Thrive at UT vs Plain Water
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Thrive at UT
This app supports University of Texas students in navigating campus life. It offers guidance on friendships, mindfulness, and challenges through videos and interactive activities. The goal is to help students make positive changes for a better daily experience.
- Campus life navigation
- Friendship building guidance
- Mindfulness techniques
- Challenge management
- Student video stories
- Interactive learning activities
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Specifically designed for students throughout the University of Texas system, Thrive at UT helps you live your best life. Eight topic areas including building friendships, becoming more mindful, and managing challenges help you better navigate the ups and downs of campus life. There are short videos of students sharing their own stories as well as interactive activities to help you learn more about yourself. Thrive helps you make small, simple changes that can have a powerful impact on your daily life!
Plain Water
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Plain Water is a water tracker that respects your time and intelligence. No mascots, no gamification, no llamas. FAST & MINIMAL • Log water in under 0.5 seconds • Zero animations - instant updates • Clean, distraction-free interface • No account required • All data stored locally on your device ACCESSIBILITY FIRST • Full VoiceOver support - navigate with eyes closed • Voice Control integration for hands-free use • Dynamic Type support (XS to XXXL text sizes) • Switch Control compatible • Configurable haptic feedback (4 intensity levels) • Color blind-safe design with patterns • Perfect for one-handed use • High contrast mode support POWERFUL FEATURES • Home screen widgets (small & medium) • Siri Shortcuts integration - log water with your voice • Action Button support (iPhone 15 Pro and newer) • Apple Health integration - automatic water logging • Smart reminders based on your sleep schedule • Detailed history tracking with charts • Customizable daily goals (1000ml - 5000ml) • Multiple unit support (milliliters & ounces) PRIVACY FOCUSED • All data stored locally on your device • No account creation required • No tracking or analytics • No ads, ever • No data collection • No third-party SDKs DESIGNED FOR EVERYONE Whether you're blind, have motor disabilities, or just want a fast app - Plain Water works for you. Accessibility features benefit everyone through speed and simplicity. Perfect for: • People who value their time • Accessibility users (VoiceOver, Voice Control, Switch Control) • Anyone tired of gamified health apps • Users seeking privacy-first apps • Minimalism enthusiasts No llamas. Just hydration.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Thrive at UT at Free against Plain Water's $2.99. Thrive at UT also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 18.2). Plain Water's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 6 months). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Thrive at UT is free to download; Plain Water costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Thrive at UT ships an update every 6 months, Plain Water every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Thrive at UT | Plain Water |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $2.99 |
| Rating | 4.5 (12 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 12 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 18.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 17 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN | Anshul Malik |
In-app purchases
Thrive at UT
No in-app purchases
Plain Water
No in-app purchases
