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Launch HN: Quirk (YC S19) – Open-Source Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

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91–95 of 95 posts

Re: Launch HN: Quirk (YC S19) – Open-Source Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

#91
post #90

Nice work! This is a great idea and something I've thought should exist since getting interested in CBT a few months back. Before even trying the app, here are some thoughts. - On pricing: $4/mo seems like a difficult price point to build a business around, and it doesn't reflect the value you're offering. People pay hundreds/thousands per month to therapists to improve their mental health. If outcomes from using you…

Though also, on pricing: it’s not just a question of what the app offers, but also of what competitors are offering, and at what price. For example: the company that did Monument Valley teamed up with some doctors to do a very similar app in this space called Moodnotes* , and priced it at a one-time payment of $5. That is to say: I am glad for Quirk’s existence - if it gets the useful techniques of CBT in front of ev…

Yeah, that's a good point. I think it all comes down to framing. Are you selling a "mood-tracking app" or "a self-administered therapy system" (that happens to use an app as one piece of the system)? The former anchors you very low (too low, I would argue, to build a sustainable business). The latter anchors you against weekly $100+ therapy sessions, which gives you vastly more breathing room.

The flip side is that customers will of course be a lot more discerning and demanding with the latter framing, as they should be. It will be a lot harder to get product-market fit, but if you do, you'll be able to build a great business on top of it, rather than just being another competitor in a race to the bottom.

Re: Launch HN: Quirk (YC S19) – Open-Source Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

#93

Your app charges for subscription but it is also available as open source. Does that mean somebody else can potentially publish it on App store and offer it for free?

They could but a lot of features would break. The app communicates with a closed source API. Plus, we still own the name and the brand and would likely send a take down if someone didn't remove them.

Re: Launch HN: Quirk (YC S19) – Open-Source Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

#94
post #66

I've actually been building something similar myself. Although mine is mostly just for tracking stuff in your life and forming statistical analysis from the data. And I do nearly everything server-side. I think you guys should set up a website to explain and promote this a bit better. Basically how you introduced it here but just on a website.

Check it out! :) www.quirk.fyi

Any reason there seem to be two domains? One is quirkapp or something. Then there’s the one you listed.

Re: Launch HN: Quirk (YC S19) – Open-Source Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

#95
post #69

I was dissapointed to open the app again - I had been using it frequently when I switched to paper thought-records. When I reopened it I was greeted with a paywall. Alternatives on iOS exist such as Thought Record that are free. Until there is an obvious value proposition that differs from free alternatives, I see no need to pay merely for a 'quirkier' interface.

This is due to a bug where some folks didn't get caught up as "free forever." Send me an email and I'll fix this for you and give you the app for free: ejc@quirk.fyi Hopefully you'll like the new version as well!

Thanks so much for this offer! I ran into the problem too on my iPad.

And Quirk is great for such a new product!

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