Are you looking for a health application or mental health app development using the no-code method? If YES, this guide might help you build your application as a mental health app with customized features of your choice. Finding perfect mental health apps or the app development from the scratch guide can be intimidating, primarily in a world driven by technology platforms that have to deliver numerous opportunities.
In this era of busy life, technology platforms have taken the place of many daily chores for convenience and ease. The more and more an individual's life is getting busier, they are getting less time to take care of physical and mental health. Every individual is in a period of surpassing each other, and the search for the best is deteriorating their mental health in one way or another. In this scenario, the role of mental health apps comes as technology platforms related to health apps have unlocked a unique boundary in mental health support and information display. Mobile apps allow people, physicians, and researchers unexplored methods to access help, monitor improvement, mood tracking, and improve interpretation of mental health by health app development.
The mental health apps, when linked with an individual, have the ability to collect relevant information. It has a built-in sensor that detects mood and changes in usual behavior and gives support by giving signals when help is needed to connect to the relevant health care provider. They also have the ability to improve sleep and memory and control negative thoughts.
Most mental health apps allow you to access and connect to a mental health therapist through that apps, even if you don't want to reveal your identity, and they help you in positive engagements through online articles, daily reminders, etc. In short, a mental health app is a great tool for addressing and managing mental health issues.
Why Is a mental health app necessary?
A mental health app is a must for any individual in any field or any part of the world because global stress and mental health issues have increased in the technology era. A good mental health app should be available on every mobile phone to keep mental health on track.
Mental health apps give individuals support in times of mental crisis, or if someone is a diagnosed patient with any mental illness, both categories can benefit from a mental health app. These apps give helpful access to enriched advice and aid for their symptoms and exertions. The mental health apps would be a great option for users who are short on time and aids or require additional assets for their mental health issues.
Not only for mental illness patients but these mental health apps are also a great source and platform for health care providers. They can easily connect on the app with their patient and keep their knowledge up to date to provide better care to their patients. Also, a doctor can offer their patient a good nutrition and workout routine; the tracking of patients' progress, and symptoms, mood, and medication follow-up can also be done through a good mental health app. Furthermore, these healthcare providers can connect with patients through online sessions whenever necessary. All this lies in one aim: to provide better patient care and decrease the overall mental health burden on the earth.
Benefits of a mental health app
The mental health app or therapy app is great for the user and the health care provider. There are many mental health apps available in the market, but all of them share some common benefits that are as follows:
Easy availability
Health care workers and patients will have 24 / 7 availability and access to each other easily whenever there is a need through a mental health app.
Obscurity
Through a mental health app, users can pursue restorative mental health treatment options without concerning anyone else around them.
Foreword to care
A mental health app is a good initiative for those who have not been getting any care or avoiding it. The cause can be any, including difficulty getting appointments or facing people.
Cost friendly
Many top mental health apps with basic features for free or in-app purchases will cost the patients less than a traditional mental health care method.
Remote approach & extensive care
A mental health app can assist mental health care experts in giving access to care for individuals in remote areas or large numbers of people in impulsive need, for instance, in a natural disaster, etc.
More appealing
A mental health mobile app is a more attractive and appealing treatment method than a conventional one that might encourage patients to keep following up on treatment.
Round the clock care
A mental health app can give care daily round the clock, anytime, anywhere, and mental care support.
Consistent method
A mental health app and app platforms have the ability to provide care with consistency and equality to each individual.
Individual support
A mental health app is designed so that all individuals and patients will get a personalized session that will not only provide support but also enhance and support new skills within the individuals.
Factual data collection
The unique about mental health apps, in contrast to conventional therapy, is the factual data collection that can be accessed with a click away, including the patient's movement, mood, location, and other relevant information.
Top 3 mental health apps
If someone tried to make the best mental health apps ultimate list, that would be a lot more difficult because the competition in the market is quite high. Still, the top 3 on the list below have the best user retention and experience, including:
Mood Fit - Great for overall mental health
This one is the top and best one on the list. The app's main feature and choosing it as the top is that it is free to use and provides overall mental health care via the app to those who need it. It assists in tracking moods and gives suggestions to the users on what they can do next to overcome them. However, it doesn't offer consultation with registered therapists and has in-app purchases. It is:
- Modifiable as per user's goals.
- Capability to follow day-to-day progress.
- Illustrated understandings with recommended workouts.
- Everyday reminders.
