Thruday vs Buddy
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Thruday
This visual planner helps neurodivergent individuals manage their day with customizable routines, tasks, and mood tracking. It breaks down activities into manageable steps and allows trusted assistants to help with planning and progress updates.
- Visual daily timeline planning
- Task breakdown into smaller steps
- Customizable routines and habits
- Mood and journal tracking
- Assistant invites for support
- Focus timers (Pomodoro)
- AI-assisted decision making (Plus)
Read full descriptionHide full description
A visual day planner created for forgetful people — used by 40,000+ neurodivergent humans. Build your day as a visual timeline on the go using images, break your tasks down into smaller steps and build new routines that are easy to follow and stick to, all with the help of those you trust. Built by a team with lived experience of ADHD, autism and epilepsy, it includes visual routines, mood tracking, to-do lists, a journal and support from someone you trust with assistant invites. Thruday is an app for those that need more than just another to-do list or calendar app. Brain-dump your to-dos, decide what matters first, then turn them into scheduled tasks when your energy allows - The perfect ADHD planner. Flexible visual planning, habit tracking and routines for the neurospicy brains - neurodivergent productivity that adapts when your day changes. FREE INCLUDES — Visual Daily Planner: accessible time-blocking with colors, images and visual cues. — Priority To-do Lists: Brain-dump tasks and organize them by priority. — Focus Timers: Use Pomodoro timers to pause, extend or finish tasks early. — Mood Tracker: Track moods with shapes and color, add thoughts and emotions. — Journal & Notes: Write down your thoughts, reflect on your day and save the moments you want to remember. — Invite assistants: Get assistants, coaches or caregivers to help you plan your day. — Receive reminders: configure notifications to keep focused when the day slips. Do you have an assistant, ADHD coach or caregiver? Lower your mental load and get them involved with scheduling, task tracking and reminders - they can opt-in to updates in real time about your mood and progress. INCLUDED WITH PLUS — Print daily agendas on the go. — Create unlimited extra planners for you or your family. — AI-assisted to reduce decision fatigue. — Import and sync Thruday with your device calendar. — Custom repeat pattern for routines and habits. — Use custom tags and folders to organize tasks and notes. — Create printable PECS cards for communication support. — Access to all future Plus+ features. WHY THRUDAY EXISTS — Make time blindness and executive function support accessible. — For students navigating college life and studying. — Support independent living environments and caregivers. — Accessible everyday planning tools without ads. — Neurodivergent-friendly tools that help reduce overwhelm. — Ensure ADHD planning is visual and goal orientated. Thruday was created without investment and is managed and supported by an unpaid neurodivergent team with lived experience of ADHD, AuDHD, autism and epilepsy and neurodivergent life. Privacy matters to us. We do not use your data to train AI systems. Terms of Use: https://thruday.com/terms-of-use
Buddy
This app helps users break down large tasks into smaller, manageable steps. It features timed focus sessions and scheduled breaks to prevent burnout, with visual progress tracking and positive reinforcement to build confidence and healthy habits.
- Simple task breakdown
- Customized focus system
- Timed focus periods
- Scheduled breaks
- Visual progress tracking
- Positive reinforcement
- Clean, calming interface
Read full descriptionHide full description
Break tasks down and build focus with Buddy, a smart study app designed by a neurodivergent dad with ADHD for his neurodivergent daughter. Buddy helps users overcome overwhelm by breaking tasks into manageable blocks without adding complexity. Perfect for those with ADHD, autism, and other neurodivergent minds, but beneficial for all students and adults who struggle with focus. How Buddy Works: Simple Task Breakdown • Divide any task into small, achievable blocks • No need to spend time detailing each block • Quickly create manageable sections that feel doable • Adjust the number of blocks anytime during a session Customized Focus System • Short, timed focus periods reduce the pressure of long work sessions • Scheduled breaks prevent burnout and mental fatigue • Personalised timing settings fit your unique concentration abilities • Build healthy study habits with balanced work/rest intervals Visual Progress & Positive Reinforcement • Track progress with a simple, satisfying grid system • "Click the tick" to mark completed blocks • Celebrate small wins with confetti and visual rewards • Experience the motivation of seeing progress accumulate Clean, Calming Interface • Bright and engaging design with soft, blended tones • Distraction-free environment optimised for focus • Simple, intuitive controls reduce cognitive load • Friendly Buddy character provides gentle guidance Unlike apps that add distractions through excessive gamification, Buddy balances engagement with proven productivity methods that translate to real-life skills. Whether you're tackling homework questions, reading assignments, study sessions or any challenging task, Buddy helps you build confidence through consistent progress. Download Buddy today and transform overwhelming tasks into achievable victories, one block at a time.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Buddy at none against Thruday's 2. Buddy also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 72%). Thruday's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads 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
Both are free to download. Thruday sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $10.00 per month. Buddy asks for nothing beyond the download.
Thruday ships an update every 3 days, Buddy every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.
| Parameter | Thruday | Buddy |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (73 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 71.8% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 73 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 125 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Thruday LTD | Mark Searle |
Customer experience
Thruday
Buddy
In-app purchases
Thruday
- 1 Month Premium7 Days trial$10.001 Month
- 1 Year Premium Subscription7 Days trial$50.001 Year
Buddy
No in-app purchases









