Addiction recovery is a lifelong process that can present new challenges every day. While an addiction recovery app should never replace substance use disorder treatment, an app can supply you with extra tools and resources when trying to remain sober. Below you’ll find a list of the best addiction recovery apps of 2023 to help you find the right one.
How Addiction Recovery Apps Can Help
Addiction recovery apps can provide motivation, inspiration, accountability, and help you expand your support system. Many addiction recovery apps are designed and used by those with personal experience in recovery, allowing them to create key features that target common challenges. Some apps also offer the option of one-on-one coaching or counseling with an addiction treatment specialist. While some apps require a monthly or annual subscription, many are free to download and easy to use.
Best Addiction Recovery Apps of 2023
Here’s our list of the seven best addiction recovery apps of 2023. Each is classified by its stand-out feature to help you choose the right app for you.
- Best Overall Addiction Recovery App – I Am Sober
- Best App to Access Meetings – WeConnect
- Best Sobriety Clock – Quitzilla
- Best Free Addiction Recovery App – Nomo
- Best CBT Addiction Recovery App – Recovery Path
- Best Educational Tools – SMART Recovery
- Best for Medication-Assisted Treatment – Workit Health
Here’s a complete list of companies reviewed in this article listed in alphabetical order: I Am Sober, Nomo, Quitzilla, Recovery Path, SMART Recovery, WeConnect, Workit Health
Best Addiction Recovery Apps
Best Overall Addiction Recovery App – I Am Sober
I Am Sober is an impressive addiction recovery app that provides multiple motivational tools, a community connection, and a sobriety tracking system. The I Am Sober App offers many features for free, or you can upgrade to I Am Sober Plus to create private support groups and unlock additional resources. An I Am Sober Plus subscription costs $9.99 monthly or $119.88 annually.
How Much Does I Am Sober Cost?
Many I Am Sober features are free, or you can upgrade to I Am Sober Plus for $9.99 monthly or $119.88 annually.
Pros & Cons of I Am Sober
I Am Sober Key Features
The I Am Sober app checks a lot of essential boxes when it comes to addiction recovery support. I Am Sober earns Overall Best Addiction Recovery App because it provides motivational messages, tracks sobriety, and connects you with a community of people struggling with the same addiction. You can also upgrade to I Am Sober Plus to unlock unlimited resources and create private recovery support groups.
I Am Sober allows you to track two addictions in the free version and up to ten addictions in the premium version. At registration, you’ll enter your specific addiction and how many days you’ve been sober. The app immediately groups you into a community message board with other users facing the same addiction, such as alcohol, drugs, nicotine, video games, sex, or social media. Your community board also includes members that share your same sober date, which helps you connect through similar recovery experiences and challenges.
Each day on the “Today” tab, the app will ask about your mood, behaviors, and if you stayed sober. There’s also a notetaking space where you can write journal-like entries after each self-assessment. These tracking features can help you learn more about yourself and what behaviors, thoughts, and emotions spark cravings or lead to relapses.
For more information about what the premium version offers, you can read our in-depth review of I Am Sober.
If you need one-on-one help, you can click on the “Support” tab to connect with a BetterHelp therapist at a 20% discount. To learn more about how subscriptions and payments work with BetterHelp, you can read our comprehensive review of BetterHelp.
How to Sign Up for the I Am Sober App
You can sign up for the I Am Sober app by downloading it from the Apple App Store, the Google Play Store, or by visiting the I Am Sober website.
Best App to Access Meetings – WeConnect
WeConnect is an addiction recovery app that helps users build self-care routines and provides unlimited access to virtual meetings via Zoom for free. WeConnect also offers one-on-one coaching and wellness planning with recovery support specialists for $40.00 monthly or $350.00 annually. Some insurance plans are accepted.
How Much Does the WeConnect Recovery App Cost?
WeConnect offers a basic free version and a premium version for $40.00 monthly or $350.00 annually. WeConnect accepts some insurance forms, so overall costs may be less.
What Insurance Does WeConnect Accept?
To find out if WeConnect accepts your insurance, download the app and enter your insurance provider and member ID number.
Pros & Cons of the WeConnect App
WeConnect Key Features
WeConnect gives you unlimited access to recovery meetings at no cost, which is why it earned our award for Best App to Access Meetings. Studies show that there are significant benefits to attending recovery meetings with peers.1
Sharing personal stories, challenges, and milestones, as well as listening to others’ experiences in recovery can provide a safe space for empathy and accountability.
