69.99 a year after a 14-day trial, or $12.99 a month after a 7-day trial. that buys the whole Headspace app, including its meditation and sleep library, which is the real reason many people are paying.
Wysa says it does not ask for your personal data. you can use a nickname, it redacts personal details you type by accident, and "reset my data" in settings deletes everything. its FAQ also says the team uses some anonymized messages to train its AI. Ebb works the other way: Headspace says Ebb "gets to know you over time, and remembers what you've talked about before." messages are encrypted, aren't used for targeted advertising, and aren't shared with a Headspace care team unless you choose to share them. which one is better depends on whether you want continuity or distance.
if you want an AI companion without paying or giving your identity, Wysa. if you're 13 to 17, Wysa's FAQ allows it with a parent reading the terms, and Ebb is 18+ only. if you want a structured exercise library (CBT, solution-focused, mindfulness), or you might want a human coach later without switching apps, Wysa has those.
if you already pay for Headspace, Ebb costs nothing extra. if you'd rather talk out loud than type, Ebb takes voice. if you want the AI to remember what you said last week and point you to specific meditations or sleep content, that's what Ebb is designed for. Headspace also sells therapy and coaching, so the next step up is in the same company. the pending acquisition by Sword is worth watching, since terms can change after a deal.
both companies say plainly that their AI is not a substitute for professional care. Wysa's FAQ says it "is not recommended for crisis situations, nor is it suitable for use by those with severe and enduring mental health problems." Headspace says Ebb "does not provide clinical mental health services." if you're in danger, call or text 988. if symptoms are getting worse or lasting, see a licensed clinician. if neither fits: veisund is free peer support by post and reply, for adults 18 and over. you post under a handle you choose and other members reply when they read it. it isn't live, the community is still small so replies can take a while, and it is not therapy or a crisis service. it is humans, not AI, which some people leaving an AI app are looking for.
The AI chat is. Wysa's FAQ says "Talking to Wysa AI is free, including tools offered within conversations." A premium tier with more tools, and human coaching, cost extra. Wysa doesn't publish those prices on its site.
No. Headspace says Ebb is available to paid Headspace members. On 2026-09-29 Headspace listed $69.99 a year after a 14-day free trial, or $12.99 a month after a 7-day free trial.
For free and anonymous, Wysa. For voice chat, memory across conversations and meditation recommendations inside an app you already pay for, Ebb. Neither is therapy or a crisis service.
Ebb is for people 18 and up. Wysa's FAQ says 13 and over, with under-18s reading the terms with a parent, but one Wysa product page says 18. Check the terms in the app before a teen signs up.
Headspace's site says it has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Sword. We have no information on how that will affect Ebb.
Youper says all its services end on September 30, 2026. Wysa and Ebb are both live AI companions as of 2026-09-29. If you want humans instead of AI, veisund is free peer support for adults, by post and reply.
veisund is free peer support under a handle: post what you're carrying, and people who've been through it reply. it isn't therapy or a crisis service — in the US, call or text 988.
get veisund — it's freenot sure whether what you need is a therapist or people? six questions, two minutes — no diagnosis, no email.