# Drinker's Helper vs Thrive Circle

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Thrive Circle at none against Drinker's Helper's 12. Thrive Circle also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Drinker's Helper's advantage is ratings volume (7.8K vs 2) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Drinker's Helper sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Thrive Circle asks for nothing beyond the download.

Thrive Circle holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Drinker's Helper has 7.8K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Drinker's Helper ships an update every 5 weeks, Thrive Circle every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Drinker's Helper | Thrive Circle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (7.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drinkers-helper-drink-less/id1412412188/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thrive-circle/id1543412549/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7.8K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 26.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 610 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Drinker’s Helper, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1412412187) | [Thrive Circle](https://appshunter.io/developer/1543412551) |

## What reviewers say

### Drinker's Helper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drinkers-helper-drink-less/id1412412188)

This app offers personalized support for individuals looking to reduce their alcohol consumption or quit drinking entirely. It provides tools like an alcohol tracker, a sobriety counter, motivational exercises, and an anonymous support group to help users achieve their goals.

**Highlights:** Alcohol tracker, Sobriety counter, Motivational exercises, Anonymous support group, Alcohol test, Pledge tracking

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DH Plus | $14.99 | per month |
| DH Plus | $14.99 | per month |
| DH Plus Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| DH Plus Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| DH Plus Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| DH Plus | $38.99 | per 3 months |
| DH Plus | $38.99 | per 3 months |
| DH Plus Annual 50% Off | $39.99 | per year |
| DH Plus | $59.99 | per 6 months |
| DH Plus | $59.99 | per 6 months |
| DH Plus Annual | $79.99 | per year |
| DH Plus Annual | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helpful app for quitting/reducing drinking
- 🤝 Supportive online community
- 📚 Informative content and lessons
- 🎯 Effective goal-tracking and accountability

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Tracking issues and glitches
- 🤖 Lack of human interaction/moderation
- 🤯 Overwhelming notifications and prompts

**Reported bugs**

- Sober day streak not updating correctly
- Crashes and app instability
- Inability to access free features as advertised

**Requested features**

- Calendar view for tracking progress
- Private messaging or smaller group options
- Ability to edit/correct tracking data
- More customization options for notifications


### Thrive Circle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thrive-circle/id1543412549)

This app facilitates courageous, conscious, and connected doing by pairing users for focused work sessions. It provides a structure and human presence to help individuals tackle challenging tasks they've been avoiding, fostering mindful progress and shared learning.

**Highlights:** Co-doing sessions with partners, Mindful focus on difficult tasks, Structure for tackling avoidance, Sharing insights after sessions, Solo session guidance

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Drinker's Helper free?

Drinker's Helper is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Thrive Circle free?

Thrive Circle is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Drinker's Helper or Thrive Circle?

Thrive Circle is rated higher. Drinker's Helper averages 4.6 out of 5 from 7.8K ratings, while Thrive Circle averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Drinker's Helper or Thrive Circle have ads?

Neither Drinker's Helper nor Thrive Circle shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Drinker's Helper or Thrive Circle?

Drinker's Helper ships an update every 5 weeks, and Thrive Circle every 2 months. Most recently, Drinker's Helper was updated on October 29, 2026 and Thrive Circle on October 20, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*