Apps To Track Sobriety | Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Apps

Best Sobriety Apps for Addiction Recovery

Addiction is an issue which affects hundreds of thousands of people in America. Namely, almost a million people have died in the past 20 years due to drug overdose, and countless others are still struggling. Nevertheless, addiction is so individual and complex that it requires a variety of approaches when it comes to treatment. There are some basic starting points which people struggling with addiction should not skip when it comes to therapy, whether it is alcohol or substance abuse, such as:1,2

• Behavioral therapies.
• Medications.

However, many people incorporate support groups or similar therapies as additions to their recovery. As the times are changing, and the technology is moving forward, the question of its place in the addiction recovery process has become prevalent. There are around 15,000 specialized drug treatment facilities in the US, but the demand is higher than that, and not all facilities are affordable.3 Since the goal of treatment is to be readily available when somebody needs it, there should be more options for help.1,4 One of those options which combines availability and technology are addiction recovery apps, i.e. sobriety apps.4

Their individual download count (e.g. for Sober Grid or Sober Tool) surpasses 100,000 downloads, and keeping in mind that there are numerous apps to track sobriety, it means that there are certainly more than a million people using these apps for sobriety.10,11 Their use, especially during the lockdown due to COVID19 pandemic, is on the rise and it deserves attention as a useful means for assisting addiction recovery.4

How Do Sobriety Apps Help You Stay Sober?

Sobriety apps offer some things that complement traditional treatment: they are available non-stop (whereas the regular treatment has schedules), they are tailored to individual needs (while the traditional often operates in groups) and oftentimes they are free.1,4 These are some of the ways they encourage sobriety and make it more available. 

The way these sober apps work is through multimedia: audio-visual, textual and animated content. There are many to choose from so finding the one that fits you best is not difficult. The methods the sobriety apps use are adjusted to an individual based on their usage, medical records or psychological data capture devices.4

Technology-assisted care (TAC) is not just a group of social media. It has been researched so that it makes an actual change in a person’s recovery. Some of the methods this approach uses are:4

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
• Community Reinforcement Approach.
• Motivational Enhancement.
• Screening.
• Relapse Prevention, etc.

Research has shown that automated smartphone apps may play a vital part in the future of addiction recovery, as it represents “continuing care” which is the key to staying sober even after treatment.5,6 In both of these studies, subjects who used these apps had notably fewer risky drinking days than those who did not use the apps.6

In the 21st century, the importance of digital help cannot be understated, since a lot of our time is spent on the phone. If there is one positive outcome of that for those with SUD, it is the free, 24/7 available help.

What Are The Benefits Of Sobriety Apps

As previously mentioned, technology has become an integral part of our lives and all of its aspects – even addiction recovery. The number of downloads and the engagement with sobriety apps are on the rise, as smartphones, tablets and other portable wireless devices are more widespread than ever before.7 Although apps for recovery are no substitute for medical treatment, they are a great addition to this process. 

Addiction recovery apps are currently mostly popular in the USA, and focus on tobacco and alcohol use more than on illicit drugs.7 This shows that they are still developing, but they have already improved the recovery process for many people. Some of the benefits they bring include:

• Easy access. Smart devices and access to the internet virtually anywhere are already a part of our routines. With these 2 things, sobriety apps are just a few clicks away.7
• Price. Or its lack – a lot of the apps for recovery are free of charge. Some require payment which is normally low, but there are plenty of free sober apps to choose from – making them available to anyone.7
• Privacy. There is no requirement to share personal data on these apps, meaning that you can stay completely anonymous. There is no shame in seeking help, yet there is still a lot of stigma around addiction, so those who prefer to stay anonymous can do so.7
• Availability. Sobriety apps can be used anywhere – whether you are on the go or sitting at home, on a trip or in public transport.7
• Peer support. This is one of the crucial aspects of recovery which helps with avoiding relapses.1 TAC includes the so-called community reinforcement approach, meaning that people learn how to reintegrate themselves into the society, but also to find those who relate to them.4 
• Directory and tools. Sobriety apps include various tools which help with managing addiction, such as service finders, useful numbers, alcohol content calculators, distractors in forms of games for avoiding relapse, social support, monitoring progress and many others.7

Top 10 Addiction Recovery Apps

Since their benefit for the continuing care has been proved in multiple studies, many apps have been developed with the aim of assisting recovery in the last few years.6,7 These sobriety apps are available on virtually any smartphone, either on Apple iOS or an Android Google Playstore. Some of the best-known ones are SoberTool, Sober Grid, Pear reSET and Nomo. 

These apps include a variety of services which a person in recovery might need – useful numbers for hotlines and advisors, tools such as sobriety clock (which counts your sober days), the ability to share progress with friends and many others. These tools provide available, non-stop services which can be used anywhere from your phone, meaning that you are never left on your own. This way any relapses or attempts to do so can be prevented and – it is, almost always, completely free.

Below is a list of best addiction recovery apps which you can use on your smartphone, not listed in any particular order – you should choose the one that fits your needs best.

