7 Dry January Apps to Help You Drink Less
Whether you're cutting back or cutting out alcohol entirely, a supportive sobriety app can be a handy tool to stay on track.
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Whether you’re questioning your relationship with alcohol or want to better your physical or mental health, doing Dry January can have numerous benefits. Giving up alcohol for a stretch (or forever) usually means fewer hangovers, better sleep, more energy, and even clearer skin.
Trying Dry January is also a great opportunity to get to know yourself, explains Emily Lynn Paulson, author and co-founder of Sober Mom Squad. “Dry January can reveal quite a bit. First, if giving up alcohol for an entire month is difficult for you, either due to peer pressure or personal cravings, that can tell you a great deal about your dependency on it, or whether you’re using it as a coping mechanism,” she says. “Second, it gives you a chance to lean on other tools, instead of defaulting to alcohol. And third, it has the immediate benefit of allowing your body and brain to function without introducing a [toxin] and can help you re-evaluate where it stands in your life.”
You might be doing Dry January as a tough-but-fun challenge with a group of friends, or maybe you’re trying to give your system a reset after a long year and boozy holiday season. But if you discover that drinking alcohol has become a negative force in your life, you may want to think about continuing your dry streak through February or even longer. “You can explore options for continuing to reduce your intake through programs, reading books, or other sobriety support,” Paulson says. “If you feel better without alcohol, ultimately, ask yourself why you want to add it back, and that in itself may reveal what value you place on it.”
Some of the best strategies for a successful Dry January include tracking your progress and finding practical ways to hold yourself accountable and stay motivated—and here are seven handy Dry January apps you can download to help you do just that.
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Reframe
According to its website, 91 percent of Reframe users reported a substantial decrease in alcohol use within three months. That statistic alone makes this program worth considering. Reframe uses a neuroscience-based approach to help change your relationship with drinking. The app offers different modalities including personal development courses and specialized support group forums, including LGBTQIA+ and Parents.
If you discover you need extra-personalized support, Reframe has premium options including access to one-on-one sessions with a certified recovery coach and live coaching calls.
Pricing and details: Free to download, in-app purchases available from $14. For iOS devices.
Try Dry
Designed specifically for Dry January, the U.K.-based Try Dry app is free and something you may want to consider for January and beyond. In addition to tracking alcohol-free days, you can track units and even money saved from cutting down or eliminating booze. There’s also a place in the app to monitor your energy levels, sleep, mood, and alcohol cravings (which is totally normal, especially coming off the holiday drinking season). The notes section is great for jotting down your feelings and thoughts during the process. And if you’re not quite ready to quit drinking entirely, Try Dry can be used as part of a semi-dry moderation plan.
Pricing and details: Free. For iOS and Android devices.
Less
If you’re looking to control or moderate your drinking, and you’re the kind of person who loves stats and fitness trackers, the aptly named Less may just be your favorite Dry January app. Less allows you to set weekly drink limits. In addition to tracking how much you stay within that limit, you can also track your total drinks for the year, how many alcoholic calories you’ve consumed, and how much money you’ve spent drinking. This can be a smart way to deter yourself from saying “yes” when the bartender asks if you want a refill on that glass of cabernet. The app also creates charts and graphs to help track your progress over time, making Less ideal for anyone who’s also in for a Dry February and beyond.
Pricing and details: Free. For iOS devices.
Sunnyside
The purpose of Sunnyside isn’t to help you quit drinking cold-turkey, but to help you curb consumption and be more mindful about what you do drink. It’s ideal for those doing a Dry(ish) January, such as only opting to drink on the weekends or perhaps trying to trade happy hour for an hour-long spin class instead. Start by setting drinking intentions for the week and tracking them from there. Sunnyside's supportive app will send you plenty of automated reminders and encouragement, giving you some accountability. And since there’s no actual person or user community there’s no need to feel judged or self-conscious on your journey (a big perk for some folks!).
Pricing and details: Free to download, in-app option to upgrade to full membership $100. For iOS devices.
Stop Drinking With Andrew Johnson
If you’re doing Dry January because you’re concerned you use alcohol as a coping mechanism to deal with stress, Stop Drinking With Andrew Johnson will be a great app for you. Stop Drinking is designed to help you break negative habits, change your thinking around alcohol, and live an overall healthier lifestyle. Designed by mindfulness expert and therapist Andrew Johnson, this app features short, digestible meditations you can do anywhere—from home to the office or even while commuting or walking. These inspirational sessions are designed to help you find clarity during challenging situations to ultimately break bad habits and build better ones, ultimately leaving you more empowered.
Pricing and details: $3. For iOS and Android devices.
Drinker's Helper
Not sure exactly what you need to make it through Dry January? Drinker’s Helper uses a multi-pronged approach, starting with a quiz to see how much your drinking compares to “normal” rates. Then monitor and track your sobriety, and set further goals. You can also access additional insights and stats on what triggers your drinking. One unique feature of the app is that you’re matched to a group of 20 to 30 other people with similar drinking habits in a mutual support chat.
Pricing and details: Free to download, in-app purchases available from $15. For iOS devices.
I Am Sober
Trying to quit alcohol or other substances can feel more difficult when going it alone. Having a community might just make the process feel less isolating and more likely to be successful, which is what the I Am Sober app is all about. The app also features plenty of trackers to help you stay motivated, including tracking your sobriety down to the second, which can be extremely valuable for those who find the experience particularly tough.
Pricing and details: Free to download, in-app purchases available from $10. For iOS and Android devices.
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