Comparison

NOCD vs SafSteps

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

NOCD

Access online therapy and support for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Get matched with a licensed therapist specializing in ERP therapy and utilize tools and community support between sessions to manage your condition.

Highlights
  • Online OCD therapy sessions
  • Matched with licensed OCD therapist
  • Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy
  • Therapist messaging
  • OCD therapy tools
  • Support groups
  • Community interaction
Features
Read full description

NOCD offers online OCD therapy and in-between session support, right in the NOCD platform. Get matched with a licensed OCD therapist in your state and do live, face-to-face video sessions with a therapist trained in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD. NOCD was created by people with OCD, along with some of the world's top experts. Online therapy sessions with an OCD specialist: - Match with an OCD therapist who fits your preferences - Personalize your OCD treatment plan - Do live video sessions with a therapist who specializes in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the gold standard treatment for OCD Additional support between sessions: - Use OCD therapy tools 24/7 - Message your therapist anytime - Interact with a community who knows what you’re going through - Dozens of weekly support groups with others in NOCD Therapy WHAT IS OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER (OCD)? OCD is a common psychiatric disorder that involves repetitive, unwanted thoughts that cause anxiety, and compulsive behaviors done in an attempt to reduce this anxiety. Commonly misunderstood as nothing more than a personality quirk, OCD usually involves intense distress and can become completely debilitating when left untreated. IS NOCD THERAPY EFFECTIVE? NOCD live video therapy has been shown to be as effective as face-to-face therapy. Our model has been backed by research from the Columbia University Medical Center, which found a reduction in OCD severity by an average of 40% in 8 weeks of NOCD Therapy. WHO ARE NOCD THERAPISTS? NOCD’s extensive therapist network includes licensed counselors, psychologists, and social workers. Every NOCD Therapist receives specialty training in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, the most effective OCD treatment. All NOCD therapists are managed by our clinical leadership team of experts who have 20+ years of experience treating OCD and have designed some of the world’s top OCD treatment programs. IS NOCD SECURE? Our services are powered by AWS and Aptible, both of which are fully SOC2 and HIPAA compliant. Your therapy data is stored in our EHR that also complies with all HIPAA requirements. All medical notes and records are only accessible by you and your therapist. Furthermore, in addition to internal privacy safeguards, we regularly enlist security researchers to assess our services for vulnerabilities. For more information, find our complete Privacy Policy at https://www.treatmyocd.com/privacy-policy/, and Terms of Use at https://www.treatmyocd.com/terms/ Download the NOCD app today and schedule a free phone call with our care team to learn how we can help you regain your life from OCD.

About

SafSteps

This app supports individuals managing anxiety, panic attacks, and agoraphobia by tracking exposure sessions and building confidence. It offers guided tools, progress tracking, calming resources, and community encouragement to help users take small steps toward recovery.

Highlights
  • Guided exposure tracking
  • Progress history and milestones
  • Panic support and calming tools
  • Journaling for reflection
  • Community encouragement
  • Motivation tools
  • Calming design
Features
Read full description

SafSteps is a recovery-focused companion for people struggling with anxiety, panic attacks, avoidance, and agoraphobia. Whether leaving the house feels overwhelming, driving feels impossible, or everyday tasks have started shrinking your world, SafSteps is designed to help you take small steps forward — one exposure at a time. Track exposure sessions, celebrate progress, build confidence through repetition, and stay motivated with supportive recovery tools and community encouragement. SafSteps includes: • Guided exposure tracking • Progress history and recovery milestones • Panic support and calming tools • Journaling features for reflection and growth • Encouragement Wall community support • Motivation tools designed for real-world recovery • Simple, calming design built to reduce overwhelm Recovery rarely happens all at once. It happens through small wins repeated consistently over time. SafSteps was built to help make those steps feel possible again. Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Privacy Policy: https://safsteps.com/privacy.html Terms of Use: https://safsteps.com/terms.html

Screenshots

NOCD4 screens
SafSteps4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: NOCD at 4.9 against SafSteps's 3.0. NOCD also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (17K vs 6). SafSteps's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. SafSteps sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. NOCD asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

NOCD holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NOCD has 17K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NOCD ships an update fortnightly, SafSteps every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
NOCD versus SafSteps: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNOCDSafSteps
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (17K ratings) — better3.0 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews60.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings17K — better6
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size167 MB129 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperNOCD INCJohn Ratliff

Bugs and requests

NOCD

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Timer issues when switching apps
  • Unreliable push notifications

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improved calendar integration
  • Trigger warning and content filtering
  • Better data tracking and analytics
  • More inclusive and diverse representation

SafSteps

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

NOCD

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

SafSteps

Subscriptions2
  • SafSteps7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • SafSteps Annual7 Days trial$19.991 Year

Questions

Is NOCD free?
NOCD is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SafSteps free?
SafSteps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, NOCD or SafSteps?
NOCD is rated higher. NOCD averages 4.9 out of 5 from 17K ratings, while SafSteps averages 3.0 from 6 ratings.
Do NOCD or SafSteps have ads?
Neither NOCD nor SafSteps shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NOCD or SafSteps?
NOCD ships an update fortnightly, and SafSteps every 2 weeks. Most recently, NOCD was updated on October 29, 2026 and SafSteps on October 24, 2026.

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