7 Best Apps for Tracking Seasonal Affective Disorder (2025 Review)

Seasonal Affective Disorder isn't something you can just "power through"—it's a medical condition that requires real management strategies. Digital mood tracking has emerged as one of the most effective tools for identifying patterns, monitoring treatment effectiveness, and catching symptoms early before they become severe.

But not all mood tracking apps are created equal, especially for SAD. We spent 30 days testing seven popular apps specifically for seasonal depression management, evaluating them on ease of daily use, pattern visualization, data export capabilities, weather correlation, and most importantly: whether they actually help during the dark, low-energy months when you need them most.

Our Testing Methodology

We evaluated each app based on criteria that matter specifically for SAD:

• Ease of daily use: Can you log your mood in under 30 seconds? (Critical when depression drains motivation)
• Pattern visualization: Does it show seasonal trends clearly in calendar or graph form?
• Data export for doctors: Can you share clean reports with healthcare providers?
• Weather correlation: Does it track how sunlight/weather affects mood?
• Seasonal features: Any SAD-specific tools or insights?
• AI insights: Does it identify patterns automatically?
• Emotional support: Beyond tracking, does it provide companionship during dark evenings?
• Cost: Value for money, especially for long-term use

The Reviews: 7 Apps Tested

1. Lifelight - Overall Best for SAD ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price: Free basic version, $14.99/month or $119.99/year for premium (20% annual discount)

Why it's best for SAD specifically:

While other apps focus purely on tracking, Lifelight combines mood tracking with AI-powered emotional support—addressing both the data and isolation components of seasonal depression.

Key Features for SAD Management:

• Visual mood calendar: See seasonal patterns at a glance - September's 8/10s declining to November's 4/10s becomes undeniably clear
• Quick daily check-ins: Literally 15 seconds - crucial when depression saps motivation for lengthy journaling
• Automatic mood detection: AI analyzes your journal entries to track mood even when you forget to manually log it
• AI companion for dark evenings: Not scripted responses - actual conversational support during peak isolation hours (5-9 PM when SAD hits hardest)
• Photo journaling with environmental analysis: Automatically detects outdoor/sunlight exposure in photos, helping correlate nature time with mood
• Memory Vine feature: Surfaces past moments when you felt good, providing hope during dark periods
• Weekly AI letters: Synthesizes your week's patterns, highlighting correlations you'd miss
• Apple Health integration: Track vitamin D supplementation and light therapy sessions alongside mood

What works exceptionally well: The AI companion is genuinely helpful during SAD's evening isolation. Instead of scrolling social media or feeling alone, you can process your day with an AI that remembers your patterns and asks relevant questions. Users report the conversational quality feels natural, not robotic.

What could be better: Premium subscription required for unlimited AI interactions. Free version limits AI conversations to 5/month, which isn't enough for daily support during SAD season.

Best for: People who need both mood tracking AND emotional support during SAD. If you struggle with evening isolation and want more than just data collection, Lifelight is worth the premium price.

SAD-specific rating: 9.5/10

2. Daylio - Best for Pure Data Tracking ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price: Free with ads, $4.99/month or $29.99/year premium

What it does well:

• Incredibly fast mood logging (tap icons, no typing required)
• Excellent data visualization - charts and graphs show patterns clearly
• Activity correlation tracking (exercise, sleep, social time vs. mood)
• Customizable mood scales and activity icons
• Strong data export (PDF and CSV for doctor appointments)

What's missing for SAD:

• No AI support or conversational element
• No weather/sunlight correlation tracking
• Feels mechanical - great for data, zero emotional support
• No automatic pattern detection (you manually review charts)

Best for: People who want pure tracking without guidance. If you're already in therapy and just need to collect data to share with your doctor, Daylio excels at this.

SAD-specific rating: 7.5/10

3. Bearable - Best for Tracking Physical + Mental Symptoms ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price: Free basic, $6.99/month or $39.99/year premium

What it does well:

• Weather correlation built-in: Automatically tracks sunlight hours, barometric pressure, temperature vs. mood
• Symptom tracking beyond mood (fatigue, headaches, appetite changes)
• Medication tracking (helpful if taking antidepressants for SAD)
• Excellent correlation analysis showing which factors affect your mood most
• Designed for chronic conditions, so works well for recurring seasonal patterns

What's challenging:

• Steep learning curve - overwhelming number of features and customization options
• Takes 2-3 minutes per day to log everything (might skip when depressed)
• Interface can feel clinical rather than supportive
• No AI companion or emotional support features

Best for: People tracking SAD alongside other chronic conditions, or those who want detailed correlation analysis between weather and symptoms.

SAD-specific rating: 8/10

4. Reflectly - AI Journaling with Prompts ⭐⭐⭐

Price: $9.99/month or $59.99/year (no meaningful free version)

What it promises: AI-guided journaling that asks thoughtful questions to help process emotions.

Reality check:

• AI prompts feel scripted and repetitive after 2 weeks
• Beautiful interface, but substance doesn't match aesthetic
• Questions often feel generic, not tailored to seasonal depression
• Users report minimal difference between free and premium experiences

What works: Good for beginners who need journal prompts and find the interface motivating.

What doesn't: The AI isn't sophisticated enough to justify the price. Prompts like "What are you grateful for today?" work fine in summer but feel tone-deaf when you're deep in SAD.

Best for: Beginners wanting guided prompts who value aesthetics. Not recommended for serious SAD management.

