Otti vs Finch: two cozy self-care pets, compared
Finch and Otti share a lovely idea: look after yourself, and a little creature grows with you. Finch has a bird and years of features behind it. Otti is newer, with an otter you care for tamagotchi-style. Here’s how they actually differ.
Updated October 20, 2026 · By the Otti team (yes, we make Otti, so read with that in mind)
Choose Finch if…
- You want the most complete self-care pet app available today, with mood trends, quizzes and lots of guided exercises.
- You love collecting outfits, furniture and seasonal event rewards.
- You want an iPad or Vision Pro app, or a big community to join on Discord and Reddit.
- You’d rather have a bird than an otter!
Choose Otti if…
- You want a pet to actually look after, tamagotchi-style: feeding, naps, baths and play, without it ever getting sick or dying.
- You like a story: watching your otter grow up and travel down the river, with an evening story on days you show up.
- You want a small, cozy circle of friends whose otters hold paws, rather than a bigger social layer.
- You prefer a simpler app with fewer menus, and a currency you can only earn, never buy.
At a glance
| Feature | Otti | Finch |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | OttiA cozy self-care pet: tiny daily steps help your otter grow up on a journey down the river | FinchA self-care pet: small goals give your bird energy for a daily adventure |
| Pet or character | OttiYes. Hatch one of six 3D otters, each with its own look and personality, and care for it tamagotchi-style (feeding, naps, baths, play) | FinchYes. A customisable bird (“birb”) that goes on adventures and brings back stories |
| Missing a day | OttiYour otter may get hungry or sleepy, but never sick, and it never dies. A day count restarts, but growth and story progress never reset | FinchNo penalty documented for the bird. A daily streak can be repaired with Rainbow Stones or a free Streak Repair Saver; Pause Mode freezes it. Missed days put seasonal event progress behind |
| Price (US) | OttiFree during the beta. Pricing will be announced before launch | FinchCore features free. Finch Plus is $69.99/year or $9.99/month, with a 7-day free trial |
| Mood tracking | OttiDaily mood check-in (five moods) with a note, and a week view | FinchMorning check-in, evening reflection, mood tracker with trends and journal prompts |
| Breathing and calm | OttiFloat with your otter: calm 4-6 breathing for 1, 3 or 5 minutes | FinchBreathing exercises, soundscapes, movement and focus timers (all options with Plus) |
| Friends | OttiOptional Raft: friends’ otters hold paws, send cheers and small gifts. No chat, no public profiles | FinchFriends by code, Good Vibes, friendship levels, Goal and Accountability Buddies, gifting items |
| In-app currency | OttiPebbles, earned only through self-care. They can’t be bought | FinchRainbow Stones, earned through goals, quests and events. None are listed for sale on the US App Store |
| Privacy | OttiJournal and mood check-ins stay on your phone. No ads, no selling data. No account needed to start | FinchAccount optional; without one, data stays on your device. Doesn’t sell or rent data or show other companies’ ads; shares some identifiers with ad partners to market Finch (opt-out offered) |
| Platforms | OttiiPhone and Android (in beta) | FinchiPhone, iPad, Apple Vision and Android |
| Store ratings (US) | OttiNew: in beta, not rated yet | FinchApp Store 4.9 (about 766K ratings). Google Play 4.9 (633K reviews, 10M+ downloads) |
What Finch does well
Finch, made by Finch Care PBC, is the best-known self-care pet app. You raise a customisable bird by completing small self-care goals; once your bird is full of energy, it goes on a daily adventure and comes back with a story. Around that sit morning check-ins, evening reflections, a mood tracker, guided journal prompts, breathing and soundscapes, optional mental-health quizzes and monthly seasonal events.
- A huge, mature feature set: goals and habits, reflections, mood trends, journal prompts, breathing, soundscapes, movement and focus timers, and a “First Aid Kit” for hard moments.
- A generous free tier. Finch says caring for your bird, goals, reflections, sending good vibes to friends and seasonal events are free and will stay free.
- Its help centre explicitly promises no guilt and no pressure, and Pause Mode lets you freeze your streak and hide goals while you rest.
- Warm, inclusive bird customisation (pronouns, pride flags, mobility aids) and a big, supportive community.