Better Help - Great for mental health therapy
Better help is a mental health app that is great for online mind therapies by registered therapists in the form of video or audio conversations costing between 240 USD to 600 USD per month. However, this app doesn't offer any medicines adjustments or free consultations. It is:
- Available on both iOS and android.
- Allow communication through audio, video, or text messages.
- Allow unlimited messages.
Calm - Great meditation tool
The third on the list is Calm, which offers adjustable programs and activities that support the users to overcome anxiety, keep them calm, and allow them to meditate better. It offers a trial plan for 1 week and a yearly subscription of 70 USD or 400 USD for a lifetime. It is:
- Offering customized workouts and meditation plans for individual users.
- Calming music and sound effects.
- Simple and user-friendly.
How do I create a mental health app?
10 Key Steps to Consider
Creating a mental health app is usually done by a special technique and planning. It is different from other apps because it covers the sensitive topic of mental health. The steps in the development of a mental health app include the following 10 key steps:
Do market research
The first crucial step in developing a mental health app is research. You must know about the market. How many users are there for a mental health app? What are the flaws they are facing in the current app setting? What are the basic must-have features the other apps in the market are using so you can provide the users with better quality and added features?
Choose your audience
The second step is to set your desired target audience. For instance, whom are you willing to develop the app, like a specific age group? Specific gender? People with specific goals? Patients with a specific illness or a general audience targeting app.
Choose your platforms
The third and most important step is choosing the platforms, depending on several factors. Most of the app development is done for iOS and Android platforms. But initially, it is also a great approach to reach your audience and choose one platform at the start for app development.
List your desired features
Make a list of the most basic features necessary for the mental health app. You must add what the other popular apps offer as a new app. As a new app, you must give some extra features with the basic features to increase your marketing and popularity.
Create a prototype
The next step for app development is to create a prototype or MVP for each feature you have listed above so that you can get an idea of the design and make amends before it goes into actual development so that the product will work to its fullest and can be assured. It will save your cost to ensure everything is on the line before jumping directly on the app development.
Code or no-code
Now it's time to decide whether you want to create your mental health app with coding with a team of developers and programmers involved or through a no-code platform like AppMaster.
Coding
App development through programming languages, also called coding, is a traditional method of developing any asset online, whether a website or an app. Doing so takes a lot of time, money, and effort. Often teams of developers are involved in one app development. Building a mental health app through coding must contain all the features as per need, and the app development must be based on cybersecurity rules as per HIPAA.
No-Code Technology
No code is an emerging option when it comes to app development. If you choose this option for your mental health development, you will not need a team of developers working on a single project. Furthermore, it will be cost-effective, time effective, require lesser manpower, and be non-technical. Even if you have a little knowledge, you yourself can build your desired mental health app with ease. AppMaster is a no-coding platform that offers a backend to work on with visual programming. With that, you can create your mental health app with the drag-and-drop method with less time and cost.
Test before launch
Once the mental health app development is complete, the next part of the development process is testing the mental health app before its final launch to avoid any upcoming issues. For effective testing of your app, you need to follow these testing methods and correct if any issue occurs:
- Unit testing
- Performance testing
- Functional testing
- Stress testing
Market your app
Whenever a new app is being launched in the market, there are two types of marketing stages one is done before the final launch, and the other is done after the app is fully launched. When the app is new for your brand awareness, you must market your app and create awareness about what it is and what it will be beneficial for.
Launch the app
Now your mental health applications are ready to be launched, and you can launch them on the relevant platform or both iOS and Android if you have created a hybrid compatible app.
Keep updating
Once the app is there in the market, track your app's progress, user's reaction, and the performance it has been giving. According to that, you can keep on updating the app and stay in.
What should I put on my mental health app?
The mental health applications or mood tracking applications must contain some basic features to be put on. Some features are customizable others are must-haves on platforms like mental health applications, including:
- Dashboard (separate for the user and the health care worker)
- Sign up page (creating user profiles)
- Goals setting
- Progress tracking
- Online communities
- Gamification
- Sharing of files
- Notifications and reminders
- Online articles on mental health
- Chatbox (messages)
- Call (audio and video)
- Monitoring
- Emergency mental health support
- Security
- Multipurpose platform
How long does it take to build an average mental health tracker app?
