# Sober vs Vesper Journal

The clearest difference is update cadence: Sober at every 3 weeks against Vesper Journal's every 7 months. Sober also leads on iOS requirement (16.4 vs 26.2). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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 and Vesper Journal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Sober ships an update every 3 weeks, Vesper Journal every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sober | Vesper Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (7.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sober-sobriety-tracker/id863872931/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **7.8K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 67.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 87 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 26.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Red Penguin LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1791556917) | [Gregory Hogan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1835199521) |

## 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


### Vesper Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vesper-journal/id6759583321)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VesperOneTime | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sober free?

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

### Is Vesper Journal free?

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

### Do Sober or Vesper Journal have ads?

Neither Sober nor Vesper Journal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sober or Vesper Journal?

Sober ships an update every 3 weeks, and Vesper Journal every 7 months. Most recently, Sober was updated on October 16, 2026 and Vesper Journal on October 15, 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.*