Private social networking is experiencing a resurgence, with Gratitude Plus leading the charge. This startup is revolutionizing social media by promoting positivity and expanding its wellness-oriented personal reflections journal. Now, it offers features to help families maintain connections, despite physical distances.
Gratitude Plus, named aptly for its core feature of a gratitude journal, draws some parallels to Path, a past contender for Facebook’s dominance. Path distinguished itself by fostering interactions within smaller, more intimate groups, limiting users to 50 friends to ensure tighter social circles than larger networks.
While Path enjoyed a period of popularity and demonstrated the potential of well-executed private social networks, it ultimately did not surpass Facebook. Burdened by excessive venture funding and the necessity of a profitable exit, Path was acquired by Korea’s Kakao in 2015.
In a similar vein, Gratitude Plus is not designed for broad audience engagement. Instead, it focuses on cultivating healthier relationships and enhancing mental wellness. The app provides a platform for journaling, mood tracking, and maintaining connections with family and friends through small, private “circles.”
Daniel Shaffer, a founder and app developer based in New York City, emphasized the simplicity of his design. “I wanted people to feel like they’re writing in an elegant journal,” he explained.
Upon launching the app, users are encouraged to journal by responding to a straightforward prompt: List three things you’re grateful for today. Users also have the flexibility to switch the prompt to other questions, such as “What made you smile today?” or “What are you looking forward to today?” Alternatively, custom prompts can be created. The app also offers a shuffle mode for journaling reminders, providing a new prompt each day. Additionally, users can include photos to supplement their entries, creating a richer experience.
Contrary to a traditional private diary, responses to the app’s prompts are designed to be shared within a closed group, such as family members, close friends, or partners.
“When I spoke with users, they expressed appreciation for an app that allows them to spend a minute or two reflecting on their day,” Shaffer noted.
Shaffer was motivated to create Gratitude Plus following the death of his mother. His personal journey through grief led him to seek more accessible mental health tools, inspiring him to establish a wellness platform that individuals can use to connect with their friends and family in a more positive and meaningful way compared to traditional social media. This quest for accessible mental health resources isn’t unique to him; another startup, DayNew, founded by individuals who have lost spouses, provides a social platform for those navigating grief and trauma.
Gratitude Plus, however, places its emphasis not strictly on healing grief but on nurturing the important relationships in one’s life today.
Coinciding with Mother’s Day (Sunday), the launch of the new family plan allows up to four members to share a premium subscription for $74.99 annually.
The platform, aside from enabling private networking, features a community feed fueled by anonymous contributions from users, allowing insights into the sentiments of the broader user base on any given day. Users can engage with these posts by leaving supportive messages or hearts. According to Shaffer, approximately 50% of the app’s users contribute anonymously to this feed.
“Supporting others brings a lot of satisfaction. One of the remarkable aspects of this platform is that even if you’re feeling down, offering support to others can uplift your own spirits,” Shaffer remarked. “Many users describe it as a positive social network experience.”
Gratitude Plus promotes daily routines through tools like push notifications and user streaks. However, Shaffer believes the app’s primary appeal lies in the connections users foster—be it with family, friends, significant others, children, or anyone they choose to interact with. A segment of users also extends their network to include broader groups, such as dorm mates, school friends, or even fellow YC founders.
Shaffer aims to integrate additional mental wellness features into the app, including meditation and breathwork exercises.
Currently operating on a freemium model, the app boasts over 10,000 users, 650 of whom subscribe to a paid plan that unlocks additional features.
