I Built a Free App for ADHD, Autistic and Neurodivergent People: Here's Why

I Built a Free App for ADHD, Autistic and Neurodivergent People — Here's Why

I have just launched something and I am giving it away completely free. No login. No subscription. No catch. Here is the story behind Low Tide Calm, a free nervous system regulation app built specifically for neurodivergent brains, and why I think the ND community deserves better tools than what is out there.

Check it out here:
Low Tide App

The problem with most mental wellness apps

If you have ADHD, are autistic, or identify as neurodivergent in any way, you have probably downloaded at least one mental wellness app and deleted it within a week. They are designed for neurotypical brains. They assume you have the executive function to open the app consistently, the working memory to remember what the features do, and the emotional bandwidth to sit through onboarding flows before you can access anything useful.

They also, almost universally, ask you to create an account before you can use a single feature. And then they want a subscription.

The people who most need support in a dysregulated moment are the least able to navigate a paywall or remember a password. The nervous system does not wait for you to remember whether your password has a capital letter in it.

What I wanted to build

I wanted something that opened immediately and worked. No account. No email address. No subscription tier nudging you toward a premium plan. Just tools, real evidence-informed regulation tools, available the second someone needed them.

Low Tide Calm includes guided breathing exercises, step-by-step meltdown and crisis support, a body doubling timer for ADHD focus, a sensory regulation menu, a dopamine menu with random picker, nervous system check-ins and pattern tracking, a transition timer for task-switching, 5-4-3-2-1 grounding, a private on-device journal, and an ND-friendly mode with larger text and slower animations.

Everything is stored locally on your device. Nothing is sent to any server. There is no data to breach because we never collect any.

Why free?

The honest answer is that the neurodivergent community gives a lot, to coaches, to therapists, to each other. I want to give something back that has no strings attached.

There is also a practical reality. Access to support, whether that is coaching, therapy or tools, is not evenly distributed. Cost is a real barrier. A free app does not fix that inequality but it removes one layer of it. If Low Tide Calm helps someone regulate in a moment when they have no access to anything else, then it has done its job.

Who it is for

Low Tide Calm is built with ADHD, autistic and broadly neurodivergent people in mind, but the tools inside it are useful for anyone who experiences anxiety, burnout, sensory overwhelm or difficulty with transitions. It is also designed to be useful for therapists and coaches who want a free, privacy-respecting tool to recommend to clients for between-session support.

Try it now, no login needed

You can open Low Tide Calm right now in your browser. No account, no email, no password. It works on iPhone, Android and desktop.

👉 Open the app free: https://low-tide-calm-v1.cianseanodriscoll.workers.dev

If you are on Android you can install it to your home screen from Chrome for a full app experience. On iPhone, tap Share in Safari and choose Add to Home Screen.

Want more personalised support?

Low Tide Calm is designed to be a self-serve resource you can pick up and use without any guidance. But sometimes what you actually need is someone to work with you directly, understand your specific nervous system, and help you build a regulation practice that fits your life.

I work with ADHD, autistic and neurodivergent adults on nervous system regulation, burnout recovery, and building routines that actually stick. I also create personalised guided meditations through my Etsy shop, tailored to your specific nervous system needs and sensory preferences rather than the generic wellness-speak that makes most ND people want to throw their phone across the room.

📩 Get in touch about 1:1 coaching: Contact

🛍️ Browse custom meditations on Etsy: Low Tide Calm

If you found Low Tide Calm useful and want to support its development, you can also leave a tip on Ko-fi at https://ko-fi.com/lowtidecalm — it keeps the app free for everyone and is genuinely appreciated.