Are you struggling to focus on your daily tasks and goals? Clarify, an app designed specifically for people with ADHD, might be what you’re looking for. I tested out the app to see whether it’s really worth using.
What Are Clarify’s Main Features?
Clarifyhas a timer that helps you focus on your tasks without distractions, and you’re able to choose different music types to soundtrack your work. If you find yourself getting distracted when using apps like Spotify, this might be a viable alternative. You also receive test results to determine your strengths and weaknesses, and Clarify aims to help you improve these.
When using Clarify, you’re able to access a community for support and tips on managing your ADHD. It also provides different tips and tricks to help you navigate each day more effectively. When you use this app andmake your phone less distracting, you may find that you can focus better for extended periods.
Clarify also provides access to coaches that can help you along your journey.
Download:Clarify foriOS|Android|macOS(Free, in-app purchases available)
How Much Does Clarify Cost?
Clarify offers monthly, quarterly, and annual subscriptions. Prices range from $22.99 per month to $99.99 per year, depending on which payment method you choose. Here’s a breakdown of Clarify’s different pricing options:
$49.99 per quarter
Before signing up for the Clarify ADHD app, you can get a seven-day free trial.
What I Liked About Clarify
I’m not sure if I would use Clarify long-term, and I will explain my reasons why later. However, there were several things that I did like about the app. Here’s a rundown of what was good about it.
The Introductory Questions
Clarify asks a lot of introductory questions, and the entire process took me around 10 minutes to complete. These questions should help the app give you more specific recommendations; cookie-cutter advice is annoying and unhelpful in equal measure.
If you’ve never done any kind of personal analysis before, answering these questions can help improve your self-awareness. You should also refer to other information online, like thesetips for working from home with ADHD.
The Recommendations
Another of Clarify’s cool features is the recommendations it gives as you make progress, especially in the early phases. For example, the app provided a 10-minute morning routine designed to help me focus for the day. While I already have a good grasp of my morning routine, these types of recommendations would be useful to someone who’s not as organized.
After you complete your test, you’ll receive recommendations on what you should consider doing to mitigate your weaknesses. For example, I was told toconsider mind mappingand “embrace hyperfocus” (which, to me, basically translates to doing more things that I’m passionate about).
The Community Feature
It’s hard to ask others for advice if they don’t know your specific struggles, which is why I’ll always advocate for people to join communities of like-minded people. Clarify has an in-app feature that lets you connect with others using the tool. While I didn’t use it to its full potential, I can see how it would benefit other users who need that support.
What I Didn’t Like About Clarify
Despite the benefits of the Clarify app, there were a couple of things that bothered me about it and need significant work.
The App Sometimes Felt Patronizing
I’m very aware that this varies from person to person, and others would probably need more positive reinforcement. But as I used Clarify, I couldn’t help but feel like the app was sometimes a little patronizing. The regular messages about ADHD being a superpower, etc., felt a little forced and somewhat cringeworthy. If I used this app long-term, they would probably start to annoy me and I’d likely seek an alternative.
While I don’t feel like I need these kinds of messages, I do know that they would help others. This is especially true for people who’ve constantly felt isolated or weird because of their condition. So, instead of completely removing them, I think the app should just tone them down a little.
Another nice feature would be the option to choose the intensity of these messages. That way, everyone would have a better in-app experience.
The App Functionality Needs Significant Work
More than anything else, I feel like Clarify’s app needs a lot of work before I would consider using it long-term. It didn’t work at all on some occasions and would constantly get stuck on the screen. After reinstalling the app, I tried to log back into my account and had to re-take the entire beginner’s test.
I did use Google to sign in, so maybe using an email address would work better. However, since the app costs almost $100 per year, simple bugs like this are disappointing.
The app also took a long time to load, which quickly became frustrating. The interface was confusing to navigate at times. You might want to look at one of theseproductivity apps for people with ADHD instead.
Would I Recommend Clarify to People With ADHD?
It depends on where you are on your journey. If you’re a total beginner to productivity and don’t know how to manage your ADHD, Clarify has some useful features that can help you improve your focus and learn more about yourself. Moreover, while I didn’t like the overly positive reinforcements, I can see the value in them for someone else. Similarly, the coaching might also benefit people who struggle with accountability.
However, I wouldn’t recommend Clarify to people who already have a good grip on productivity and organizing their time. The app felt like a needless addition to what I already use; I’d prefer to use my Apple Watch for tracking time and an app like Todoist for organizing my tasks.
I do feel like Clarify has the base to build an excellent app, and I certainly see its potential. However, the app functionality needs to significantly improve. I’d recommend trying the seven-day free trial to see if it’s something you’re interested in, but I have to say I expected more.
