21 Self-Love Apps to Finally Be Kinder to Yourself
If you’re anything like me, you know being kind to yourself isn’t always easy.
We’re so good at caring for others, but when it comes to our own hearts? We can be harsh, critical, even downright mean.
I think that’s why I wanted to make this list.
Because real self-love isn’t fluffy or performative—it’s daily, sometimes messy, always needed work. It’s choosing to show up for yourself even on the days you don’t feel like it.
These 21 self-love apps aren’t going to magically fix everything.
But they will give you tools. Little reminders to be gentler. Prompts to reflect. Affirmations to counter that mean voice in your head. Even professional help if that’s what you need.
So take a look. Pick one or two that feel right. This isn’t about being perfect—it’s about finally giving yourself the care and compassion you’ve deserved all along.
You’re allowed to be on your own side. Let’s start there.
1. I Am – Daily Affirmations
If you’ve ever wished someone would just remind you all day that you’re enough, this is the app for you.
I Am is a simple but surprisingly powerful tool that sends you gentle, uplifting affirmations throughout the day, right to your phone.
You choose the categories you want to focus on (self-love, confidence, anxiety relief, healing) and how often you want to see them.
Instead of doomscrolling negative headlines or comparing yourself on social media, you get little reminders that speak directly to your worth. It’s not therapy, but it’s a lovely daily practice for anyone trying to replace harsh self-talk with kinder words.
You can even save your favorites or set custom affirmations that feel more personal.
If you’re new to affirmations, I Am makes it easy. No big commitment—just one loving nudge at a time.
2. Youper
Youper is for those moments when your thoughts feel too heavy to carry alone.
It’s a mental health app built around private, guided conversations that help you sort through what’s on your mind, without feeling judged or rushed.
Instead of generic advice, Youper uses techniques from therapy (like CBT) to help you understand why you’re so hard on yourself and practice kinder, more balanced thinking.
You can track your mood, explore reflections, and work through structured exercises that gently shift that inner voice from critical to compassionate.
What I appreciate is that it doesn’t try to replace a therapist but offers real, useful tools for those times when you want help but need it to be private and on your terms.
If you’re looking for a way to check in with yourself and work toward genuine self-love, Youper is worth exploring.
3. Finch: Self-Care Pet
Finch is one of those rare apps that makes taking care of yourself feel…fun.
Instead of just giving you tasks or reminders, it pairs your self-care journey with an adorable virtual pet who grows and thrives as you do.
You’ll set goals, check in with your feelings, complete journaling prompts, or practice gratitude—and every time you do, your little Finch friend levels up, goes on adventures, and becomes more unique.
It’s surprisingly motivating, especially on days when you don’t feel like doing much for yourself.
What I love is that Finch doesn’t guilt you or overwhelm you.
It encourages small, meaningful steps toward self-love, like writing affirmations or reflecting on your day.
If traditional self-help apps feel too clinical or boring, this one’s warm, playful, and actually makes you look forward to showing up for yourself.
4. Reflectly
Reflectly is your personal journaling companion designed to help you understand yourself better and be kinder to yourself along the way.
Unlike a blank notebook that can feel intimidating, this app gently guides you with prompts and questions to help you reflect on your day, your emotions, and your thoughts.
What makes Reflectly special is its focus on gratitude and positive psychology.
As you write, it encourages you to notice the good, even on the hard days. Over time, you’ll see patterns in your mood and thinking, helping you shift away from negativity and self-criticism.
It’s beautifully designed and super easy to use, with a friendly, almost chat-like interface.
Whether you’re new to journaling or just want a more intentional way to process your feelings, Reflectly helps you slow down, check in with yourself, and develop a more compassionate inner voice.
5. ThinkUp
ThinkUp is an affirmation app with a personal twist: instead of just reading generic positive statements, you record them in your own voice.
There’s something incredibly powerful about hearing you tell yourself that you’re worthy, enough, and capable.
