Comparison

The Thinking Machine vs A Common Ground

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

Head to head
About

The Thinking Machine

Features
Read full description

At The Thinking Machines community, it’s all about genuine change from deep within, not just surface-level motivation. We understand that our actions are deeply influenced by our genes, deep beliefs and childhood experiences, creating ingrained patterns in our mind that affect how we behave. Our goal is to become the consistency masters by working on these deep-seated patterns. Let’s transform together! - Consistency without forcing yourself - Explore Deep-Seated Patterns - Connect with Like Minded People

About

A Common Ground

Connect with others who share similar life experiences for peer support. Find communities, engage in meaningful conversations, and access wellness tools. This platform is designed for understanding and connection, offering a space for real stories and real support.

Highlights
  • Connect with shared experiences
  • Support groups for various challenges
  • Private one-on-one messaging
  • Community feed for sharing
  • Mood check-ins and wellness tracking
  • Private journaling with voice features
  • Access to wellness tools
Features
Read full description

A Common Ground is a peer-support community built around one simple idea: sometimes the person who understands you best is someone who has been through something similar. Connect with people based on shared life experiences, find supportive communities, and have meaningful conversations in a space designed around understanding and connection. CONNECT WITH PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND Discover people with shared experiences and use compatibility matching to find meaningful connections. SUPPORT GROUPS Join communities centered around life experiences and challenges, including grief and loss, family struggles, stress, relationships, parenting, work challenges, recovery, and more. PRIVATE MESSAGING Build genuine connections through one-on-one conversations with other members of the community. COMMUNITY FEED Share your story, ask questions, celebrate victories, talk about struggles, and encourage others. MOOD CHECK-INS Keep track of how you're feeling and view patterns over time to better understand your personal wellness journey. PRIVATE JOURNAL Reflect on your thoughts and experiences with personal journal entries and available voice features. WELLNESS TOOLS Access supportive tools designed to encourage reflection, relaxation, coping, and positive habits. A Common Ground is about real people, real stories, and real support. You don't have to go through everything alone. A Common Ground provides peer support and general wellness tools and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, therapy, or emergency services. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

The Thinking Machine4 screens
A Common Ground4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Thinking Machine at none against A Common Ground's 6. The Thinking Machine also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.6). A Common Ground's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs monthly). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. A Common Ground sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. The Thinking Machine asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The Thinking Machine ships an update monthly, A Common Ground every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
The Thinking Machine versus A Common Ground: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe Thinking MachineA Common Ground
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size66 MB91 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperRahul RaghuwanshiJoseph Hogan

In-app purchases

None

The Thinking Machine

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

A Common Ground

Subscriptions6
  • Plus Access$7.991 Month
  • Premium Access$12.991 Month
  • Family Access$24.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Plus Access$69.991 Year
  • Premium Access$119.991 Year
  • Family Access$219.991 Year

Questions

Is The Thinking Machine free?
The Thinking Machine is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is A Common Ground free?
A Common Ground is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do The Thinking Machine or A Common Ground have ads?
Neither The Thinking Machine nor A Common Ground shows ads.
Which is updated more often, The Thinking Machine or A Common Ground?
The Thinking Machine ships an update monthly, and A Common Ground every 9 days. Most recently, The Thinking Machine was updated on November 8, 2026 and A Common Ground on October 31, 2026.

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