Comparison

NeuroCompass vs Tether Companion

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

Head to head
About

NeuroCompass

Features
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NeuroCompass is built ADHD-first, autism-first, and HSP-first. Every screen, every flow, every default โ€” designed for how your brain works, not how it "should" work. No toxic positivity. No shame spirals. No "just set a routine." SPOONS ENGINE โ€” UNDERSTAND YOUR ENERGY Spoons theory gives a language for finite energy that most wellness apps ignore. NeuroCompass brings it into your daily routine. Each morning, the Spoons Engine suggests a daily energy budget based on your recent mood history โ€” not a generic number, but a suggestion built from your own patterns. You decide whether to use it, adjust it, or skip it. Log what costs you energy through the day. See what's left. Plan around what's possible, not what you think should be possible. Prefer different language? In Settings, switch between Spoons, Energy, or Battery. Your words, your app. MOOD CHECK-IN THAT ACTUALLY FITS Not just happy/sad. 16 emotion states across energy and pleasantness โ€” built on the Russell circumplex model. For brains that struggle to name what they're feeling before locating where they are. High energy but unpleasant? Low energy but calm? Tap the grid, no words needed. AI CHAT WITH PERSONAS THAT SWITCH Four AI companion voices, all ND-affirming. Choose the one that fits how you are today. The Empathic Listener reflects back without pushing. The CBT Coach asks structured questions. The ADHD Buddy is direct and concrete. The Autism and HSP companion is sensory-aware and predictable. We filter AI responses against a toxic-positivity blacklist before they reach you. JOURNAL BUILT FOR ALEXITHYMIA Eight journal templates designed for brains that sometimes cannot identify emotions without a starting point. Situation-based prompts. Body-scan prompts. CBT thought records. A shutdown debrief. None start with a blank page and a cursor. FOCUS TOGETHER โ€” BODY DOUBLING Body doubling works for many ADHD brains. NeuroCompass brings it into the app as anonymous focus sessions โ€” 25 or 50 minutes, no chat required. See that others are focusing now. Join at your own pace. AFFIRMATIONS WITHOUT TOXIC POSITIVITY AI-generated affirmations that don't tell you to manifest your goals or push through. Written and filtered to acknowledge that some days are genuinely hard, and that is not a character flaw. BREATHING EXERCISES AND CALM TOOLS Five breathing techniques, available without an account wall or timer pressure. Open when you need them, close when you are done. BUILT-IN SAFETY NeuroCompass includes client-side crisis detection. If text you type matches patterns associated with crisis, the app pauses before saving and connects you directly to crisis resources โ€” before anything reaches an AI or our servers. This is not a crisis service. It is a safety layer built into the tools you already use. If you are in crisis right now, contact a crisis line. Belgium 0800 32 123 (Zelfmoordlijn). Netherlands 0800 0113 (113). UK 116 123 (Samaritans). All free, 24/7. NeuroCompass does not replace professional mental health care. If you work with a therapist, psychiatrist, or GP, this app works alongside that care โ€” it does not substitute for it. FREE AND PLUS Free tier: unlimited mood logging, breathing exercises, affirmations, basic insights, and 3 AI chats per week. NeuroCompass Plus: unlimited AI chat, all four AI personas, weekly AI-generated reports, Body Doubling sessions, full Spoons Engine history, voice settings, calendar insights, and data export. โ€” Plus Monthly: โ‚ฌ4.99/mo, auto-renewing โ€” Plus Yearly: โ‚ฌ34.99/yr (โ‚ฌ2.92/mo), auto-renewing, 7-day free trial Auto-renews unless cancelled 24h before period end. Manage in App Store โ†’ Subscriptions. Terms of Use (EULA): https://mellow-cactus-dbe35b.netlify.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://mellow-cactus-dbe35b.netlify.app/privacy ABOUT NEUROCOMPASS Built by a neurodivergent developer who lives it. We ship, we listen, we fix.

About

Tether Companion

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Tether is your private AI accountability companion โ€” built for the ADHD brain. Daily check-ins, body double focus sessions, and a compassionate AI that helps you name your #1 priority and actually follow through. All without judgment. All on your iPhone. HOW IT WORKS Morning Check-In โ€” Name your one goal for the day. Your companion helps you break through decision paralysis and get started. Body Double Mode โ€” Start a focus session with your companion present. ADHD research shows that working alongside someone โ€” even virtually โ€” dramatically improves follow-through. Evening Reflection โ€” Wind down with a short check-in. Celebrate what you did. Process what you didn't. Build self-awareness over time. Streak Tracking โ€” Build momentum. See your consistency grow day by day. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Tether uses Apple Intelligence (on-device Foundation Models). Your companion runs entirely on your iPhone. Your goals, reflections, and conversations never leave your device. No cloud. No data collection. No ads. Ever. TETHER PRO Unlock unlimited check-ins and body double sessions. โ€ข Monthly: $6.99/mo โ€ข Annual: $49.99/yr (save 40%) โ€ข Optional one-time Supporter tip: $4.99 Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your Account Settings on the App Store after purchase. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://anulfito1991-wq.github.io/Tether-site/privacy.html REQUIREMENTS Requires iOS 18.1+. Apple Intelligence AI features require iPhone 15 Pro or later with Apple Intelligence enabled. The app works on all iOS 18.1+ devices using Guided Journal mode.

Screenshots

NeuroCompass4 screens
Tether Companion4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: NeuroCompass at 14.0 against Tether Companion's 26.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. NeuroCompass sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Tether Companion sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard1 real difference ยท 5 level
NeuroCompass versus Tether Companion: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNeuroCompassTether Companion
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksโ€”
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 โ€” better26.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size76 MB2 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperWesley KempeneersAnulfo Acosta

In-app purchases

2 purchases

NeuroCompass

Subscriptions2
  • NeuroCompass Plus$3.991 Month
  • NeuroCompass Plus7 Days trial$29.991 Year
2 purchases

Tether Companion

Subscriptions2
  • Tether Pro (Monthly)7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Tether Pro (Annual)7 Days trial$49.991 Year

Questions

Is NeuroCompass free?
NeuroCompass is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Tether Companion free?
Tether Companion is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do NeuroCompass or Tether Companion have ads?
Neither NeuroCompass nor Tether Companion shows ads.

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