The app has a big library of affirmations across categories like self-love, confidence, anxiety, and personal growth. You can pick the ones that resonate or write your own. Then you record them, add calming background music if you want, and listen daily.
It’s like creating your own private mantra playlist.
Over time, this practice helps replace the critical inner voice with something much kinder and more supportive.
ThinkUp is perfect if you want affirmations to feel truly personal, like a daily act of self-love spoken in the voice you trust most: your own.
6. Rootd
Rootd is for anyone who knows what it’s like to feel anxiety hijack your day, and then blame yourself for it.
This app offers grounding tools, lessons, and soothing exercises to help you calm down in the moment and understand your anxiety better over time.
What I really like about Rootd is that it doesn’t shame you for feeling how you feel. It treats anxiety as something you can learn to manage with patience and care.
Features like the “Rootr” button give you instant relief when panic hits, while longer-term lessons help you get to the root of what’s going on.
If you’re working on self-love but anxiety keeps getting in the way, Rootd is a gentle, practical way to support yourself, especially on the hardest days.
7. Jour: Guided Journaling
If you’ve ever stared at a blank page thinking, “I don’t even know where to start,” Jour is like a gentle friend who knows exactly what to ask.
It’s a guided journaling app that offers thoughtful prompts designed to help you really look inward, without feeling overwhelmed.
What I love about Jour is how personal it feels.
You can choose themes like self-love, healing, anxiety relief, or gratitude, and it leads you step by step through reflections that actually feel meaningful.
It’s not just “how was your day?”—it asks you questions that help you understand yourself better and treat yourself with more compassion.
On days when your mind feels messy or heavy, Jour gives you a safe, structured way to pour it all out and maybe even see things in a softer light. It’s self-love in the form of quiet, honest conversation with yourself.
8. Gratitude
Gratitude is one of those beautifully simple apps that can genuinely change how you see yourself and your life.
At its heart, it’s a daily gratitude journal—but it’s so much more than just listing things you’re thankful for.
Each day, you’re encouraged to pause and notice what’s good, even if it’s small.
That tiny shift—from focusing on what’s wrong to what’s right—builds self-love in a real, sustainable way. You also get access to daily affirmations, inspiring quotes, and the ability to set personal reminders to check in with yourself.
What I really love is that there’s no pressure.
It’s not about perfection or forced positivity. It’s about creating a gentle habit of noticing your own worth and the goodness around you.
Gratitude is like giving yourself permission to celebrate the small wins and see yourself through a kinder lens.
9. Calm
Calm is best known as a meditation and sleep app, but it has a quiet superpower for self-love: it teaches you how to be gentle with your own mind.
Beyond the celebrity sleep stories and nature sounds, there’s an entire library of guided meditations focused on self-compassion, forgiveness, and even loving-kindness toward yourself.
If you’re someone whose inner voice is harsh or critical, Calm offers a way to slow down, breathe, and replace those thoughts with something softer.
You can choose sessions for anxiety, stress, or emotional healing—whatever you need that day.
What I love is how approachable it is.
Even if you’ve never meditated before, it feels welcoming, not intimidating. Using Calm isn’t about “fixing” yourself—it’s about giving yourself a safe, quiet space to remember you’re worthy of care.
10. Insight Timer
Insight Timer is like a giant library of mindfulness and self-love resources you can carry in your pocket—most of it completely free.
Unlike other meditation apps that push paid subscriptions right away, Insight Timer gives you access to thousands of guided meditations, talks, and music tracks without pressure.
What really makes it special for self-love is the sheer variety.
You’ll find dedicated meditations for building self-compassion, healing past hurts, and even repeating loving-kindness phrases to yourself.
Teachers from all over the world share their wisdom, so you can explore different approaches until you find what feels right.
On days when you’re feeling low or critical of yourself, it can be so comforting to hit play on a gentle voice reminding you that you’re enough.
Insight Timer is like an endless well of reassurance that you’re not alone—and you’re worthy of kindness, especially from yourself.
