Comparison

Self vs Kindredly

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

Head to head
About

Self

Features
Read full description

Self-Control Mate is a habit tracker and supportive community for people working toward better routines, stronger focus, and lasting self-control. Changing a habit can be difficult when you do it alone. Self-Control Mate helps you track your progress, celebrate small wins, and stay connected with people working toward similar goals. This is more than a streak counter. It is a place to share progress, learn from other people's experiences, and keep moving forward. Two main features: 1. A supportive community for personal goals - Share progress, challenges, wins, motivation, and daily reflections - Encourage each other with likes and comments - Learn practical ideas from people pursuing similar goals - Report inappropriate posts and block users when needed The community is moderated under clear guidelines to help keep discussions safe and constructive. 2. A counter that makes your effort visible - See your current streak at a glance - Track progress toward your personal habit goals - Restart anytime and keep learning from your journey Self-Control Mate is for people who: - Want to change a habit but find it difficult to stay consistent - Want to build focus, self-control, and a more productive daily life - Want a simple habit counter or streak tracker - Want encouragement from people with similar goals Small steps add up. Start with Self-Control Mate today and take the next step toward better habits.

About

Kindredly

Connect with strangers through anonymous, slow-paced letter writing. Share your thoughts and receive responses without immediate identification, fostering genuine connections. Unlock additional features and communication options through an optional subscription.

Highlights
  • Anonymous letter writing
  • Receive letters from strangers
  • Mood stamps and photo stamps
  • Translate letters
  • Private journaling
  • Virtual courier character
Read full description

Write to nobody in particular. Somebody writes back. Kindredly is slow mail between strangers. Write one honest letter and Wren, your courier, flies it to people who write like you. Every morning she brings their letters to your desk. No photos. No swiping. No names until you both want them. • Stamp it: pick a mood stamp, or press your own from a photo. • Read up to 15 letters a day. Answer the ones that stay with you, in any language. • Five letters each way, sign your pen name, and the frosted windows clear at the same moment. Now you're kindreds, with a room of your own. • Keep a page just for you: words, photos and voice, sealed on your phone. • Wren hatches from your first words and grows up with every letter. She also gets hungry. Don't let her. Free to write, free to find kindreds. First Class adds rooms that never close, voice letters, the full wardrobe and more open letters a day. No ads. Report or block anyone from any letter. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends. Manage them in your Apple Account settings. Terms: https://kindredly.io/terms Privacy: https://kindredly.io/privacy

Screenshots

Self4 screens
Kindredly4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Self at none against Kindredly's 3. Self also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). Kindredly's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). On price 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. Kindredly sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Self asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Self ships an update every 2 weeks, Kindredly every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Self versus Kindredly: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSelfKindredly
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size84 MB94 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperYuki ShimazuBLWTCL

In-app purchases

None

Self

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Kindredly

Subscriptions2
  • First Class · Monthly$6.991 Month
  • First Class · Annual$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • First Class · Lifetime$129.00

Questions

Is Self free?
Self is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Kindredly free?
Kindredly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Self or Kindredly have ads?
Neither Self nor Kindredly shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Self or Kindredly?
Self ships an update every 2 weeks, and Kindredly every 5 days. Most recently, Self was updated on November 7, 2026 and Kindredly on November 6, 2026.

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