General support meetings are offered from 7 am to 11 pm throughout the day in all time zones, with special meetings for specific groups and topics provided at least once daily. General support meetings have a theme, like forgiveness or gratitude, which helps guide the conversation in a productive direction. Examples of specialty meetings include sessions that are created for women, veterans, mothers, and the LGBTQIA+ community. Some specialty meetings also focus on issues, such as reducing self-harm or grief support.
Meetings are hosted by peer support specialists with personal experience in addiction recovery. These hosts provide guidelines and best practices before each meeting. For instance, they’ll explain when it’s time to share, how it’s important not to judge other members, and why you should ask permission before providing feedback to others. Those who feel they need extra support beyond meetings can access one-on-one daily peer support services and wellness planning when they upgrade to the WeConnect premium version.
How to Sign Up for the WeConnect Recovery App
You can sign up for the WeConnect app by downloading it from the Apple App Store, the Google Play Store, or by visiting the WeConnect website.
Best Sobriety Tracker – Quitzilla
Quitzilla is an app that helps you track your sobriety and stay motivated throughout recovery. It tracks sober days, hours, minutes, and seconds, as well as other statistics, like money or time saved while abstaining from addictions or other bad habits. You can track two addictions in the free version, or track unlimited habits in the premium version. Upgrading to Quitzilla premium costs $2.99 monthly or $19.99 annually.
How Much Does Quitzilla Cost?
Quitzilla offers multiple tools and the ability to track two addictions in the free version. You can upgrade to Quitzilla premium for $2.99 monthly or $19.99 annually to unlock unlimited tracking and additional customization features.
Pros & Cons of Quitzilla
Quitzilla Key Features
Quitzilla makes it easy to track your sobriety with its addiction monitoring features, which is why it earned the award for Best Sobriety Tracking App. Once you enter your addiction and sober date, the clock immediately starts tracking how many days, hours, minutes, and seconds you remain sober. It also tracks time and money saved so you can instantly see what you’re gaining throughout recovery.
The Quitzilla app includes daily motivational messages and a diary section so you can keep track of thoughts, feelings, people, environments, and experiences that impact your sobriety. You can set your own goals, like staying sober for 24 hours, five days, or one year. Once you reach a milestone, you can instantly share your accomplishments. By tapping the “Share Progress” button, Quitzilla can send a customized text message to anyone in your contacts.
How to Sign Up for the Quitzilla App
You can sign up for Quitzilla by downloading it from the Apple App Store, the Google Play Store, or by visiting the Quitzilla website.
Best Free Addiction Recovery App – Nomo
Nomo is an addiction recovery app that provides a sobriety day tracker, journaling space, and tools to fight cravings. Nomo also allows you to connect with other Nomo members that share your same addiction. Nomo is completely free to use, but they encourage users to make donations.
How Much Does Nomo Cost?
Nomo is free to join. However, the company does accept donations.
Pros & Cons of Nomo
Nomo Key Features
Nomo is an addiction recovery app that provides several essential tools and resources at no cost, earning it our award for Best Free Addiction Recovery App. Nomo allows you to track unlimited habits or addictions with sobriety clocks. You can give each “clock” a name and customize the tracking metrics. For instance, you can also track time or money saved when abstaining from your addiction. Nomo then provides badges for reaching milestones, like 30 days sober.
In addition to unlimited sobriety clocks, Nomo has a “Journal” section for monitoring things like mood, sleep quality, and triggers. There’s also a “Refocus” tab with games to distract you during cravings, and a “Resources” section that provides lists of helpful books, blogs, and websites that address various addictions and mental health issues. There’s even an option to connect with “Partners” – other Nomo members who share your same addiction.
How to Sign Up for the Nomo App
You can sign up for Nomo by downloading it from the Apple App Store, the Google Play Store, or by visiting the Nomo website.
Best CBT Addiction Recovery App – Recovery Path
The Recovery Path app provides evidence-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques to help transform addictive behaviors. The app also includes motivational messages, a notetaking section to log thoughts, feelings, triggers, and cravings, and the ability to link your account with a sponsor, friend, family member, or anyone in your support system. Recovery Path is completely free to download and join.
How Much Does Recovery Path Cost?
Recovery Path is free to join.
Pros & Cons of Recovery Path
Recovery Path Key Features
Recovery Path is an addiction recovery app that utilizes CBT methods to help combat substance use disorder. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a form of therapy that aims to modify thoughts and behaviors in order to improve psychological functioning. CBT has been proven to enhance mood, curb depression, decrease anxiety, and treat substance use disorders.2 Recovery Path can act as an excellent introduction to CBT techniques and how they can help you change thoughts, emotions, and behaviors connected to substance abuse.