- Ratings to match: 4.9 stars from about 766,000 ratings on the US App Store, and 4.9 stars with 10M+ downloads on Google Play.
How Otti is different
- An otter instead of a bird, in 3D. You hatch one of six otters (curious, silly, brave, gentle, cozy or dreamy), each with its own look and personality, and you can tap its head, rub its belly or squish its cheeks.
- Tamagotchi-style care. Your otter gets hungry, sleepy, messy or wants to play, and you feed it, tuck it in for naps, give it bubble baths and play together. Its face shows how it feels. It never gets sick and never dies.
- A story it grows up in. Care days move your otter from pup to grown-up and down the river through six chapters, with a new evening story to unlock on days you take care of yourself.
- Friends’ otters hold paws, like real sea otters do so they don’t drift apart. The Raft is deliberately small: paw holds, cheers and little gifts, with no chat or public profiles.
- No paid event track, and pebbles (Otti’s currency) can only be earned through self-care.
- Your journal and mood check-ins stay on your phone; there’s no account to set up unless you add friends.
- Otti is new and in beta, so it does less than Finch today: no mental-health quizzes, fewer breathing options and no iPad or Vision Pro app.
Pricing
Finch’s core self-care features are free. Finch Plus costs $69.99 a year or $9.99 a month in the US and adds more shop slots and a daily discount, a premium seasonal event reward track, all good-vibe options, more reflection prompts, and every breathing, soundscape and timer option. There’s an automatic 3-day Plus preview after your first few days that ends without charging, and a separate 7-day free trial that converts to paid unless you cancel. There’s no lifetime plan, and paying “Guardians” fund a monthly raffle of free Plus for people who can’t afford it.
Otti is in beta and free to try. Pebbles, the currency for outfits and treats, are only earned through self-care and can’t be bought. We’ll share full pricing before launch.
Missing a day
Finch is gentle about this. Its help centre promises no guilt and no pressure, and we found nothing official saying the bird gets sick, runs away or dies. Finch does keep a daily streak for opening the app, which you can repair with Rainbow Stones or a free Streak Repair Saver, and Pause Mode freezes the streak while you take a break. If you’re taking part in the monthly seasonal event, a day without fully energising your bird puts your event progress behind, so you can end the month with fewer event rewards. You can turn events off.
In Otti, your otter can get hungry, sleepy or a bit messy if you’ve been away, but it never gets sick, never dies and is always happy to see you. Its growth and story progress never reset. There is a simple day count, but nothing is taken away when it restarts.
Sources
Facts about Finch come from its own website, app store listings and help pages, checked on October 20, 2026. Prices and features change, so check the app store for the latest. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@ottiapp.com and we’ll fix it.
- Finch on the US App Store
- Finch on Google Play
- Finch help centre: Our Mission
- Finch help centre: Understanding Streaks
- Finch help centre: Pause Mode
- Finch help centre: Seasonal Event Calendar
- Finch help centre: Finch Plus Pricing
- Finch help centre: Benefits of Finch Plus
- Finch privacy policy
Finch is a trademark of its owner. Otti isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by Finch Care PBC.
Questions people ask
Is Otti a Finch alternative?
Yes. Both are self-care pet apps where small daily steps help a creature grow. Finch has a bird and a much larger feature set; Otti has a 3D otter you care for tamagotchi-style, a river story it grows up in, and friends whose otters hold paws.
Is Finch free?
Finch’s core self-care features are free. Finch Plus costs $69.99 a year or $9.99 a month in the US (checked October 2026) and adds extra customisation, a premium event track and all breathing and soundscape options.
Does the bird in Finch die if you don’t use it?
We found nothing in Finch’s official help centre saying the bird gets sick, runs away or dies, and Finch says it is designed without guilt or pressure. Missing days can break your streak (which is repairable) and slow seasonal event progress.
Does the otter in Otti die?
No. Your otter can get hungry, sleepy or a bit messy if you’ve been away, but it never gets sick and never dies, and its growth and story progress never reset. It’s always happy to see you come back.
Can I use Otti and Finch together?
Of course. Some people like a bird and an otter. If juggling two apps feels like pressure, though, pick the one you look forward to opening.