# Sober vs Flashback Journaling

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Flashback Journaling at none against Sober's 3. Flashback Journaling also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%) and update cadence (daily vs every 3 weeks). Sober's advantage is ratings volume (7.8K vs 3). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sober sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Flashback Journaling asks for nothing beyond the download.

Flashback Journaling holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sober has 7.8K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Sober's written reviews are positive against 100% of Flashback Journaling's.

Sober ships an update every 3 weeks, Flashback Journaling daily. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sober | Flashback Journaling |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (7.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sober-sobriety-tracker/id863872931/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flashback-journaling/id6755180232/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7.8K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 67.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 87 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Red Penguin LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1791556917) | [Vance Khacey Smith](https://appshunter.io/developer/1852452277) |

## What reviewers say

### Sober

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sober-sobriety-tracker/id863872931)

This app helps users track sobriety days, build streaks, and break bad habits. It offers tools for motivation, relapse support, and community connection to aid in achieving lasting change and personal growth.

**Highlights:** Sobriety day tracking, Sober streak building, Habit breaking tools, Money and time saved calculator, Motivational messages, Relapse support, Anonymous community support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sober Premium | $5.99 | per month |
| Sober Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Annual Premium | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Helpful for recovery
- 💡 Motivational messages
- 🙌 Supportive community
- 💰 Tracks sobriety and savings

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and login issues
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔍 Limited search/filter options
- 💻 Compatibility issues with updates
- 🙏 Too much focus on religion/AA

**Reported bugs**

- Sobriety date reset after updates
- Blank screens and loading issues
- Inconsistent app behavior across devices

**Requested features**

- Customizable sobriety tracking
- More diverse recovery resources
- Improved meeting/event finder
- Better data export/backup options


### Flashback Journaling

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flashback-journaling/id6755180232)

This app allows users to create multimedia journals with text, photos, and audio. Organize your thoughts using a unique keyword system to create searchable documents. Discover past entries through curated selections or random picks.

**Highlights:** Multimedia journaling (text, photo, audio), Keyword-based document organization, View favorite, past, and random journals, Customizable user profile, Fast and easy post creation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sober free?

Sober is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Flashback Journaling free?

Flashback Journaling is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Sober or Flashback Journaling?

Flashback Journaling is rated higher. Sober averages 4.8 out of 5 from 7.8K ratings, while Flashback Journaling averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Sober or Flashback Journaling have ads?

Neither Sober nor Flashback Journaling shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sober or Flashback Journaling?

Sober ships an update every 3 weeks, and Flashback Journaling daily. Most recently, Sober was updated on October 16, 2026 and Flashback Journaling on September 30, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*