Anxiety Apps · Review
DARE Review
The anxiety app built on a counterintuitive idea: stop fighting the panic and dare it to do its worst.
Our rating
4.4 / 5
Starting price
Free, then ~$59.88/yr
Free tier
Yes
Platforms
iOS · Android
Developer
Dare Response
Launched
2017
Our verdict
DARE, based on Barry McDonagh’s bestselling book, teaches the paradoxical move that defuses panic: stop resisting it. The four-step method — Defuse, Allow, Run toward, Engage — is delivered through an extensive audio library covering panic, driving anxiety, health anxiety, sleep, and more. For people ready to change their relationship with anxiety, it is among the best self-help tools made.
This review is editorial and unsponsored — no affiliate payments influence our ratings. Selfpause makes a wellness app of its own, so where a product competes with us, we say so plainly and let you judge.
DARE is the app companion to the book of the same name, and its premise runs opposite to instinct: anxiety feeds on resistance, so the way out is through — defuse the fear of the fear, allow the sensations, run toward them, and engage with life anyway.
That acceptance-based approach echoes what clinicians use in exposure-based therapies, packaged in plain, encouraging language. The app delivers it through a large audio library of guided talks and exercises for specific situations: panic surges, driving, flying, health anxiety, night-time anxiety.
It asks more courage of you than comfort-focused apps — facing sensations rather than escaping them — and that is exactly why it works for so many. The free tier is a fair taste; the subscription unlocks the full library and challenges.
Pros & cons
What we like
- A coherent, proven method rather than a grab-bag of tools.
- Excellent situation-specific audio: driving, flying, health anxiety, sleep.
- Encouraging, human narration that feels like a coach in your ear.
- Aligned with acceptance and exposure principles clinicians actually use.
- Reasonable price, with a solid free tier.
What we don’t
- The approach demands willingness to face sensations — not everyone is ready.
- Less useful if you want quick calm-down tricks only.
- Structure is looser than a formal course; you choose your own path.
- No human support layer included.
Best for / avoid if
Best for
- →People stuck in the fear-of-fear loop of panic and anxiety
- →Anyone whose anxiety attaches to specific situations like driving or flying
- →Readers of the DARE book who want it operationalized
- →Those ready to work with anxiety rather than just suppress it
Avoid if
- →You only want relaxation and breathing tools
- →You are not ready for an approach that leans into sensations
- →You need clinical treatment — use DARE alongside, not instead of, care
Pricing
Free
$0
Core method audio and a selection of exercises.
Premium
~$59.88/yr (or $9.99/mo)
Full audio library, challenges, and situation-specific series.
What DARE is
DARE is an anxiety and panic self-help app teaching a four-step acceptance method — Defuse, Allow, Run toward, Engage — through guided audio for specific anxious situations.
It is a method app: one coherent approach applied everywhere, rather than a toolbox of unrelated techniques.
Why running toward anxiety works
Panic persists because we fear its sensations and fight them, which confirms to the brain that something is wrong. DARE inverts this: by allowing and even inviting the sensations, the threat signal collapses and the loop starves.
This is the same principle behind exposure-based therapy, delivered in friendly, non-clinical language — the rare self-help approach that targets the mechanism rather than the symptom.
The DARE method audio
Guided talks walk you through the four steps in real time, including SOS tracks for acute moments.
The narration is the app’s strength — calm, confident, slightly daring, exactly the voice you need when anxiety is loud.
Situation-specific series
Dedicated audio for driving anxiety, flying, health anxiety, social situations, and sleepless nights.
Anxiety is rarely generic; meeting the exact situation is where DARE outclasses one-size-fits-all calm apps.
Where DARE falls behind
Comfort-seekers. If you want only soothing, the method will feel confrontational.
Formal structure. It is less linear than a course; you assemble your own path.
Support. No coaching or community is included in the app itself.
DARE vs. Rootd vs. MindShift CBT
Rootd is first aid for the panic moment; DARE is the method for dismantling the panic loop; MindShift is free, broad CBT for general worry.
If panic and anticipatory fear run your life, DARE offers the deepest change of the three. Keep Rootd on the home screen for emergencies, and consider MindShift if your anxiety is more generalized worry than acute fear.
For serious or long-standing anxiety, all of these work best alongside a professional, not instead of one.
Bottom line
DARE is the best method-driven self-help app for panic and anxiety — counterintuitive, courageous, and aligned with how clinicians actually treat the problem. Bring willingness; it does the rest.
Want a daily positivity practice in your own voice? Selfpause lets you record personalized affirmations, layer them with calming music, and keep them on your lock screen.
Try Selfpause FreeAlternatives to DARE
Rootd
4.4In-the-moment panic relief with one big button.
Read our review →
MindShift CBT
4.3Free, structured CBT for everyday anxiety.
Read our review →
Sanvello
4.2A broader CBT toolkit with mood tracking.
Read our review →
Frequently asked questions
What is the DARE method?+
Four steps — Defuse, Allow, Run toward, Engage — that teach you to stop resisting anxiety’s sensations so the fear-of-fear loop collapses. It mirrors acceptance and exposure principles used in clinical therapy.
How much does DARE cost?+
The app is free to download with core content included; the full library runs about $9.99/month or $59.88/year.
DARE or Rootd?+
DARE for the deep work of changing your relationship with anxiety; Rootd for immediate help in the middle of an attack. They complement each other well.
Do I need to read the book first?+
No. The app stands alone, though fans of Barry McDonagh’s book will recognize the method and voice throughout.
A note on mental health: apps and online services can support wellbeing, but they are not a substitute for professional care. If you are struggling, a licensed professional can help — and if you are in crisis, contact your local emergency number or, in the US, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).
More anxiety apps reviews
Rootd
4.4An app built around one big red button for the worst moment of a panic attack.
Daylight
4.4Sleepio’s sibling for anxiety — a clinically tested CBT program, usually free through work or health plans.
MindShift CBT
4.3Free, evidence-based CBT for anxiety from a nonprofit — no subscription, no catch.