SoberTrail
VS
SoberTrail vs Try Dry
Try Dry is a free, year-round diary for drinks, dry days and flexible goals. SoberTrail keeps an account-free iPhone record centered on alcohol-free dates, Calendar and preserved Trail history. Choose Try Dry for drink logging; choose SoberTrail for that narrower personal record, with trial or paid tracking access.
Feature comparison
Both apps keep a record beyond January. These 17 points compare what you enter, what the totals mean and how the record stays available. “Not established” means the reviewed documentation did not answer that question.
| Criterion | SoberTrail | Try Dry |
|---|---|---|
| Main purposeThe record each app prioritizes | Alcohol-free history and preserved Trail | Drink diary and flexible goals |
| Alcohol-free daysHow dry dates are recorded | Confirmed or assumed by counting style | Dry days entered in Calendar |
| Individual drinksDaily quantity and price details | Baseline only; no daily drink quantities | Drinks, units and editable prices |
| CalendarReviewing and correcting dates | Month/year; edit and backfill | Past/current months; edit and backfill |
| Counting approachWhat keeps a streak going | Daily confirmation or Automatic | Entered days; missing entries interrupt streaks |
| Personal goalsChoosing a target | Personal milestones along Trail | One active custom goal |
| Spending estimatesWhat the money figure measures | Daily spending equivalent × alcohol-free days | Weekly baseline versus recorded consumption/spend |
| ReflectionOptional personal entries | Private notes and feelings | Notes; mood, energy, sleep and craving ratings |
| RecognitionProgress markers in the app | Medallions, milestones and dated moments | Badges, dry streaks and total days |
| WidgetsRecord visible beyond the app | Home Screen, Lock Screen and StandBy | Not verified |
| DevicesCurrent supported platforms | iPhone, iOS 26+ | iPhone/iPad, iOS 15+; Android |
| AccountLogin for the record | None for local record | Email/password account |
| Offline trackingSaving without internet | Yes, core tracking | No; saving requires internet |
| Record storageWhere the authoritative history lives | Current device's private container | UK-based server |
| AnalyticsProduct data collection | Optional; default on; journey values excluded | App activity and diagnostics disclosed |
| Export and recoveryKeeping history available elsewhere | CSV/JSON; no app restore or sync | Server-backed recovery; export not verified |
| Tracking accessOngoing use after download | Eligible trial/subscription/lifetime; no free tier | Free; no adverts or hidden costs |
Pricing comparison
SoberTrail
Monthly
US$5.99 / month
- Full access to tracking and app features
- Auto-renewing monthly subscription
Yearly
US$29.99 / year
- Full access to tracking and app features
- Introductory trial for eligible subscribers
- Auto-renewing yearly subscription
Lifetime
US$44.99 once
- Full access through one purchase
- No subscription renewal or trial
US public store prices checked October 20, 2026. No permanent free tracking tier; your checkout confirms local pricing and eligibility.
Try Dry
Free
£0
- Year-round drink and dry-day diary
- Custom goals, charts and optional notes
- No adverts or hidden costs
- Funded by Alcohol Change UK; GB store checked
What each app records
SoberTrail records dated states. Daily confirmation counts explicit alcohol-free entries; a completed unrecorded date ends the current trail without erasing history. Automatic assumes eligible dates without entries are alcohol-free. You can inspect and correct dates in Calendar. A trail may contain a lapse, so trail streak and alcohol-free total differ. The counting guide explains both.
Try Dry records drinks, units and editable drink prices, comparing these with your weekly baseline for savings. SoberTrail applies typical consumption and spending to alcohol-free days without an itemized diary. Its estimated savings are not actual purchases; the savings calculator shows how a baseline changes an estimate.
What Try Dry's broader diary provides
Try Dry lets you choose specific dry days or a unit limit, with one active custom goal at a time. Charts and optional wellbeing entries sit beside the diary. It also offers optional campaign emails and links to community resources. That broader free toolkit is its strongest case.
SoberTrail concentrates on recording today and revisiting alcohol-free history. Notes and feelings are optional; personal moments and medallions sit along the Trail. Choose it for that focused routine. It does not replace a drink diary or the official campaign resources.
Entering the same week
Imagine November 2 to 8 with drinks on Friday and six explicitly confirmed alcohol-free dates. SoberTrail counts six alcohol-free days; a Friday lapse can remain in an existing trail, while a confirmed relapse ends it and preserves history. Try Dry can also record Friday's individual drinks and units. This example illustrates the documented difference; neither competitor workflow was tested.
Keeping the record private and available
SoberTrail keeps the record on your device; readable exports cannot restore it inside the app. Try Dry's help centre says a UK server holds and backs up account data for reinstalls or changed devices, while new entries require internet. Choose between local offline recording and documented server-backed continuity.
Which should you choose?
Try Dry fits a free drink diary with flexible goals and year-round use. SoberTrail fits an account-free iPhone record with Calendar, preserved trails and discreet widgets. Choose SoberTrail when that personal history is what you want to maintain, accepting paid tracking access and its current-device continuity limits. Choose Try Dry when individual drinks, units and free access matter more.
References
Published by SoberTrail. Sources checked October 20, 2026; documentation comparison, without hands-on competitor testing. SoberTrail is not affiliated with Alcohol Change UK, Try Dry or Dry January®.
- Try Dry official user guide: diary features, goals, notes and year-round use.
- Try Dry help centre: dated corrections, internet requirement, server storage and account recovery. These are the developer's documented procedures, not tested recovery guarantees.
- Try Dry UK App Store listing: developer description, devices and free offer.
- Alcohol Change UK privacy notice: account information, app data and privacy choices.
- SoberTrail privacy policy and product FAQ: local record, analytics, availability and access, also checked against the native specification. Analytics is optional and on by default; journey values are excluded. Readable exports have no custom encryption and rely on the chosen destination's protection; they cannot restore the app.
Read how to track an alcohol-free month for calendar dates, rolling day counts and unrecorded days.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Try Dry after January?
Yes. Its official guide supports year-round use, including keeping a diary without setting a goal. You do not need to stop when January ends.
Does SoberTrail log the same drink details as Try Dry?
No. SoberTrail uses typical consumption and spending to estimate impact from alcohol-free days. Try Dry lets you enter individual drinks and review units. Choose the latter for a drink-quantity diary.
Are the account, privacy and access models the same?
No. SoberTrail records offline without an account and requires trial or paid access. Try Dry is free, saves new entries online and documents server-backed account recovery. Its privacy notice explains account and app-data collection; free access does not imply local-only storage.
Keep your alcohol-free dates in view
Record today privately, revisit your Calendar and keep earlier alcohol-free dates in view after a fresh start. SoberTrail brings that personal history together on your iPhone, with trial or paid access.