The average time to build traditional coding applications or a mental health app will be around 2 to 5 months with basic features. However, for more advanced features and apps that are on a larger scale, more than 6 months can be the app development time. Whereas if you go with the no-code platforms like AppMaster, it might take only weeks to develop a fully functional mental health app or therapy app.
How much does it cost to build a mental health app?
The average app cost for building a mental health app will vary according to the scope of the app, what platform it is for, how many features you are adding, and whether you are going towards coding or no-coding platforms for the development of the app. An average teletherapy mental health app cost will be around 60k - 80k USD at the minimum with the basic mental health app features. This amount of money is for the traditional app development method through coding. With a no-code platform like AppMaster, your app costs much less than this, and you can always have it back by monetization. You can check out flexible pricing plans.
Do I need to provide certificates to list my mental health solution in app stores?
No, for now, it is not required to list any certificates in your mental health solution app, but it must be as per the cyber security guidelines for HIPAA.
Are mental health apps regulated?
Personal data is collected for adequate functioning of the teletherapy or mental health apps. It has the patient's or individual's sensitive and personal health-related information. So, to regulate mental health apps, it is necessary to meet all the requirements of data protection, as per the governing bodies, to keep the app and user safe and theft free.
Unfortunately, most mental health apps and other health apps have no distinct lawmaking controlling bodies for this distinct subject. However, an app owner and creator need to develop a mental health app per the data protection bodies and laws, but it might differ in each country.
The lawmaking governing body for the matter mentioned above in the United States of America is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). It shares a federal law of how the individual's personal health data is being protected.
People and institutions in the medical field or a mental health app or therapy application. Following are the main criteria on which a mental health app owner must regulate the app and make amends where needed:
- Services related to health that require data input.
- Storing personal health data.
- Sharing personal health data.
To avoid scams, deceptive details, or information violations, developers operating a mental health application must evaluate several aspects. The subsequent practices must consistently be observed, or else the mental wellness app or teletherapy app owner may face profound legal outcomes. The mental wellness applications or teletherapy apps must follow:
- Confirm the applications are not medical appliances.
- Miscalculate data.
- Restrict permits and authorizations.
- Maintain authentication in mind.
- Provide measurement that the third-party service providers are shielding data.
- Execute security by design.
- Innovate the way of communication and therapy you provide to the users on your health applications and the security protocols you follow.
What tools should I consider to build a mental health app based on AI - artificial intelligence?
AI or artificial intelligence can be fruitful for your therapy application or mental health app development. This is because mental health development and mood tracking can completely rely on artificial intelligence understanding as a substitute for an actual health care worker or a patient face to face. Artificial intelligence - AI is a great tool to consider when you are willing to develop your mental health app or where health app development is involved. The best reason to use AI is that, with time artificial intelligence-based apps can adapt to the user's needs in a better way.
Artificial intelligence tools like AppMaster allow users to develop every kind of app they want with a smart approach, low cost, and source code. AppMaster app builder that will tend to build apps in no time with excellence.
Monetization strategies - earn money by mental health apps
A good thing about app development is that it can get monetization through which you can earn some money from your apps. Monetization is a type of making money from applications or websites, and the following methods can do the monetization:
- ADS
The first and best monetization method is by running ads within the application. - In-app purchases
The second popular monetization method is through in-app purchases and keeping some features premium. - Paid app
The third method of monetization is to keep your app paid instead of free.
The bottom line
A mental health app or mental wellness app, or therapy application is a type of mobile app that has a dire need for everyone nowadays due to increased stress and anxiety among people. This app is downloaded on their cell phone; people will help them control their emotions better and in a productive way. These apps help in increasing the reach-out time for people in need. The patients that are diagnosed with some mental illness like depression, anxiety, etc., the mental health app is a great resource for them too.
Not only this, if you are a health care professional and especially if you are a psychologist or a psychiatrist, but these mental health apps will also be a great resource for you as the app will allow you to track patients' records and provide help to those in need within time to avoid major crises.
With this approach, these mental health apps will reduce overall stress and anxiety burden and let people get better mental health care anytime, anywhere.
Regardless of the user, if you want to create a mental health app or therapy app, this will also be a money-making tool for you through monetization; at the same time, it will help people to the fullest. AppMaster allows you to the development of any kind of app you name. It will use a simple drag-and-drop method through visual coding and a powerful backend. Sign up today and start this amazing app development journey via AppMaster if you have any queries feel free to ask our team of experts to guide your way all around the clock.
