Are you also looking for mental health app development for your business? Then you are at the right place.
With the increased fast life comes challenges as well, people are lacking sleep, and working hours also getting expanded resulting in frustration, anxiety, and stress. So how to deal with this the question is this. The simple answer to this question is that it cannot be cured in one day and that it takes time to work on individuals. And here comes the mental health app to rescue those who are seeking help. So if you are planning to invest in this you are on the right track. Let’s have a look at how this app can be beneficial for you and what type of features should be included to distinguish it from others.
So let’s have a look at each one without waiting anymore.
What Is a Mental Health App and Why Is It Profitable to Create One?
Developing mental health apps can be profitable due to its rising demand and mental health apps are expanding. The US’s top 20 mental health applications had a 30% increase in first-time downloads between January and April, indicating a strong demand for digital mental health solutions. Furthermore, the number of users of mental health app projects like BetterHelp has almost doubled, indicating that more people are turning to mobile apps for support with stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
The mental health app market size was valued at USD 5.05 bn in 2022 and is expected to grow higher in upcoming years.
It is noticed that the market is increasing by a CAGR of 16.3% during the period 2023- 2030 reaching a greater height.
Those business owners who are considering creating an app for mental health for themselves, have a good opportunity to get started now that can impact the ROI of the business as well as the right choice for the long-term business. So without waiting much, let’s have a look at the features needed to be included in the mental health app development.
Common Features to Include in Mental Health App Development
Let’s discuss some of the common features you might want to consider for a mental wellness app.
User profile
Although creating a user profile might seem obvious, the idea is that your application should seem unique. Having a profile with user details that influence how the app functions, such as “what time do you go to bed/wake up” or “how many times a week do you work out,” is the simplest method to accomplish that.
Appointment scheduling
The way you solve this problem should assist patients in scheduling therapy sessions. The program should ideally handle calendars that are built into a platform, such as iCal or Google Calendar. This suggests that the back end has to include patient lists and the capacity to record and manage therapy session durations.
Notifications
Reminders and notifications assist in overcoming the engagement problem that all mental health apps eventually have to address: If they want to see noticeable improvements, they should always use these products. In addition to helping professionals and providers keep an eye on patients’ progress and stress levels, patients can use them to keep track of their meals and medications.
Social networking features
Include a live feed where users can share, vote, and comment on multiple topics that can help create a community that will reinforce engagement for users to keep working on their mental health condition.
Dashboards
The obsession with self-quantification is growing among people, and mental health is no different. Thus, dashboards are an excellent tool for monitoring our mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
Self-monitoring
But before a dashboard can become a lively, engaging experience, users must be able to track their conditions. Less typing and tapping is needed the better. You know that self-monitoring is necessary if you want to build an app that tracks mental health.
Messaging
Of course, messaging is more useful with teletherapy tools that let users share audio recordings or have live conversations between patients and distant therapists. For self-monitoring apps, however, having a conversational UI UX design solutions, such as an assistance chatbot, can be quite helpful.
Audio and video calling
Similar to messaging, audio and video calls have greater significance when it comes to telemedicine mental health applications. While there are many factors to take into account, you should concentrate on how seamless these calls are. You want your users’ video sessions to be devoid of any stuttering at all.
AI and ML
Personalization and artificial intelligence go hand in hand. Your app’s ability to adjust to user needs increases with user data.
AI technologies such machine learning solutions can also be used to create an intelligent chatbot that can assist patients with initial self-assessment and respond to common inquiries. Consider utilizing a chatbot with an avatar, such as Sensely, to build rapport, monitor patients’ emotions, etc.
Gamification
Lastly, gamification is a feature that many of the most popular apps for mental disorders include. People can train their cognitive skills and de-stress by playing minigames. Assessment tests are a further domain in which aspects akin to games can be beneficial.
Miscellaneous
You can incorporate a plethora of elements into your solution to assist individuals in cultivating positive mental health practices. Furthermore, the precise mental health conditions you wish to target in your solution will determine how to proceed:
- Tracking Allergies, Diet,
- Attention Problems
- Bipolar Disorder
- Lgbtq Bullying, Suicide Prevention
- Disorder Aggravation
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Advanced Features Can be Included in Mental Health App Development
There are multiple advanced features mentioned in this section you can consider in your mental health app development to make it stand out from the competitive market.
