Comparison

Present Happiness Therapy vs Instead

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

Head to head
About

Present Happiness Therapy

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Present Happiness Therapy is designed to guide you on a transformative journey of self-discovery and mindfulness. This app encourages you to savor the present, reflect on meaningful past experiences, and envision a future that harmonizes with your current joy, thus fostering overall well-being and happiness. Establish a Daily Routine: Allocate time each day to engage with the app. Consistency is crucial for cultivating habits of mindfulness and self-reflection that enrich your life, making this app your personal mindfulness journal. Utilize the Meditation Tool: Employ the meditation feature for mental clarity and relaxation. This tool proves particularly beneficial during moments of stress or when you need to regain your focus. Embrace All Features: Actively explore every part of the app, including Past Joys & Achievements, Present Happiness, and Mindful Futures. Each section serves as a unique journal offering distinct benefits and, collectively, they provide a holistic approach to your personal development. Download Present Happiness Therapy today: Embark on a journey towards a more grateful and joyful life. Enhance your well-being with each use, documenting your progress in this comprehensive happiness journal.

About

Instead

This app offers a curated menu of real-life activities to help you break the habit of excessive scrolling. It suggests small, engaging tasks based on your available time and mood, promoting mindfulness and intentional downtime.

Highlights
  • Personalized activity suggestions
  • Time-based activity filtering
  • Mood-based activity filtering
  • Customizable activity menu
  • Streak tracking
  • Weekly statistics
Features
Read full description

Instead is a menu of things you'd rather do than scroll. You never decide to lose an hour to your phone — it just happens. Instead fixes the moment right before that. When the urge to scroll hits, it hands you one small, real-life thing to do instead, sized to the time and energy you actually have. Think of it like a restaurant menu for your free minutes: • Starters (1–5 min) — easy wins: step outside, splash cold water, three slow breaths • Mains (10–30 min) — the good stuff: a real walk, ten pages of a book, make the call • Desserts — quick joy, not junk: one loud song, pet an animal, watch the sky Instead requires a paid subscription to unlock its content. New users get a 3-day free trial, after which the subscription auto-renews unless cancelled. WHY IT WORKS When the urge to scroll hits, you don't make good decisions. So you decide now, while you're calm. You build your own menu in about two minutes, and Instead serves it back to you exactly when you need it — no willpower required. HOW IT WORKS • Tell Instead your mood and how much time you have - it filters the menu to what fits this exact moment • Tap "Surprise me" and let it choose for you • Finish it, build a streak, and watch your screen-free habit grow • Add, edit, and personalize your own activities anytime • See your weekly stats and history INSTEAD IS FOR YOU IF YOU WANT TO • Cut your screen time and stop doomscrolling • Break a phone or social-media habit - without an app blocker nagging you • Try a gentler digital detox or dopamine detox • Be more present, mindful, and intentional with your downtime • Find quick things to do instead of reaching for your phone Instead isn't another screen-time blocker or app limit that just tells you "no." It gives you a better "yes" - a personal, curated list of analog, offline, real-life things that leave you feeling better than a feed ever could. Instead offers an auto-renewable subscription: monthly and yearly Includes a 3-day free trial for new subscribers. Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription auto-renews unless cancelled before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Present Happiness Therapy4 screens
Instead4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Present Happiness Therapy at none against Instead's 2. Present Happiness Therapy also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.4 vs 16.4). On price, update cadence and ads 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. Instead sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Present Happiness Therapy asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Present Happiness Therapy versus Instead: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPresent Happiness TherapyInstead
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyEvery 11 daysEvery 11 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Subscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.4 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB65 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAkvile KelmelieneSarthak Jain

In-app purchases

None

Present Happiness Therapy

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Instead

Subscriptions2
  • Instead Premium Monthly7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Instead Premium Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Present Happiness Therapy free?
Present Happiness Therapy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Instead free?
Instead is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Present Happiness Therapy or Instead have ads?
Neither Present Happiness Therapy nor Instead shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Present Happiness Therapy or Instead?
Present Happiness Therapy ships an update every 11 days, and Instead every 11 days. Most recently, Present Happiness Therapy was updated on October 18, 2026 and Instead on October 24, 2026.

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