Pear reSET

• Price: Free
• Platform: iOS, Android
• Key features: FDA approved, patient-centered, prescription needed
• reSET is a Prescription Digital Therapeutic (PDT), meaning that it is available for use only to those who are 18 or older and who have been instructed to use this app by their clinician. It is the first FDA approved app and it contains medical data about the patient, as well as many features (lessons, compliance awards etc.) which help you on the road to recovery. It is based on cognitive treatment but not a substitute for actual therapy.8 

Nomo

• Price: Free
• Platform: iOS, Android
• Key features: sobriety clock, accountability partners, journals
• Nomo stands for – It’s time to say no more! It is a sobriety app created by a man who himself struggled with addiction and created something he thought was missing on the market. Therefore it comes from a person who understands the issue thoroughly. The sobriety clocks are there to track your sober days, but also anything else you choose. You can customize and share them with your partners with whom you can also share your progress. Lastly, there is a refocus feature which helps you avoid relapse in a time of crisis.9

Sober Grid

• Price: Free
• Platform: iOS, Android
• Key features: online community, digital library with mental health resources, monitoring progress
• This sobriety app is intended for anyone struggling with SUD, at any point of their journey. Its goal is to connect people with the intention of them exchanging their experiences and helping one another. It functions like many other social media, but has a different aim and provides a safe environment for those with SUD. Sober Grid contains a library of free resources on mental health which can aid your recovery.10

Sober Tool 

• Price: Free
• Platform: iOS, Android
• Key features: rewards, motivational messages, avoiding relapse
• This is an anonymous app created by an expert in the field of addiction. It focuses on the avoidance of relapse. If you feel like taking alcohol or substances, you should open this app and it will guide you through the steps necessary to deal with the issue at hand. There are automatic messages that you can receive daily that help with your motivation to stay sober. Since it is free and easy to access, it can be used regardless of therapy, but it is also gaining momentum among medical facilities and 12-step programs.11

WEconnect

• Price: Free
• Platform: iOS, Android
• Key features: peer support, positive reinforcement, sobriety trackers
• Its founders are still in recovery, which means that they know the struggle inside out. There are 8+ daily meetings which are led by the so-called Peers, i.e. people who have recovered and have this experience. There is an option to have one-on-one meetings with peers. The app is based on positive reinforcement as a behavioral treatment which is thought to be one of the best ways to assist the recovery from SUD. 88% of those who have used WEconnect claimed to be abstinent after 6 months of app use.12

R-Tribe

• Price: Free
• Platform: iOS, Android
• Key features: daily check-ins, progress trackers, option to have a coach
• Four Streams by R-Tribe is an app created with the goal of recovering from any type of addiction and getting help in just a few clicks. This app features daily check-ins, meaning that you will have habit trackers and be able to hold yourself accountable for your actions. By setting goals and sharing them with fellow members, you get to grow and make progress. All the practices are scientifically checked.13 

Quitzilla

• Price: Free
• Platform: iOS, Android
• Key features: diary, statistics, motivational messages
• Quitzilla is a free sobriety app which lets you follow your progress via various statistics. You can keep a diary, share data and get daily motivational messages. By setting your own milestones, you get the feeling of accomplishment when you reach your goal, and you get the opportunity to help yourself quit any addiction – whether it is alcohol, substance abuse, pornography or anything else. This makes it one of the best free apps used for recovery.14

 I Am Sober

• Price: Free
• Platform: iOS, Android
• Key features: habit and sobriety trackers, peer support
• Sobriety trackers are a common feature of apps for recovery, yet this one is very user-friendly and adds an interesting piece of information – how much money you have saved over the course of your sobriety. The numbers speak for themselves: over 13 million people have tracked their journeys, almost 6 million stories have been told and astounding 58 million of daily pledges have been made.15 

Pink Cloud

• Price: Free trial – 30 days, 0.99$ per month, 9.99$ per year
• Platform: iOS, Android
• Key features: AA, NA, CMA & Al-Anon meeting finders, sobriety tracker
• Pink Cloud is another app for sobriety, yet, unlike the previous ones, it focuses on finding 12-step meetings, whether they are AA, NA etc. It searches a pool of 250,000 meetings and suggests the most suitable ones. There is also the option to find and attend online meetings. The app is anonymous and keeps your data safe. It is not free, yet the price is also quite affordable.16

24 hours a day: Daily Recovery

• Price: Free
• Platform: iOS, Android
• Key features: daily meditations
• This app offers daily thoughts, prayers and meditations for those in recovery from alcohol or drug addiction, who find comfort in words of wisdom.19

How to Get Help For Addiction From Resources like Sober Apps?

Sober apps are an innovative, portable and successful addition to your addiction treatment and journey toward sober life. Due to the limited access to SUD treatment, either because of distance from facilities, their capacities or cost, sobriety apps offer a great and available starting point, which can be used in continuing care as well.4

However, it is important to keep in mind that they cannot and should not replace medical treatment. Many facilities nowadays recommend them, but only as an extra help to the main recovery. This is why you should seek medical help first.

American Addiction Centers offer the help you need, and all you need to do is contact us and our professional admissions navigators will instruct you further on the nearest facilities, payment options and verify your insurance for you. So if you or your loved one are struggling, call us or any other hotline, such as:

• SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-487-4889 – a free service available 24/7 where navigators speak both English and Spanish.17
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-888-628-9454 – a free and private line for those in need.18

Don’t hesitate and seek help at AAC on .

What is the best sober app?

Everyone’s road to recovery is individual and so is the choice of sobriety apps – pear reSET is the only FDA approved one, WeConnect focuses on peers who have experienced addiction and Pink Cloud is aimed at finding a 12-step program for you. Anything that suits you, if combined with treatment, is the best one.