Phones are detrimental to the mental health of teens; that’s the narrative posted all over the internet. Whether it’s an article by a renowned news source or a half-hour YouTube documentary, the usually polarized online sources seem to all agree when it comes to youth and screens. There are millions of legitimate reasons for this stigmatization, and they usually all focus on social media. However, phones are double-edged swords. They provide more than just TikTok videos and selfie-taking for Snapchat. Many apps have a positive impact on not just teens but everyone. One of those apps is Finch.

With an average rating of 4.9 stars over 325,000 reviews, the free “Self Care Best Friend” app is rated second on the Health & Fitness chart in Apple’s App Store. Finch aims to help users care for their health, well-being and productivity through a cute pet “birb,” hatched on the app’s first opening. Upon hatching, the birb will ask questions regarding the user’s name, age, habits, aspirations, etc. Then, Finch is all set and ready to use.

The app has six tabs at the bottom: home, quests, shop, friends, bag and information. The home tab contains Finch’s main aspects: the user’s pet birb and daily goals, which can be app-generated or inputted manually. When the app is newly downloaded, it will provide you with sample goals that users can edit or build on. With Finch’s premium version, users can access nearly 100 goals ranging from large-scale initiatives, such as reconnecting with an old friend, to smaller steps, like drinking water or taking deep breaths. The app also provides many other tools, such as mood trackers, video movement guides, focus and meditation timers, soundscapes, breathing guides and reflection prompts. Moreover, the home tab also shows a calendar with a daily history of moods, activities and reflections.

Each goal rewards five energy points upon completion. Energy points build up, and once it reaches a threshold, the user’s pet birb can go on an adventure and bring back fun items for customization. Once an adventure is finished, a conversation is started between the pet and the user, allowing the user to reflect on themselves and develop their birb’s personality.

The gamification of Finch is what makes the app so unique and effective. By rewarding the completion of self-care tasks, the app utilizes dopamine rushes – the same feeling that social media apps use to keep people scrolling endlessly – to motivate users to improve their lives. Finch’s cute design and intuitive interface also make the experience all the more enjoyable and relaxing. Furthermore, the app allows interaction with friends through a tree town where users can send positive actions to each other, such as a virtual hug or high-five.

Most importantly, however, Finch is free. All the fundamental features, such as goal setting, specific self-care guides and collecting accessories, are free to access. Despite implementing an optional premium subscription, the developers ensured that no paywall would prevent users from using Finch to better themselves. There are even opportunities to receive the premium version for free, such as raffles and the guardianship feature.

In an age where most phone apps are designed to hook people to view excessive amounts of digital entertainment, Finch is a breath of fresh air. Through its innovative features and easy accessibility, the app teaches and reminds users how to stay physically and mentally healthy during a time when lives are becoming increasingly overwhelming. So, download Finch, and take your new pet birb on a self-care adventure.

Rating: ★★★★½