Recovery? There’s an app for that.
Recovery apps can help, especially in early recovery. Some are free, some cost a few bucks, others are free as long as you watch periodic ads, and only some of them are helpful. I’ve listed a few here and give them a thumbs up or down. If you have any suggestions for a good one that’s not listed here, please feel free to share them with us!
The Best Free Recovery Apps
After starting your recovery, there are a lot of different ways you can maintain and track your progress. Using apps that offer a myriad of features — ranging from meditation guides to sleep trackers — can not only provide relief but also empower you in your journey to a sober, balanced life.
Here are some helpful apps for those in recovery:
- CleanTime Counter
- Nomo Sobriety Clocks
- Sober Grid
- AA 12 step App, Steps Toolbox
- AA Speakers To Go
- NA Speakers (Narcotics) NA Audiotapes
- CA Speakers Free
- Pocket Rehab
- Recovery Path – Addiction Recovery
Explore how these phone apps help in recovery by offering both a sanctuary and a roadmap for people seeking serenity and stability in sobriety.
CleanTime Counter
(free)
CleanTime Counter is a very basic, no-nonsense app that tracks your clean or sober time down to the second. No ads, no drama. For this reason, many people use it and I do too.
👍 👍 Two Thumbs up!
Recovery Path – Addiction Recovery
(free)
Recovery Path – Addiction Recovery is an app that has it all. It contains a sober clock, meeting finder, log check-ins, “toxic location” labels, and chat features to message your treatment team, family, and friends. It will also automatically contact people when you have urges to relapse. You can set goals, acquire and record skills, plan for or avoid risky events, set rewards, and track triggers, urges, and feelings. It’s a very comprehensive, and well-designed app.
👍👍 Two thumbs up!
Nomo Sobriety Clocks
(free)
Nomo Sobriety Clocks is a beautiful app, well-designed. You can set sobriety or recovery clocks, find people to talk with, get online counseling, or buy a recovery book.
👍 Thumbs up
Sober Grid
(free with in-app purchases)
Sober Grid uses the same tech as most location-based dating apps (i.e. Tinder, Grindr, Bumble), but instead, it helps you find sober people in your area. That way, it can help you connect with sober support 24/7. It tracks your recovery and has check-ins.
👍 Thumbs up
AA 12-step App, Steps Toolbox
(free with in-app purchases)
AA 12-step App, Steps Toolbox is a great tool if you’re a sponsor or sponsee in AA or CA. The complete big book, prayers, step studies, and step tracking. Downside, there are ads at the bottom of just about every page.
👍 Thumbs up
AA Speakers To Go
(free with ads)
If you want to hear audio of people speaking in an AA meeting, AA Speakers To Go is the app for you. Speakers are listed alphabetically, simply tap the heading and the recording starts. Joe and Charlie recordings, AA Big book audio version, the 12 and 12 audio version, and workshop presentations.
👍 Thumbs up
NA Speakers (Narcotics) NA Audiotapes
(free with ads)
NA Speakers (Narcotics) NA Audiotapes provides recordings of NA speakers from around the world. For those in recovery from drug use disorders, the NA Basic Text in audio form can be a lifesaver. For this reason, I think the app is helpful and straightforward.
👍 Thumbs up
CA Speakers Free
(free with ads)
The CA Speakers Free app includes audio tapes of CA speakers from all over the world. It also has the AA Big Book and the 12&12 on tape.
👍 Thumbs up
Pocket Rehab
(free)
The Pocket Rehab app includes a sober clock, meeting finder, and other resources. You can have a chat-like dialogue with sober support and a forum where you also help others by answering chats if you like.
👍 Thumbs up
The Best Paid Recovery Apps
Similar to the free recovery apps, paid recovery apps offer features that can help you maintain your sobriety.
Paid recovery apps that can help you stay sober:
If you don’t see the point in paying for a recovery app when there are several great ones you can get for free, you’re not alone. However, these apps have helped people in recovery which is what counts.
12 Steps Companion
($2.99)
12 Steps Companion is a good app and worth the price if you’re in AA or have issues with alcohol. The Big Book is there, sober calculator, and phone contacts. It’s also designed well.
👍 Thumbs up
Twenty-Four Hours a Day
($5.99)
Twenty-Four Hours a Day is a Hazelden app. There are meditations and pseudo-inspiring stuff. It may be included in treatment if you attend their 30-day inpatient with them, but for everyone else, it’s six bucks. While it’s a good app, most people in early recovery can’t afford it.
👍 Thumbs up
The Not-So-Good Apps for Recovery
Now that you have a list of helpful apps for recovery, it’s also important to know which ones are probably not worth your time. These apps may provide support for some, but most people I know (myself included) didn’t find these apps particularly helpful.
Recovery apps you can probably skip:
Sober Tool
(free)
Frankly, Sober Tool strikes me as an odd app. It was developed by some Harvard tech guy. You go on and look for a topic or pick an emotion you’re experiencing and it provides a link to an article. If you add more feedback, it spits out another article link. It was all a little cold and calculated. On top of that, it’s a little too discombobulated to be helpful.
👎 Thumbs down
I Am Sober
(free, but at what cost)
While I Am Sober is a free app, it keeps asking you to buy stuff like SOBER PLUS, these little motivation packs that spit out a list of things to do for 30 days. It also wants you to make a daily pledge which… you’re already doing without the app. While it tracks your sober time, there are a myriad of other free apps that provide the same feature and more for far less bother. Not worth your time or energy.
👎 Thumbs down
Final Thoughts on Recovery Apps
Apps and technology are already so much a part of our lives, they serve a community who has become accustomed to a time of convenience. In this type of society, where we already use our phones for everything, why not use them to help us strengthen our recovery? We hope you enjoyed this list giving you the run-down on recovery apps. Happy downloading!
Need More Help? Reach Out!
If you or someone you know is struggling with an addiction, please call us today at 877-RECOVERY or 877-732-6837. Our addiction specialists are available to take your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Because We Care.