11. Selfpause
Selfpause is all about making affirmations feel truly intentional and personalized, so you’re not just reading generic feel-good phrases but actually building the kind of self-love mindset you want.
The app offers a huge library of professionally written affirmations across themes like confidence, healing, relationships, and, of course, self-love.
But the best part… You can record these affirmations in your own voice.
There’s something deeply powerful about hearing yourself say the words you most need to hear. It’s like turning the volume up on your kindest inner voice.
Selfpause also lets you create custom playlists of affirmations to listen to daily, making it an easy but meaningful ritual.
It’s perfect if you want to replace that constant stream of self-doubt with something supportive and loving, and you want it to sound like you.
12. Happify
Happify feels like a toolkit for rewiring your brain to be kinder, not just to the world, but to yourself.
Built on positive psychology and cognitive behavioral techniques, it turns emotional growth into small, doable activities and games.
When you open Happify, you choose goals like “Build Self-Confidence” or “Conquer Negative Thoughts.”
The app then gives you daily exercises, reflections, and science-backed games designed to reduce stress and help you think in healthier, more compassionate ways.
What’s great is that it doesn’t feel preachy or overwhelming.
It meets you where you are, with gentle nudges that add up over time.
If your inner critic is loud and you want real, practical steps to quiet it down and build genuine self-love, Happify offers a structured yet approachable way to start.
13. Wysa
Wysa is like having a supportive, judgment-free space to talk things out anytime you need it—even at 2 a.m. when your mind won’t stop spiraling.
It features an AI chat companion trained in evidence-based therapy techniques who listens without interruption or criticism, helping you work through worries, self-doubt, or harsh self-talk.
But it doesn’t stop at conversation.
Wysa also offers structured exercises based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), guided journaling prompts, mindfulness practices, and even real human coaches if you want extra support.
What I love about Wysa is how safe it feels.
There’s no pressure to have the “right” words or fear of being judged. It’s about helping you untangle those unkind thoughts and practice replacing them with something softer and more compassionate.
It’s a reminder that you don’t have to handle your hardest days alone.
14. Mindshine
Mindshine is for anyone who wants real, practical help with changing the way they think about themselves.
It doesn’t just tell you to “love yourself more”—it gives you simple, guided steps to actually do it.
You’ll get daily exercises focused on things like building confidence, reducing stress, and challenging those harsh thoughts that come up on tough days.
Each day feels manageable—just one small step at a time.
What I like is that it doesn’t expect you to have it all figured out. It’s designed for people who know they’re too hard on themselves and want to learn how to be gentler.
If you’ve been wanting to work on self-love but didn’t know where to start, Mindshine makes it feel a lot more doable.
15. Fabulous
Fabulous is built around helping you build small, healthy routines that actually stick.
Instead of throwing a hundred things at you at once, it encourages you to focus on one or two simple habits at a time—things like drinking water when you wake up, taking a few minutes to breathe, or writing down what you’re grateful for.
These daily rituals might sound basic, but they’re powerful ways to show yourself that you deserve care and attention.
Over time, those little acts add up and start to feel like self-love in action.
What I appreciate is that Fabulous doesn’t shame you if you miss a day.
It’s supportive, encouraging you to keep going even when you’re not perfect. If you’re looking for an app to help you treat yourself with more kindness by building healthier habits, this is a great place to start.
16. BetterHelp
BetterHelp is all about making therapy more accessible, no matter where you live or how busy you are.
It connects you with licensed therapists you can talk to through messaging, phone calls, or video sessions—so you can get support in a way that feels comfortable for you.
If you’ve ever struggled with harsh self-talk, low self-esteem, or just feeling unworthy of love, therapy can be one of the most meaningful ways to work through it.
A good therapist helps you untangle the reasons you’re so hard on yourself and figure out healthier ways to see and treat yourself.
What I like about BetterHelp is that it meets you where you are. No long waitlists or feeling intimidated in an office.