SAD-specific rating: 5.5/10

5. Moodfit - CBT-Focused Mood Tracking ⭐⭐⭐

Price: Free basic, $59.99/year premium

What it does well:

• Evidence-based CBT techniques integrated with mood tracking
• Goal-setting tools aligned with therapy homework
• Gratitude journaling, thought challenging, and breathing exercises
• Detailed mood insights and correlations

The problem:

• Feature overload: Meditation, goals, challenges, gratitude, mood tracking, activity logging—decision fatigue is real
• Feels like homework, not support (bad when SAD drains motivation)
• Interface feels clinical and overwhelming
• Too many features mean you use none of them consistently

Best for: People actively in CBT therapy who want a companion app for homework assignments. Not ideal for SAD specifically—too much effort required when energy is low.

SAD-specific rating: 6/10

6. Sanvello - Comprehensive Mental Health Platform ⭐⭐⭐

Price: Free basic, $8.99/month or $96/year premium

What it offers:

• Mood tracking + meditation + therapy connection + community support
• Can connect with licensed therapists through the app
• Health insurance may cover premium version
• Evidence-based CBT and mindfulness content

The challenge with SAD:

• Too many features creates decision paralysis - exactly what you don't need when depressed
• Expensive if insurance doesn't cover it
• Mood tracking feels like a side feature, not the main focus
• Better as an all-in-one mental health platform than a specialized SAD tracker

Best for: People who want comprehensive mental health support and can afford premium, especially if insurance covers it.

SAD-specific rating: 6.5/10

7. Pixels Mood Tracker - Minimalist Year-in-Pixels ⭐⭐⭐

Price: Free with ads, $2.99 one-time payment to remove ads

What it does: Each day is one pixel on a yearly calendar. Color the pixel based on your mood. That's it.

Pros:

• Beautiful yearly overview - seasonal patterns are visually obvious
• Incredibly simple - takes 5 seconds per day
• No feature bloat or decision fatigue
• Inexpensive

Cons:

• Zero insights or analysis - just data collection
• No pattern recognition
• Can't track variables beyond mood
• No export options for doctors
• No support features whatsoever

Best for: Visual learners who want a simple yearly overview and don't need detailed analysis.

SAD-specific rating: 6/10

Feature Comparison Table

✅✅ = Excellent | ✅ = Good | ⚠️ = Limited | ❌ = Not available

Our Final Recommendation

For managing Seasonal Affective Disorder specifically, Lifelight edges out competitors by combining effortless daily tracking with AI-powered insights that help you understand your unique seasonal patterns.

Here's why it wins for SAD:

1. It addresses the isolation component
While Daylio offers solid data collection and Bearable excels at symptom correlation, Lifelight's conversational AI companion addresses the loneliness that compounds seasonal depression. During the dark 5-9 PM window when SAD hits hardest, having someone (or something) to talk to makes a genuine difference.

2. Low barrier to entry when motivation is gone
15-second check-ins mean you'll actually use it during depressive episodes. Bearable's detailed tracking is great in theory, but realistically, you won't log 12 variables daily when you can barely get out of bed.

3. Automatic pattern recognition
You don't have to remember to check your data—the AI proactively identifies patterns and surfaces them in weekly letters. This matters when brain fog makes self-analysis difficult.

4. Visual mood calendar optimized for seasonal patterns
Seeing September's bright colors shift to November's darker tones makes seasonal decline undeniable. This visual evidence motivates treatment-seeking behavior.

Alternative Recommendations Based on Your Needs

If you're on a tight budget: Daylio ($29.99/year) offers excellent tracking and data visualization without the premium price. You lose AI support, but if you're already in therapy and just need to collect data, it works great.

If you're tracking SAD + chronic illness: Bearable ($39.99/year) is purpose-built for correlating multiple symptoms, medications, and weather. The interface complexity is worth it if you need detailed health tracking.

If you want purely visual simplicity: Pixels ($2.99 one-time) gives you a beautiful yearly overview with zero complexity. Perfect for visual learners who don't need detailed analysis.

If you want all-in-one mental health platform: Sanvello ($96/year) combines tracking with meditation, community, and therapy access. Expensive, but comprehensive.

What We Explicitly Don't Recommend for SAD

Reflectly: The AI prompts feel shallow and repetitive. At $59.99/year, you're paying for aesthetics, not substance. The generic questions ("What are you grateful for?") don't adapt to seasonal depression's unique challenges.

Moodfit: Too many features create decision fatigue exactly when SAD drains your energy. If you're in active CBT therapy and can handle the complexity, it has value. Otherwise, you'll feel overwhelmed and quit.

The Bottom Line

If you need both mood tracking AND emotional support during the long winter months, Lifelight is worth the premium price. The combination of quick daily logging, visual pattern recognition, and conversational AI companion addresses both the data collection and isolation aspects of seasonal depression in ways pure tracking apps can't match.

That said, the "best" app depends on your specific needs:

• Best overall for SAD: Lifelight (tracking + AI support)
• Best pure tracking: Daylio (fast, excellent visualization)
• Best weather correlation: Bearable (automatic weather tracking)
• Best budget option: Pixels ($2.99 one-time, simple yearly view)
• Best for therapy integration: Moodfit (CBT tools + tracking)

The most important thing? Start tracking NOW—before winter hits and you're too deep in depression to begin. Whatever app you choose, consistent daily logging starting in September/October gives you the baseline data you need to recognize patterns and intervene early.

Your seasonal depression has a pattern. These apps help you see it.