Apps and online care
Ideal Option vs I Am Sober
They differ on 7 of 10 things we check. No winner here: the better one is the one that fits what you need and how you'd pay.
Ideal Option
You visit an Ideal Option clinic, usually in person for the first appointment, where an addiction medicine clinician can start buprenorphine or other medication for opioid, alcohol or stimulant use, with counseling and follow-up visits by clinic or video.
I Am Sober
I Am Sober tracks your sober days, celebrates milestones and asks you to commit to staying sober each day, with a peer community for support.
Where they differ
- Kind of help
- Ideal Option: A therapist
- I Am Sober: Peer support or coaching, An app I use on my own
- Good for
- Ideal Option: Adults with opioid use disorder, including fentanyl, who want to start buprenorphine quickly; People with Medicaid or Medicare looking for medication treatment for addiction
- I Am Sober: People in recovery who want a daily tracker and pledge for motivation; People cutting out alcohol, drugs or another habit who like seeing streaks and money saved
- Probably not for
- Ideal Option: Anyone in crisis: call or text 988; for an overdose call 911
- I Am Sober: Anyone in crisis: call or text 988
- Cost
- Ideal Option: Copay with insurance (Medicaid, Medicare, commercial); self-pay price not published
- I Am Sober: Free version, or Free; Sober Plus about $39.99/year or $9.99/month
- How you pay
- Ideal Option: Insurance
- I Am Sober: Free, I'll pay myself
- Where
- Ideal Option: Web
- I Am Sober: iPhone, Android
- Research
- Ideal Option: Early research
- I Am Sober: Not stated
The same for both: privacy (grade b+), sells your data (no), hipaa (not stated).
In crisis or thinking about suicide? In the US, call or text 988. This page is information from our reviews, not medical advice.