Sunnyside is an alcohol-tracking app that helps users build healthier drinking habits. Sunnyside provides support from both AI chatbots and human coaches via text message. The bots remind you to log daily alcohol intake, while human coaches offer personalized tips and guidance. Sunnyside is only available through Apple, costs $12.00 monthly, $29.00 every three months, or $99.00 annually, and includes a 14-day free trial.
Rating of the Sunnyside App
I have dedicated a considerable amount of time and attention personally using and reviewing each mindful drinking app to ensure that consumers are getting the information they need to make confident purchases. I’ve conducted hours of research on mindful drinking, alcohol tracking systems, and the sober curious movement to identify the most important elements that should be available in each app. Sunnyside is a fantastic app for personal support on your mindful drinking journey, which is why it earned 5 out of 5 stars in our 1:1 Support Options category. However, because Sunnyside is a fairly new company and we’re still monitoring its success, it only earned 3.5 stars in our Reliability & Longevity category.
Pros & Cons of the Sunnyside App
The Sunnyside app provides easy-to-use tracking tools and one-on-one motivational coaching via text message to help users curb alcohol and build healthier drinking habits. It offers an extensive 14-day free trial to help new members become familiar with their tracking method before purchasing a subscription. Unfortunately, the app is currently only available to Apple users.
How to Sign Up for Sunnyside
You can sign up for Sunnyside by going to the Apple App Store or visiting the Sunnyside website.
What Is Sunnyside?
Sunnyside is an alcohol-tracking app that helps users practice mindful drinking. Sunnyside provides support via text messages from human coaches and bots that remind you to log daily drinks. The app also features a progress tab that highlights stats and milestones. Sunnyside is only available through Apple, costs $12.00 monthly, $29.00 every three months, or $99.00 annually, and includes a 14-day free trial.
Sunnyside aims to help users become more aware of their alcohol intake by using an alcohol-tracking method. The onboarding process begins with an extensive questionnaire addressing your drinking habits. It’ll ask you to enter the number of drinks you typically consume each day of the week. You’ll also answer questions about your personal goals, like if you want to avoid drinking on certain days of the week or reduce the number of drinks on heavy drinking days.
When the questionnaire is complete, you’ll receive a text message from a Sunnyside Coach to verify your subscription and phone number. After your number is confirmed and your Sunnyside contact is saved, you’ll accept your first “mission,” which is to track all your drinks for one week. The first week doesn’t include goals or targets; it’s simply the first step in building an alcohol-tracking habit. Sunnyside wants you to be honest about your alcohol consumption in the first week so they can better understand your general drinking habits. They use this data as a baseline to build goals and help you gradually reduce the number of drinks you have per day.
Users can track their alcohol intake in one of two ways. You can text your coach directly when you have a drink by using numbers or drink emojis (e.g., a glass of wine, beer, or cocktail image), or you can enter the number of drinks on the tracking tool in the app. After your first week of tracking, you’ll gain access to your personalized progress dashboard, which tracks statistics, like money or calories saved, and significant milestones. You’ll also start to receive text messages from the Sunnyside chatbot that shows your target limit for each day for the following week. For instance, if you had four drinks on the Monday of your first week, your limit for the Monday of the following week might be three drinks.
While much of the tracking communication takes place with the Sunnyside bot, the human coaches can be reached upon request. For example, you can text, “I need motivation,” or “I’m worried about abstaining at a social event,” and a human coach will respond within a few hours. Your coach will provide advice, tips, or reading materials relevant to your challenges.
Besides the tracking tool and progress dashboard, the only other feature on the Sunnyside app is the “Rewards” tab. At first glance, I thought this might be a gamification strategy to help you stay motivated, like how users earn coins on the Reframe app when they achieve goals. However, this is just a way to refer friends to Sunnyside. Inviting friends to join Sunnyside through a unique code can unlock mindful drinking gifts, such as mocktails or hangover aids.
Who Is Sunnyside Right For?
Sunnyside is a helpful app for anyone who is “sober curious,” which means you’re not managing Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) or in addiction recovery, but you’d like to practice mindful drinking. It’s also a great choice for those who need more accountability and those preparing for sober challenges like “Dry January” or “Sober October.”
Sober Curious
It’s clear that the sober curious movement has been gaining traction over the last few years, especially with the emergence of new apps aiming to help users practice mindful drinking. Sunnyside certainly falls into this category and can be an excellent resource for anyone hoping to gradually cut back and discover if drinking less can benefit their mental and physical health.
Need Accountability
With Sunnyside, sharing your drinking habits and experiences with the coaches and chatbots via text message is the foundation of their entire approach. The chatbots and coaches do daily check-ins to remind you to log each drink, boosting accountability and encouraging commitment to track alcohol intake.
