I Am Sober

What it does

I Am Sober is a motivational companion for tracking sobriety and overcoming addiction. The app helps users monitor their progress with a detailed sobriety clock, log urges and identify triggers, and connect with a supportive community of others on similar journeys. It also includes daily pledges, motivational content, and workbooks to guide users through the recovery process.

Where it shines

I Am Sober excels at blending compassionate design with powerful psychological tools. The onboarding (00:03) is a masterclass in building commitment, asking deep questions about motivation and identity before ever showing a paywall. The app's handling of a relapse is another high point. Instead of a simple reset, it guides the user through a reflective process at 05:25, reframing a setback as a learning opportunity. Finally, the 'Log Urge' feature (04:35) provides an immediate, interactive coping exercise, offering real help in a moment of crisis.

UX highlights

Identity-based onboarding: Asks users to define who they want to become (00:44), anchoring their goal to a positive new identity.
Celebratory milestones: The app creates a shareable countdown video for milestones (02:53), turning personal progress into a celebratory social moment.
Interactive coping tools: Instead of just tracking an urge, the app provides a guided mindfulness exercise to actively help the user overcome it (04:36).
Structured relapse logging: Reframes resetting a streak as a data-driven reflection rather than a moment of failure (05:25).
Layered community: Users can engage in a broad public community (11:04) or create their own private support groups for a more intimate experience (12:38).
Customizable motivation: Users can add multiple personal reasons for their journey, including text and photos, keeping their core motivation front and center (07:13).

Monetization & growth

The app presents its subscription offer after a lengthy and highly personal onboarding quiz. This soft paywall (01:35) appears when the user is most invested. The paywall itself leverages social proof, displaying user testimonials and a high star rating. The offer is a yearly plan with a 7-day free trial, framed with a '67% Savings' tag to emphasize value. After subscribing, a polished tour (02:04) immediately reinforces the benefits of the premium plan.

Who it’s for

The app is clearly for individuals actively seeking to overcome an addiction, ranging from alcohol and nicotine to behaviors like self-harm. Its deep, reflective nature is suited for users who are ready to engage in self-work and desire both personal tracking tools and a sense of community. The design is inclusive and supportive, making it accessible to those at any stage of their recovery journey.

Notes & opportunities

The app does an excellent job of building a supportive environment. However, the initial onboarding is quite long. While this likely filters for committed users, it could be a point of friction for those who are more tentative. The main dashboard is clear, but the relationship between the daily pledge, review, and workbook could be more integrated. For instance, the day's review could automatically pull in workbook entries to create a more cohesive daily summary.