Comparison

Pelago Health vs Instead

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Pelago Health

This app offers virtual support for individuals seeking to change their relationship with alcohol, tobacco, or opioids. It provides personalized care plans, 1:1 appointments with professionals, and access to resources like CBT to help users achieve their substance use goals.

Highlights
  • Virtual 1:1 appointments with coaches, counselors, physicians
  • Personalized care plans
  • Goal setting and progress monitoring
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) library
  • Secure messaging with care team
  • Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program
Features
Read full description

Pelago provides virtual care for people who want to rethink their habits with alcohol, tobacco and nicotine, opioids, cannabis, or stimulants. Pelago helps members work toward goals such as: ‣ Rethinking alcohol use (drinking less, drinking more mindfully, or stopping) ‣ Quitting or reducing tobacco and nicotine use (cigarettes, vaping, smokeless tobacco, cigars, etc.) ‣ Managing or stopping opioid use ‣ Making changes to cannabis or stimulant use ‣ Understanding your patterns and how substance use affects your health Through the Pelago app, you can: ‣ Meet your care team: a dedicated care specialist for one-on-one video calls, plus a prescriber when medication is part of your plan ‣ Message your care team any time, and book or reschedule calls in the app ‣ Talk with Sona, your AI support, by voice or text, 24/7, between calls ‣ Make progress toward your goals in guided conversations with Sona, designed by Pelago’s clinicians on evidence-based approaches ‣ Track each day in under a minute, set a weekly plan, and look back on it in a weekly recap ‣ Earn rewards for tracking and attending care calls, and redeem them for gift cards or gift items (where included in your plan) ‣ Manage medication and nicotine replacement, such as patches and gum, with your care team (if applicable) How to get started If Pelago is included in your benefits, you can activate your membership today. Download the Pelago app to check your eligibility and sign up in about two minutes. Already signed up online? If you registered through your employer or health plan’s Pelago link, download the app and log in to get started. Once you’re in, answer a few quick questions to personalize your program, then have your first conversation with Sona and meet your care team at your own pace. How does Pelago work? Pelago gives you the tools to rethink your habits in a way that works for you, whether you want to stop, cut back, or simply understand your patterns. When you join, you’re matched with a care specialist who builds your plan with you on your first call. Day to day, you track in the app, follow a weekly plan, and talk with Sona whenever you need to. Your care team sees how things are going and adjusts with you. When it helps, medication is part of your plan, prescribed by a clinician on your care team. About Pelago Pelago Health is the leading digital program for substance use care. Our clinician-led, AI-supported approach combines a real care team with tools you can use any time, on a personalized path to change. Learn more about our mission: https://www.pelagohealth.com/company/our-mission. How much does Pelago cost? Pelago may be available at no cost to you through your employer, benefits provider, or health plan. Alternatively, depending on your health plan and the care you receive, you may be responsible for out-of-pocket costs. Is Pelago secure? Yes! Your privacy and security are top priorities. Pelago is HITRUST certified and fully compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). For more information, find our complete Security Policy at https://www.pelagohealth.com/company/security Read more about our terms of use, privacy policy, and EULA: ‣ https://www.pelagohealth.com/terms/ ‣ https://www.pelagohealth.com/privacy ‣ https://signup.pelagohealth.com/?terms_of_use

About

Instead

Features
Read full description

Replace a bad habit with something you choose. Instead is a simple journal for recording what you did differently, with time spent and money redirected towards your alternatives. Instead of scrolling, you went for a walk. Instead of snacking, you read a chapter. Choose one habit to focus on and build a record of the choices that matter to you. RECORD YOUR ALTERNATIVES Choose a suggested activity or write your own. Add the time you spent and, if useful, the money you spent on that alternative. START NOW OR LOG IT LATER Use the live timer while you do something different, or add an entry afterwards. You can edit your entries when you need to. SEE YOUR CHOICES ADD UP Review your entries and totals by day, week, month, year or all time. Keep amounts in your preferred currency. SIMPLE AND PERSONAL No account required. Your habit and entry records are stored on your device. Instead is free to use and has no ads. An optional coffee tip supports development and unlocks no extra features. Pick one habit. Do something different. Record it in Instead. Questions or feedback? support@takenocode.com

Screenshots

Pelago Health4 screens
Instead4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Instead at none against Pelago Health's 10. Pelago Health's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Pelago Health sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $10.99 per month. Instead asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pelago Health ships an update fortnightly, Instead every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Pelago Health versus Instead: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPelago HealthInstead
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (5.3K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews44.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings5.3K — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.416.4
Further details — not scored
Size129 MB38 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperDigital Therapeutics LtdTakayuki Nakamura

Bugs and requests

Pelago Health

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Login issues and unknown errors
  • Disappearing progress and data loss
  • Crashing and freezing on certain devices
  • Inconsistent behavior and functionality

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for multiple languages
  • Improve free trial and subscription options
  • Enhance user interface and navigation
  • Provide more customization options
  • Improve syncing and data preservation

Instead

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Pelago Health

Subscriptions9
  • QG Premium$10.991 Month
  • QG Premium$13.493 Months
  • Quit Genius Plus$13.993 Months
Show 6 more
  • Quit Genius Silver$19.993 Months
  • Quit Genius Silver Trial3 Days trial$19.993 Months
  • Quit Genius Silver$24.491 Month
  • QG Premium$35.991 Year
  • Quit Genius Gold3 Days trial$40.993 Months
  • Quit Genius Plus7 Days trial$58.991 Year
One-time1
  • Quit Genius Silver$149.99
None

Instead

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Pelago Health free?
Pelago Health is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Instead free?
Instead is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Pelago Health or Instead have ads?
Neither Pelago Health nor Instead shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pelago Health or Instead?
Pelago Health ships an update fortnightly, and Instead every 2 months. Most recently, Pelago Health was updated on November 6, 2026 and Instead on October 31, 2026.

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