Prepping for a Sober Challenge
If you’re a daily drinker gearing up to participate in a sober challenge like “Dry January,” Sunnyside is an ideal place to start. Before giving up alcohol altogether, Sunnyside asks you to track all of the drinks you would typically consume for one week, then you gradually set realistic goals to lower your number of drinks per day. This method can help drinkers become more aware of current habits and gain a sense of control over their drinking before beginning a sober challenge.
Who May Want an Alternative to Sunnyside?
While Sunnyside can be a useful tool for tracking alcohol intake, it is not designed for those with Alcohol Use Disorder. There are also better options for anyone looking for peer support or more coping tools and educational materials on the impacts of alcohol on the mind and body.
Those with Alcohol Use Disorder
Sunnyside states on its website that the app is not for users battling Alcohol Use Disorder. If alcohol is controlling your life and you believe you can benefit from treatment, there are many online and in-person programs out there that can help. For instance, Cerebral is a telehealth platform available in many states that supports those with AUD. You can also find therapists specializing in treating AUD in your area by using our online therapist directory.
Check out our in-depth review of Cerebral to learn more about its resources.
People that Need More Tools & Resources
The Sunnyside app is extremely limited in extra tools and educational resources, which is why it only earned 3.5 stars in our Additional Tools and Resources category in our scoring criteria. There are some helpful blog articles, but beyond that, you’re solely focused on tracking drinks, texting with your Sunnyside coach/bot, and setting new goals. If you’d like an app that provides lessons on the science of drinking and other tools, like meditations, breathing exercises, and games — again, Reframe is a much better choice. Reframe has a 17-module science-based program with a wide variety of coping tools and resources.
What Users Are Saying About the Sunnyside App
Sunnyside has 4.8 out of 5 stars from 205 reviews in the Apple App Store. Many of the reviewers said they love interacting with the coaches because their feedback is always constructive and positive. Users also like that the app promotes mindful drinking over abstinence. Unfortunately, quite a few mentioned glitches with the chatbots, and some claimed the app is simply a glorified notebook.
Feedback Is Constructive & Positive
It can be quite humbling to text someone the number of drinks you’ve had in a given day, especially if that number is higher than you’d like it to be. Thankfully, several reviewers stated that they never felt judged or criticized when they logged drinks, even on days when they exceeded their daily limit. At first, I was also hesitant to log drinks, wondering if a bot or coach would scold me for reaching for another cocktail on a Friday night. However, the responses were always positive, inspiring, and supportive.
Promotes Mindful Drinking Over Complete Abstinence
Many reviewers mentioned that they were grateful for finding an app that promoted mindful drinking over quitting altogether. Even when you go over your daily targets, Sunnyside coaches remind you that the goal is being aware of how much you’ve consumed and how it makes you feel, not punishing yourself for having an extra drink.
Issues with Text Bot After Cancelation
A few users expressed frustration with the text bot after canceling their subscription. Even though they deleted their account and the app, the Sunnyside bot would still text them with drink log requests after unsubscribing. Co-founder Ian Andersen reached out to Choosing Therapy to let us know that this only happens to a small number of users and these issues can be resolved quickly.
Just Get a Notebook
Since Sunnyside’s main feature is to get you to track your alcohol intake, some users stated that you could accomplish this with a pen and a notebook. To be honest, I initially thought the same thing. Why do I need an app when I can just write this down and keep track of it myself? Now that I’ve had more experience with the apps and the coaches, it’s clear that a notebook can’t provide the level of support and accountability you get with Sunnyside, but I can see how the app’s sole focus on alcohol tracking can seem limited.
How Much Does Sunnyside Cost?
The Sunnyside app costs $12.00 monthly, $29.00 every three months, or $99.00 annually, and includes a 14-day free trial. Because of Sunnyside’s affordable pricing and extensive 14-day free trial, it earned 5 out of 5 stars in our Cost category in our scoring criteria.
Sunnyside Key Features
Sunnyside is an alcohol-reduction app that helps users practice mindful drinking by building tracking habits. Users are connected with human coaches and chatbots via text message to help track daily drinks and receive support on more challenging days. The Sunnyside app is only available on Apple devices, costs $12.00 monthly, $29.00 every three months, or $99.00 annually, and includes a 14-day free trial.
How To Get Started With Sunnyside
You can get started with the Sunnyside app by going to the Apple App Store or by visiting the Sunnyside website. Once you download the app, you’ll follow these steps to start tracking your drinks:
- Download the app from the Apple App Store
- Choose “Get Started”
- Enter your Name
- Choose your number one goal for improving your drinking habits
- Review the Sunnyside introduction infographic carousel
- Answer the questions about your drinking habits and enter how many drinks you typically have per day
- Verify your number with your Sunnyside coach via text and save them as a contact
- Begin tracking your daily drinks
Text Message Tracking & Support
The main feature of Sunnyside isn’t a tool or function within the app, it’s primarily the text message communication with the bot and human coaches. In fact, so much of the alcohol tracking and support happened via text message that I rarely opened the app. Basically, Sunnyside is all about building alcohol-tracking habits to change behaviors, and they believe the best way to do that is through reminders and personalized coaching through one of the most common means of communication – text messages. This personal coaching feature is what helped Sunnyside earn 5 out of 5 stars in our 1:1 Support Options category in our grading criteria.