An example of a CBT exercise from Recovery Path is the “Ambivalence” activity I completed during one of my check-ins. I went through a series of workbook-style questions that examined any ambivalence I have toward quitting an addiction. For instance, I was asked to write down the positives and the negatives of having alcohol in my life, the benefits of quitting drinking entirely, and what I will miss about drinking. I was able to see how much more significant my reasons for quitting were in comparison to my reasons for continuing to drink.
How to Sign Up for the Recovery Path App
You can sign up for the Recovery Path app by downloading it from the Apple App Store, the Google Play Store, or by visiting the Recovery Path website.
Best Educational Tools – SMART Recovery
SMART Recovery is an app designed to equip those in recovery with educational, therapeutic, and motivational reading materials that support sobriety. The app also includes a wide variety of videos and podcasts that feature inspirational discussions from authors, educators, mental health professionals, and more. The SMART Recovery app is free to download and use, but the company encourages members to make donations.
How Much Does SMART Recovery Cost?
SMART Recovery is free to download, but the company does accept donations.
Pros & Cons of SMART Recovery
SMART Recovery Key Features
The SMART Recovery app provides an impressive amount of resources in text, audio, and video format that cover a wide range of topics to help those in recovery, which is why it earned our award for the addiction recovery app with the Best Educational Tools. SMART Recovery is like carrying around a small library of materials that support your sobriety.
The “Toolbox” includes videos, worksheets, and brief summaries of various theories and methods that can help you better understand your addiction. Lessons include topics like Cost-Benefit Analysis, Goal Setting, and Unconditional Self-Acceptance. SMART Recovery’s podcasts, which can be found on the “Insight” tab, include enlightening discussions with those who have personal experiences in recovery. They cover subjects like medication treatment programs, triggers, recovery methods, common obstacles, and much more.
How to Sign Up for the SMART Recovery App
You can sign up for the SMART Recovery App by downloading it from the Apple App Store, the Google Play Store, or by visiting the SMART Recovery website.
Best for Medication Assisted Treatment – Workit Health
Workit Health is an app and online platform that offers medication assisted treatment (MAT) in select states for several forms of addiction. It also treats co-occurring mental health issues with addiction, such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Cost of your Workit Health treatment program will vary depending on your state and insurance provider.
How Much Does Workit Health Cost?
The cost of medication assisted treatment with Workit Health will depend on your location and your insurance plan. Workit Health serves the following states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.
Does Workit Health Accept Insurance?
Yes, Workit Health accepts many major insurance plans.
Pros & Cons of Workit Health
Workit Health Key Features
Workit Health offers FDA approved medication to treat several different forms of addiction, including alcohol, opioids, meth, and cocaine. You begin the process by answering a questionnaire about your addiction and personal goals. Next, you’ll attend an online orientation where you’ll meet your support care team and learn more about how Workit Health works. Finally, you’ll have an appointment with a medical provider to learn if medication is right for you.
Workit Health also provides medication and support for co-occurring mental health issues, which can be very common with substance use disorders. For instance, if you’re struggling with depression or anxiety as well as an addiction, Workit Health might be an excellent option for you. While they only offer medication assistance in select states, you can sign up for online coaching for a wide variety of addictions from anywhere in the U.S.. Workit Health offers online coaching for gambling, sex, porn, drugs, smoking, disordered eating, and more.
How to Sign Up for Workit Health
You can sign up for Workit Health by downloading the app from the Apple App Store, the Google Play Store, or by visiting the Workit Health website.
| App Name | Cost | Award |
|---|---|---|
| I Am Sober | Free Basic Version Premium Version $9.99 Monthly $119.88 Annually | Overall Best Addiction Recovery App |
| WeConnect | Free Basic Version Premium Version $40.00 Monthly $350.00 Annually *accepts some forms of insurance | Best App to Access Meetings |
| Quitzilla | Free Basic Version Premium Version $2.99 Monthly $19.99 Annually | Best Sobriety Clock |
| Nomo | Free **Accepts Donations | Best Free Addiction Recovery App |
| Recovery Path | Free | Best CBT Addiction Recovery App |
| SMART Recovery | Free **Accepts Donations | Best Educational Tools for Recovery |
| Workit Health | Depends on your state and insurance provider | Best for Medication Assisted Treatment |
Final Verdict
If you’re looking for one-on-one coaching, easy access to virtual recovery meetings, community message boards, or motivational tools, an addiction recovery app may be an excellent addition to your sobriety support system. Be sure to review all of the key features of the apps in our list so you can find one that focuses on your personal needs throughout recovery. However, if you feel you need additional help from a therapist, check out our online therapist directory to find a mental health professional that specializes in addiction recovery in your area.