It’s private, flexible, and designed to make getting help feel less scary. Because sometimes the biggest act of self-love is asking for real help when you need it.
17. Aloe Bud
Aloe Bud is really simple—and that’s what I like about it.
It’s not about chasing big goals or perfect routines. It’s just gentle reminders to look after yourself in small ways throughout the day.
You can set check-ins for things like drinking water, taking a break, or just asking yourself how you’re doing.
It doesn’t make you feel bad if you miss one. There’s no pressure to be perfect here.
Honestly, I think it’s good for anyone who tends to forget about themselves because they’re busy taking care of everything else.
If you want something low-key that helps you remember you deserve basic care and kindness, Aloe Bud is worth trying.
18. Sanity & Self
Sanity & Self was made with women in mind, especially for those times when everything feels like too much.
It’s not just another meditation app—it’s focused on emotional self-care in a really personal way.
Inside, you’ll find audio sessions on things like self-love, building confidence, healing after a breakup, or managing stress.
You can pick what you need that day without having to explain it to anyone. There’s also a journaling feature if you want to get your thoughts out in private.
What I appreciate is that it feels honest about the messiness of real life. I
t doesn’t assume you’re calm and centered already. Instead, it meets you in the middle of the chaos and helps you find a little space to be kinder to yourself.
If you want something that speaks directly to what you’re going through, Sanity & Self is a solid choice.
19. Remente
Remente is for anyone who wants to take a closer look at their life and actually do something about it, without feeling lost or overwhelmed.
It’s a mix of goal setting, journaling, and mental wellness coaching all in one place.
What stands out is how practical it is.
You can set personal goals (big or small), track your mood over time, and work through courses on things like self-esteem and self-love.
It’s not about quick fixes or empty motivation—it’s more about giving you tools to understand yourself better and make real changes, at your own pace.
If you’re the kind of person who likes writing things down, checking in with how you’re feeling, and setting intentions for yourself, Remente gives you a structured, thoughtful way to do it.
It’s a solid choice if you want something that helps you grow while also reminding you to be patient and kind to yourself along the way.
20. My Affirmations
My Affirmations is about keeping things as simple and personal as you want.
There’s no fancy design or overwhelming features—just a straightforward way to write, save, and read affirmations that matter to you.
You can create your own affirmations in words that actually feel right for you, not just generic phrases you find online.
Whenever you want, you can open the app and remind yourself of what you’re trying to believe and hold onto.
It’s a good choice if you want something flexible and low-pressure. No guided programs or required routines—just your own words, in your own voice, ready whenever you need them.
If you like the idea of practicing self-love on your own terms, My Affirmations gives you a private, personal space to do exactly that.
21. Headspace
Headspace is probably one of the most well-known meditation apps out there, but it’s not just about quieting your mind—it can also help you be a lot kinder to yourself.
Beyond the basics like stress relief and sleep, Headspace has guided courses specifically for self-love, compassion, and improving the way you talk to yourself.
If you’ve struggled with being your own harshest critic, these sessions can help you practice a softer, more understanding approach.
What I like about Headspace is how clear and approachable it is, even if you’ve never tried meditation before.
It doesn’t expect you to be perfect or zen.
It just gives you a calm, gentle way to slow down, breathe, and remember that you’re allowed to treat yourself with the same care you give everyone else.
My Final Take
Self-love isn’t something you magically achieve one day and never think about again.
It’s daily work—sometimes hard, sometimes gentle, always worth it.
These apps aren’t going to “fix” you (because you’re not broken), but they can give you tools and reminders to treat yourself with more care and understanding.
I think that’s what really matters.
Finding ways—big or small—to show up for yourself. To speak kindly. To rest when you need it. To choose compassion over criticism, even when it feels unnatural at first.
If even one of these apps helps you pause and remember that you deserve love, from yourself most of all—I think that’s a win.
Be patient with yourself. You’re learning. You’re trying. And you deserve the same grace you’d offer anyone else.