Personalized Mood Tracking:
Allow users to log their moods regularly with options for detailed descriptions. Include features to track triggers, patterns, and overall trends. This helps users identify patterns in their mental health and understand what factors might be influencing their mood. Visualization tools like graphs can make it easier to see changes over time.
Evidence-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Tools:
Integrate CBT exercises and techniques, such as thought records, behavioral activation, and cognitive restructuring. CBT is a well-established therapeutic approach for managing various mental health issues, including depression and anxiety. Providing these tools can help users manage their symptoms effectively.
Goal Setting and Progress Tracking:
Enable users to set mental health goals and track their progress over time. Goals might include reducing anxiety levels, improving sleep, or establishing healthy routines. Goal setting can increase motivation and provide users with a sense of accomplishment as they see their progress, which is crucial for ongoing mental health management.
Guided Meditations and Mindfulness Exercises:
There are multiple mental health assistance app like Youper that offer a library of guided meditations and mindfulness exercises tailored to different needs, such as stress reduction, focus improvement, or relaxation. You can also ask your development team to add such features to make it different. Meditation and mindfulness are effective techniques for managing stress and improving overall mental well-being. Providing these resources helps users incorporate these practices into their daily routines.
Crisis Support and Emergency Contacts:
Include a feature for users to access crisis support resources quickly, such as hotlines and emergency contact information. Having immediate access to crisis support is essential for users experiencing severe mental health issues or emergencies. This feature ensures users can get help when they need it most.
Educational Resources and Self-Help Content:
Provide articles, videos, and interactive content on mental health topics, coping strategies, and wellness tips. Education empowers users with knowledge about mental health, helping them understand their conditions and learn effective coping strategies.
Community and Peer Support:
Facilitate peer support through forums, chat rooms, or group discussions where users can connect with others facing similar challenges. Connecting with others who understand their experiences can provide emotional support, reduce feelings of isolation, and offer practical advice and encouragement.
Read More: Develop AI Mental Health Assistant App Like Youper
Professional Counseling Integration:
Allow users to connect with licensed mental health professionals for virtual therapy sessions or consultations. Access to professional help is crucial for users who need more personalized or intensive support. Integrating this feature can bridge the gap between self-help and professional treatment.
Customizable Notifications and Reminders:
Provide users with options to set reminders for medication, therapy sessions, self-care activities, or mood tracking. Reminders can help users stay on top of their mental health routines and ensure they do not forget important activities or appointments.
Data Privacy and Security:
Implement robust security measures to protect user data, including encryption, secure authentication, and privacy policies. Given the sensitive nature of mental health information, ensuring user data is protected is critical for building trust and encouraging app usage.
Cost to Build a Mental Health App
There are many factors that are considered at the time of developing mental health applications that affect the cost. From selecting the leading mobile app development company to choosing the right developers everything costs differently. Some of the common factors that affect the cost of development are the geographic location of the team, tech stacks, features you are including in the application, and platforms you are selecting such as hybrid, android, or iOS. Here are the top factors, have a look for a better understanding.
1. App Complexity
The complexity of a mental health app depends on the range of features it offers. Simple apps with basic features like mood tracking or journaling might cost between $20,000 and $30,000. More complex apps that include advanced functionalities such as real-time therapy sessions, AI-driven mood analysis, or integration with wearable devices can range from $40,000 to $100,000 or more. Advanced features require more development time, testing, and integration, thus increasing the overall cost.
2. Platform
Developing a mental health app for both iOS and Android platforms usually costs more than developing just one. This is because you need to address different design guidelines, coding practices, and testing requirements for each platform. Developing for multiple platforms can add 30-50% to the overall cost compared to a single-platform development, depending on the app’s complexity.
3. Geographical Location
Due to the difference in the labor cost in diverse places, the development cost to hire mental health app developers may also differ, increase, or decrease respectively. Let’s have a look at the table for average cost of hiring mobile app development companies at different places.
| Location | Per Hour Cost |
| USA | $100 |
| Western Europe | $80 |
| Australia | $90 |
| Eastern Europe | $50 |
| India And Southeast Asia | $25 |
The average cost to develop a mental health app can start from $ 30,000 and can go higher as per the requirement of the client and the project.
Conclusion
Coming to the end, hope you got all the points to see what are the important factors that need to be considered in the full-fledged and killer mental health app development. So if you are also going to invest in this and not sure where to contact or what to do at the start. Don’t Worry! We are here to help, contact the team of experts at Octal IT Solution and get the best advice. We are available 24*7 for your help.
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