Recovery guide

Free recovery apps vs. paid: what you get

Yes, free recovery support exists. Here is what free options usually cover, what paid apps may add, and what to check before a trial renews.

Money should not stand between you and support. Plenty of recovery support costs nothing, and a paid app is never required to recover. A paid app may still be worth it if it gives you something you will really use, so the useful question is what each option includes.

What you can get for free

• Free apps and free tiers. Some recovery apps offer free versions. Check each current listing, because features and limits can change.
• Peer support groups. SMART Recovery describes free groups in person and online. In The Rooms describes itself as a free online recovery tool. See support when you can’t get to meetings for more options.
• Treatment referrals. SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, is free, confidential, and open 24/7.
• Guides and skills. The recovery guides on this site are free without an account, including urge surfing and grounding.
• Paper. A notebook and a daily check-in routine cost very little. Here is how a journal compares with an app.

What paid apps may add

This varies by app, so treat it as a list of things to check rather than a promise. Paid plans may include:

• Coaching, including AI coaching with usage limits
• Longer history, charts, and insights
• More tracked habits or communities
• Tools for connecting with sponsors or mentors

A clinical program is a separate category. Licensed care may be billed to insurance, and it is different from a consumer subscription.

How to compare the real cost

1. List what you would use each week. Ignore features you would never open.
2. Check what happens after the trial. Look for the billing date, the renewal price, and which features stop working.
3. Ask how a free app pays for itself. It might use subscriptions, sponsors, or advertising. Read the privacy questions with that in mind.
4. Set a reminder before any renewal. Deleting an app may not cancel its subscription. Apple and Google Play publish the steps for canceling.
5. Remember that a price proves nothing. NIMH says some apps can lower costs, and also that no industry-wide standards exist for evaluating them.

Where My Recovery Support fits

My Recovery Support is coming soon for iOS and Android. Sponsoring will be free: when the app launches, sponsor-only accounts will have free access to requests, sponsees, messages with sponsees, and their sponsor profile. It is not free for members. New accounts include a 7-day trial. The app presents monthly and annual plan options during onboarding, so review the store trial eligibility, billing date, and renewal terms before confirming a purchase. During the account trial, Recovery Coach replies are limited to 8 per day and 30 total.

Planned membership is $9.99 a month or $79.99 a year, and final store pricing and terms will be shown before you subscribe. Paid subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled through the App Store or Google Play.

If a paid plan is not right for you, that is a fair decision. The free options above are real support, and the guides here stay free.

This guide shares general recovery information and is not medical advice or a substitute for professional care. My Recovery Support is supportive technology, not emergency or clinical care. If you are in immediate danger, contact local emergency services or call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).