What is the best free alternative to DBT Coach?

DBT-Mind is free to download and its core skills and crisis tools are free. DBT Pal and DBT Diary Card & Skills Log also have free versions, focused on the diary card.

Is there a DBT Coach alternative for Android?

Yes. DBT-Mind runs on Android and iOS, and DBT Diary Card & Skills Log is an Android diary card app that works offline. We did not find Android versions of DBT Pal or DBT Diary Card & Skills Coach.

Is there a DBT app without a subscription?

DBT Diary Card & Skills Coach is a one-time $4.99 purchase on iPhone, and DBT Diary Card & Skills Log offers a one-time Pro upgrade on Android. DBT-Mind’s core features are free without a subscription.

Which DBT app keeps my data on my phone?

DBT Pal stores entries on your device by default and needs no account, and DBT Diary Card & Skills Log says it works fully offline with no account. Check each app’s privacy policy for the details.

Choosing an app5 min readOctober 7, 2026

DBT Coach Alternatives: 4 DBT Apps for Different Needs

By Timo, founder and developer of DBT-Mind

Quick answer

The best DBT Coach alternative depends on why you want to switch. For a free core and more crisis tools, try DBT-Mind. For a fast diary card that keeps entries on your iPhone, try DBT Pal. To avoid subscriptions on iPhone, DBT Diary Card & Skills Coach is a one-time $4.99. On Android, DBT Diary Card & Skills Log works offline without an account. If you mainly want more languages or video lessons, staying with DBT Coach may be the better choice.

General information about DBT skills. It does not replace therapy, and in an emergency contact your local emergency number or crisis line.

DBT Coach is the most established DBT app, with a large content library, 33 languages and a clinician platform. People still look for alternatives, usually because of one specific need. This guide is organized by that need, so you can skip to the part that matches yours. For a full side-by-side, see the best DBT apps compared or DBT-Mind vs DBT Coach.

It is written by the team behind DBT-Mind, which is one of the alternatives, so we say that up front. Facts about the other apps come from their own store listings and websites as of October 2026. Prices are US prices and change over time.

Why people look for a DBT Coach alternative

Price
DBT Coach costs $11.99 per month or $59.99 per six months on the US App Store.
A free option
Full access to DBT Coach needs a subscription.
Only a diary card
Some people only need a quick daily diary card, not a full course.
Data on your phone
Some prefer an app that keeps entries on the device and needs no account.
More crisis and analysis tools
For example a crisis plan you write in advance or a chain analysis tool.
Android
Two of the popular DBT apps are iPhone only.

The alternatives at a glance

Each of these four apps fits a different reason for switching.

DBT Coach alternatives (US prices, October 2026)

Alternative	Best if you want	Price	Platforms
DBT-Mind	Free core skills and crisis tools, chain analysis, a daily planner	Free; Premium from $8.99 per month or $54.99 per year	iOS and Android
DBT Pal	A diary card in about 30 seconds, entries kept on your phone	Free; $5.99 per month or $39.99 per year	iPhone, iPad, Mac
DBT Diary Card & Skills Coach	No subscription at all	$4.99 one-time purchase	iPhone, iPad, Mac
DBT Diary Card & Skills Log	An offline diary card on Android with no account	Free; optional one-time Pro upgrade	Android

Sources: each app’s App Store or Google Play listing, read in October 2026. Prices for DBT Diary Card & Skills Log Pro were not shown to us; check the store.

If price is the reason

DBT-Mind
Free to download, and the core skills and crisis tools work without paying. Premium ($8.99 per month or $54.99 per year) adds the AI crisis chat, PDF reports, the full breathwork studio and unlimited chain analysis.
DBT Diary Card & Skills Coach
A one-time $4.99 with no subscription. iPhone only, English only, and its store listing shows the last update in October 2019.
DBT Pal
$5.99 per month or $39.99 per year. The free version limits custom urges and emotions to three.

If you only want a diary card

DBT Pal (iPhone)
Built for speed: its listing promises a daily card in about 30 seconds, urges and emotions rated 0 to 5, streaks, and PDF export for your therapist.
DBT Diary Card & Skills Log (Android)
According to its Google Play listing it tracks emotions, urges and skills, and exports a week as a PDF. The free version keeps 14 days of history; a one-time Pro purchase unlocks the rest.

If privacy is the reason

DBT Pal
Stores entries on your phone by default, needs no account, and only backs up to your own iCloud if you turn that on.
DBT Diary Card & Skills Log
Says it works fully offline, needs no account, and creates PDF exports on the device.

Whatever you choose, read the privacy policy before you write anything sensitive, and check whether AI features send your text to an outside service.

If you want more crisis support

DBT-Mind is built around a crisis hub. We did not find chain analysis, a daily planner or support notes in DBT Coach’s listing or website.

Crisis hub
A crisis thermometer to rate how intense things are, an emergency plan you write while calm, and SOS cards.
Guided exercises
Paced breathing and other exercises for the moment itself.
Chain analysis
A structured way to understand afterwards what led to a behavior.
Support notes
Encouragement from people you trust, shown in the app.

When staying with DBT Coach makes sense

You learn best from videos
Its 100+ video lessons and 60+ animated skill guides are the largest library of the apps here.
You need another language
It supports 33 languages. DBT-Mind supports English, German and Spanish; the others are English only.
Your therapist uses Resiliens
Diary cards and assignments sync with your clinician in real time.

An app is a support tool, not treatment. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, call 988 (US), 112 (EU) or your local crisis line.

Practice it in DBT-Mind

Try DBT-Mind free

DBT-Mind is free to download, so you can try it next to DBT Coach before deciding anything.

1Download the app and choose English, German or Spanish.
2Write your crisis plan in the crisis hub while you are calm.
3Add the skills that help you most as custom skills.
4Decide later whether Premium (AI crisis chat, PDF reports, the full breathwork studio) is worth it for you.

Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

DBT-Mind app: creating a custom DBT skill

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free alternative to DBT Coach?: DBT-Mind is free to download and its core skills and crisis tools are free. DBT Pal and DBT Diary Card & Skills Log also have free versions, focused on the diary card.
Is there a DBT Coach alternative for Android?: Yes. DBT-Mind runs on Android and iOS, and DBT Diary Card & Skills Log is an Android diary card app that works offline. We did not find Android versions of DBT Pal or DBT Diary Card & Skills Coach.
Is there a DBT app without a subscription?: DBT Diary Card & Skills Coach is a one-time $4.99 purchase on iPhone, and DBT Diary Card & Skills Log offers a one-time Pro upgrade on Android. DBT-Mind’s core features are free without a subscription.
Which DBT app keeps my data on my phone?: DBT Pal stores entries on your device by default and needs no account, and DBT Diary Card & Skills Log says it works fully offline with no account. Check each app’s privacy policy for the details.