Questions people actually ask.
Something not here? Ask us directly through the contact form.
The basics
What is RetroPals, in one sentence?
A wellbeing app built around one calm weekly reflection, with an AI companion you design yourself, and no streaks or points anywhere in it.
How long does it take each week?
Two minutes if you rush it, ten if you want to go deeper. You choose which steps are even in your reflection, so a stripped-down version is genuinely short.
Do I have to do it weekly?
No. Nothing happens if you miss a week. There is no streak to break and no record kept of the miss. Come back whenever.
Is it for students specifically?
It was designed with students in mind, because student life is unpredictable (exams, changing workloads, the seasons) and rigid daily targets tend to fit it badly. It works just as well for anyone else.
Do I need an account?
No. Guest mode is a real mode. You will want an account if you plan to sync across devices or use the optional biometrics layer, but you can start without one.
The AI
Do I have to use the AI?
No. Turn AI features off in Settings and the reflection, goals, habits and insights all keep working. The AI writes the analysis. It is not what makes the app function.
Which AI models can I use?
A catalogue spanning everyday, efficient and flagship models from several providers, including models from Anthropic, Google and OpenAI. You pick which one sits behind each companion, and the app shows you the credit cost before you choose. The catalogue is updated without needing an app update.
Are my reflections used to train AI models?
Not by default. AI requests run under a zero data retention policy unless you switch it off in Settings: your prompt is used to generate the response and then discarded. Not stored, not logged, not trained on. If you turn the setting off to use other models, that provider's own terms apply.
Can I use my own API key?
Yes, with a Lifetime unlock or any subscription. Add your own OpenRouter key and every model unlocks, your usage is billed at cost by your own provider with no markup from us, and your key is encrypted server-side and never returned to a device.
Does my companion remember me?
Yes, and each companion remembers separately. The one you reflect with and the one you plan with build different pictures of you, because they were present for different things.
Is the AI a therapist?
No, and it will say so. RetroPals is a wellbeing and reflection tool, not a medical or psychological service.
Privacy and data
Where is my data stored?
On your device, in a local database, which is the source of truth. Cloud backup is opt-in and off until you turn it on.
Does it work offline?
Completely. Submitting a reflection never touches the network.
What syncs if I turn sync on?
Whatever you choose. Sync is organised by category, so you can back up goals without backing up health data. Health data has its own separate switch, on top of the switch that lets the app read it at all.
Can anyone else see my reflections?
No. Nothing is shared, there is no social feed, and server-side security rules restrict every stored record to the account that created it.
Is my data sold or used for advertising?
No. There are no ads in RetroPals, no data sales, and no analytics SDK in the app at all.
How do I delete everything?
From inside the app, or from this website. You can delete your account entirely, or delete your data and keep the account.
Is there a research programme collecting my data?
Not at the moment. No study is running and no research data is being collected. If one opens in future it will ask for its own explicit consent, and even then free text would never be transmitted.
Plans
Is it really free?
Yes. The free plan is permanent, not a trial, and everything except the AI works on it: the reflection, goals, habits, insights and motivational tools.
How does paying work?
Only the AI costs anything, and it runs on credits. You can get them with a one-time Lifetime unlock, a monthly subscription or a top-up pack, and they stack together. Current plans and prices are on the App Store and Google Play, and the app shows the price before any purchase.
What happens to my data if I cancel?
Nothing. It stays exactly where it is, and credits you have already bought do not expire.
Features
What are the eight wellbeing categories?
Sun, Sleep, Nutrition, Exercise, Rest, Socialising, Expression and Comfort.
Do I need a smartwatch?
No. Biometrics are entirely optional. The app was specifically designed to work for people without an expensive wearable.
There is an EXP system. Isn't that gamification?
It is, and it is off by default, marked beta, and shows you an honest warning before it turns on. Gamification can crowd out the self-directed motivation the rest of the app is built around. It exists because some people genuinely enjoy it, not because we think it is a good idea for everyone.
Can I track habits I want to do less of?
Yes. Habits cover both the ones you are building and the ones you are reducing.
Does it nag me?
Reminders exist, they are gentle, and you configure them or switch them off. There is nothing else that prompts you.
Technical
Which platforms?
iPhone and iPad, and Android. There is no web version.
How do I report a bug?
Through the contact form. Pick “Something is broken” and include your device and app version if you can find them (Settings, at the bottom).
A calmer way to keep going.
One reflection a week. No streaks to break, no scores to chase, no pressure to perform.