First decide what you want the app to do
If your question is "How much did I drink this week?", start with a straightforward log. Look for serving size, alcohol strength and an easy period summary. If your question is "How can I follow a plan?", reminders, planning and check-ins may matter more. If you want ongoing guidance or other people to talk to, examine the support available instead of choosing by the prettiest chart.
These needs can overlap, but separating them makes comparison easier. Write down one outcome you want from the app after seven days: a complete record, a clearer spending total, or a plan you can review. Use that as your first test. You do not need to decide on a permanent label or a lifetime goal before keeping a record.
Four apps, four starting points
The comparison below uses the apps' public product descriptions, checked on September 9, 2026. It is not a clinical evaluation or a hands-on ranking. AlcoList publishes this guide and is one of the apps included. Features, subscriptions and availability can change, so check the current listing before paying.
The useful distinction is the shape of each product, not a universal winner. A simple tracker can feel refreshingly quiet to one person and insufficiently supportive to another.
| App | Main emphasis | Worth checking before you choose |
|---|---|---|
| AlcoList | Drink logging, reusable templates, period views, spending and CSV/JSON export | Whether you want a practical log without a required public profile, rather than a coaching program |
| DrinkControl | Tracking drinks, alcohol amounts, spending and calories | Which features and purchase options are available on your platform |
| Sunnyside | Planning, check-ins, coaching and community around drinking habits | Whether its ongoing support, approach and current membership suit you |
| Reframe | A structured program with educational content, tools and community | Whether you will use the program and support beyond its drink tracker |
Test the ordinary entry, not just the dashboard
Imagine logging a 330 ml beer at 5% ABV, then logging a different 500 ml beer at 7%. Can you change both size and strength without rebuilding everything? A counter that treats both as one identical drink can conceal the difference in alcohol amount. An app should also make the measurement system clear: a UK unit and a US standard drink are not interchangeable.
Next, imagine correcting yesterday's entry and adding a repeat drink. Look for a workflow that still makes sense when you are tired or short on time. Saved templates are useful when their defaults remain editable. A fast wrong entry is not an improvement over a slightly slower correct one.
Check what the weekly view leaves out
A weekly total is useful, but it is only one view. Ask whether you can also see individual days and occasions. The same total can be spread across several days or concentrated in one evening; an average alone will not show that distinction. Equally, a blank day may mean missing data rather than no alcohol.
For spending, check that prices belong to the serving you actually consumed. For longer trends, check that the periods are comparable. A partially logged holiday week should not quietly become your baseline. You are looking for a record you can interpret, not a score that appears more certain than its inputs.
Read the practical details before committing
Free to download does not mean every feature is free. Check the current purchase screen for the features you need, the billing period, renewal terms and the store account that owns the purchase. Do not assume a purchase on one operating system unlocks another. The same caution applies to data: availability on several devices is not proof of automatic synchronization.
Read the privacy policy and store privacy information together. Check whether an account is required, whether profiles or sharing are optional, what happens to backups, and whether you can export your records. A downloadable CSV is helpful for inspecting your own data, but an export feature does not by itself promise you can restore it into another app.
If you are looking for treatment or are worried about dependence or withdrawal, a tracker comparison is not the right way to choose care. Speak with a qualified professional. An app can help you organize observations, but its charts cannot assess your personal medical risk.
Use a short, realistic evaluation
During a normal week, use the app for the entries you would otherwise need to remember. Do not change what you drink just to test it. Note where you hesitate: choosing a serving, finding yesterday, correcting a price, or understanding the total. Those small points of friction matter more than features you never open.
At the end, answer three questions: Is the record more complete than it was before? Can I explain the weekly number? Do I feel comfortable keeping this information here? An app that passes those tests is a stronger candidate than one that wins a feature-count comparison but stays unopened.
The short version
Pick the kind of help you want, then test one ordinary week. Prioritize clear measurements, a manageable logging routine and privacy you understand over a long list of features.
