Noa by Anshap

Overview

Noa by Anshap pairs AI wellbeing support with access to human specialists and organisational reporting. It is a strong fit for people seeking self-guided support with a path to human care, and for employers shaping a wellbeing pilot. Its free core service and multiple live channels stand out; it is less compelling for organisations that need mature HRIS integrations now.

Psychologists built Noa around evidence-based approaches such as CBT. It adds guided exercises and behavioral coaching to AI support, rather than limiting the offer to conversation. The first specialist consultation is free, but Noa is not a replacement for diagnosis, prescribing or ongoing clinical care.

For more options, browse our AI Mental Health Chatbots list.

Key features

Self-guided support and human care

Noa combines AI support with guided exercises and behavioral coaching. That makes it a practical starting point for people who want wellbeing tools as well as conversation, though the specific exercise and coaching formats are not established. When a person wants more support, Noa can connect them with matched, credential-verified specialists; the first consultation costs nothing.

Circles offer a different kind of human contact: psychologist-hosted, one-hour audio group sessions. Participants can listen or type and need not use their real names. This format may suit people comfortable with group support, but it is not a private one-to-one consultation.

Privacy and crisis routing

Anshap says conversations are end-to-end encrypted and personal data is not sold, shared or used for advertising. Noa also routes users to crisis hotlines based on region, including iCALL, Vandrevala and AASRA. Those are useful safeguards, but hotline routing is not itself emergency care.

Workplace channels and reporting

WhatsApp, iOS and Android are live channels; Microsoft Teams is in pilot. Organisations can configure handoffs to existing EAP providers, internal counselling teams or Anshap's specialist network. A web leadership dashboard, PDF cohort reports and CSV/API exports of aggregated cohort metrics are live. Reporting is anonymised at source and cohort-level only, a meaningful privacy boundary that also means it is not individual case tracking. Audit logs are available on request.

Darwinbox and Keka cohort-only syncs remain in pilot. BambooHR and Workday are on the roadmap for Q4 2026, so employers needing those connections today should not treat them as ready integrations. Anshap describes an eight-week organisational pilot, designed with the organisation and carrying no commitment.

Pricing

Noa is freemium. Its Noa plan is free and includes all core features at no cost, with no paywalls or hidden fees. Guided exercises, behavioral coaching, human escalation, crisis resources and access via web, iOS and Android are included. That is an unusually broad free starting point for an individual; no paid individual tier or usage cap is given.

For organisations, Anshap offers an eight-week pilot with no commitment, designed together with the organisation. Pricing is custom pricing. The pilot is the relevant route for employers evaluating reporting and care handoffs, rather than an individual subscription tier.

Platforms

Noa is available on web, iOS and Android, with WhatsApp also listed as a live channel. Microsoft Teams is in pilot, not a live channel. The mix gives individuals several ways to access the service, while workplace channel coverage remains in transition.

Who it's for

Noa suits people who want free, self-guided wellbeing support and the option to move from AI assistance to a specialist. Its privacy commitments and pseudonymous group-session option may matter to people wary of public disclosure. It also suits employers looking to co-design a time-limited wellbeing pilot with cohort-level reporting and configurable counselling handoffs.

Look elsewhere if your organisation requires established HRIS connections with Darwinbox, Keka, BambooHR or Workday, or individual-level reporting. People seeking diagnosis, prescribing or ongoing therapy should choose a clinical service instead of relying on Noa as their care provider.

Pros and cons

• Pro: The free plan includes core features, guided exercises, coaching, human escalation and crisis resources, so the initial offer is not limited to a narrow chatbot tier.
• Pro: Matched specialists, a free first consultation and region-aware hotline routing give users routes beyond self-guided support.
• Pro: Cohort-only anonymised reporting and conversations that Anshap says are end-to-end encrypted support a privacy-conscious workplace approach.
• Con: Teams is still in pilot, Darwinbox and Keka syncs are cohort-only pilots, and BambooHR and Workday are only on the roadmap.
• Con: Cohort-level exports cannot support employers who need reporting on individual users.
• Con: The AI exercise and coaching formats are not defined, which may leave people seeking a structured, specified programme with questions to resolve.

Alternatives

Mithra by MannSetu is worth considering if platform range matters: it supports Android, iOS, macOS, web and Windows, while its free plan sets daily text and voice allowances.

Clare may suit someone who wants calls and messages during a defined local-time window, with a 7-day trial on its 4.99 USD per month plan.

CBT without a Therapist: Helpy is a better fit for someone prioritising a thought journal and exercise library, though its free plan limits AI chat replies and includes only the first module of each course.

Dr. Riya by Mindtalk is another free option across iOS, Android and web; it does not provide diagnosis, prescribing or therapy.

Psychia offers unlimited text conversations on its free Lite plan, with a queue and a history limit of five conversations.

Thrive AI may suit Android or iOS users who want a free chatbot, blogs and self-assessments; its free plan does not include AI-guided exercises.

Blue Fever is an alternative for iOS and macOS users seeking a free app.

GiGi is a web-based alternative.

Verdict

Noa is a good choice for individuals who want a no-cost starting point that combines AI wellbeing support with specialist access, and for employers willing to co-design an eight-week pilot around cohort-level reporting. Its strongest case is the breadth of support included for free and the routes to human help. Choose another service if your organisation depends on mature HRIS integrations or individual-level reporting, or if you need clinical treatment rather than wellbeing support.