Business idea · SaaS
Addiction Recovery App
Addiction Recovery App is an app designed to help individuals overcome various addictions, such as alcohol, gambling, and social media, by providing support, resources, and community engagement. It was pitched on My First Million, hosted by Sam Parr and Shaan Puri, in the episode "The App That’ll Be Bigger Than TikTok" (aired October 3, 2025).
At a glance
| Podcast | My First Million |
|---|---|
| Hosted by | Sam Parr and Shaan Puri |
| Episode | The App That’ll Be Bigger Than TikTok |
| Aired | October 3, 2025 |
| Category | SaaS |
| Real companies on the episode | Mercury, One Second a Day, Sunflower Sober, Shopify, Sora, Rescue Time |
The problem it solves
This app addresses the increasing prevalence of addictions in modern society and provides a convenient way for people to seek help without the stigma often associated with traditional therapy.
How it makes money
Subscription model for premium features, with a freemium option for basic access.
Skills you need
App development, user experience design, knowledge of addiction recovery processes, digital marketing.
The market, and why this works now
The rise of telehealth regulations has made it easier for addiction recovery apps to provide support without the stigma associated with traditional therapy. A promising first-revenue move is to partner with relevant subreddits, such as r/StopDrinking, to offer premium subscriptions in exchange for exclusive content or community features. A key risk is the potential high customer acquisition cost, as attracting users in a crowded market may require significant marketing investment before achieving a sustainable payback period.
Our analysis, written after the episode. Not a quote from the show.
Real companies discussed on this episode
- Mercury
A financial technology company providing banking services for startups, offering a modern and streamlined banking experience.
- One Second a Day
An app that allows users to create a video diary by capturing one second of video each day.
- Sunflower Sober
An AI-based app that serves as a personal sponsor for individuals recovering from addiction.
- Shopify
An e-commerce platform enabling businesses to create online stores and sell products.
- Sora
An app developed by OpenAI that allows users to create AI-generated videos using their own voice and likeness.
- Rescue Time
A tool designed to track how much time users spend on different activities on their computer.
Where this idea came from
Podcast: My First Million, hosted by Sam Parr and Shaan Puri
Episode: The App That’ll Be Bigger Than TikTok
Aired:
Summarized from the episode transcript. The show does not say which speaker raised each idea, so we credit the show, not a person.