Even though this may seem overly simplified, it can be practical. I wasn’t constantly getting notifications reminding me to go to the app to complete a task. I typically received a text message in the afternoon reminding me to log my drinks, then I would receive a text the following morning to confirm the number of drinks I had the night before. The alcohol-tracking mostly takes place with you and the bot, but human coaches will respond upon request, or randomly send you a text to let you know they’re there if you need them.
I reached out to a coach at one point because I was going to be attending holiday parties, and I was nervous about how I would limit myself to just one drink since I often depend on alcohol as a crutch in social situations. Within an hour, a coach wrote me back and shared some tips on successfully getting through those parties without drinking too much. For instance, I can arrive at the party with a coffee or tea in hand, just so I have the comfort of something to sip on while others are drinking.
Sunnyside’s human coaches go through an internal certification and training process so they’re equipped to provide the support and guidance that users need in challenging situations. They’re also trained to respond and create action plans for those facing more serious situations with alcohol abuse.
Progress Dashboard
One of the only reasons to open the app is to check your progress dashboard. This is where you’ll find stats and significant milestones, like how much money you’ve saved or how many dry days you’ve collected in a month. The progress dashboard can be a great source of motivation to stay on track and possibly even make more long-term goals.
Sunnyside Vs. Competitors
Sunnyside isn’t the only app out there that advocates the sober curious movement. There are other apps that provide support and guidance for users who want to cut back or quit drinking as a lifestyle change. Below you’ll find a few head-to-head comparisons between Sunnyside and its competitors
Sunnyside Vs. Reframe
Reframe and Sunnyside have a lot of similarities, but also some significant differences. They both aim to build alcohol-tracking habits through a personalized support system, and they both warn that the apps shouldn’t be used to treat Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Reframe is a little more expensive, with subscriptions costing $24.99 monthly or $119.99 annually.
While some might be turned off by Reframe’s price tag, you do receive a comprehensive alcohol-reducing program with this app. Reframe offers a 17-module educational program, a rewards-based system, and peer support through community forums. Users also have the option to receive one-on-one support from a Reframe coach in their premium plan, with subscriptions starting at $99.99.
If you’re budget conscious and looking for a simple alcohol-tracking system, Sunnyside is a great choice. However, Reframe is really the superior app in the sober-conscious world. Its daily program provides lessons on the science behind drinking, which helps users gain a better understanding of why they drink and how it affects the mind and body.
Sunnyside Vs. DrinkControl
DrinkControl is also labeled as an alcohol-tracker app, but it lacks the one-on-one support that Sunnyside provides through its coaches’ text messages. DrinkControl makes it very easy to log daily spirits and track progress. It also has a “Stats” tab that allows you to see how many calories you’ve avoided and how much money you’ve saved. DrinkControl is free, so it’s a great place to start if you’re curious about your drinking habits and want to start monitoring your intake. However, if you feel you need more support and accountability, Sunnyside is a better option.
History of Sunnyside
Sunnyside was co-founded in 2020 by Nick Allen and Ian Andersen. The company was originally named “Cutback Coach,” and in a rebranding campaign in December of 2021, the app was relaunched as Sunnyside. Co-founder and CEO Allen explained that they wanted to create an app that promoted mindful drinking to help combat the rise of stress-drinking that developed throughout the pandemic. 1
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Cancel My Sunnyside Subscription?
To cancel your Sunnyside membership, log in to your account on the Sunnyside website and click “Manage Subscription,” then click “Cancel.” You can also text “STOP” to your Sunnyside number and follow the prompts provided.
Does Sunnyside Offer Refunds?
Sunnyside does offer refunds and encourages users to contact the support team if they feel their credit card was charged without a purchase of a subscription plan. Please visit Sunnyside’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy for more information.
Final Verdict
Sunnyside can help you practice mindful drinking and be more aware of your alcohol intake. However, it’s not the first app I would recommend if your intention is to take a hard look at your relationship with drinking. Many users can benefit from exploring why they drink, their triggers, and the psychological and physical effects of alcohol. Reframe is a much better choice if you’re interested in taking a deep dive into your drinking habits. While Reframe is a bit more costly, with subscriptions at $24.99 monthly or $119.99 annually, it does provide the educational components that Sunnyside is missing.
