This wellness app is like TikTok for your feelings

Would you share the pages of your journal with a bunch of strangers, because that’s the idea behind social wellness app Exist. 

The new iOS social wellness app wants to turn journaling into a social experience. Originally designed with Gen Z in mind, Exist unexpectedly found its audience among middle-age users, with the average sign-up age landing at 40. Seeing this, the founders pivoted to focus on this group, creating a space for real, raw conversations about life’s challenges.

Exist calls itself the edgier cousin of Calm and Headspace, but instead of solo meditation, it puts social journaling at the center of its mission. The app is built on the idea that healing happens best together, not alone. Users can track their moods daily, explore guided meditations, and engage in audio exercises, but the real draw is its community. 

In terms of its interface, Exist functions like a TikTok for mental health, offering a swipeable feed of videos and text-based public journal entries. Users can respond to daily prompts, share their thoughts, and interact through comments, creating a space for support and real conversations.

“The biggest feature that makes us different is the community side,” cofounder Alicia Waldner told TechCrunch. “Headspace and Calm proved that there’s this audio-based market, but people still feel very alone in those experiences and in real life, people meditate and then they journal, but that’s a solo experience. And what we did was make that a social experience. So instead of journaling all your thoughts and feelings at home and putting it underneath your bed at night, you’re sharing it with the world, and people are commenting back.”

Exist also offers an AI-powered question feature designed to push users to dig deeper into their thoughts and feelings. This tool encourages a more reflective and thorough journaling experience. While the community and social journaling features are free, users looking for guided audios and meditations can unlock them with a $5.99/month subscription. 

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