# AA vs AA Steps 8/9

The clearest difference is price: AA at Free against AA Steps 8/9's $2.99. AA also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (176 vs 9). AA Steps 8/9's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.

AA is free to download; AA Steps 8/9 costs $2.99 up front. AA sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. AA Steps 8/9 asks for nothing beyond the download.

AA holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AA has 176 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 86% of AA's written reviews are positive against 100% of AA Steps 8/9's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

AA ships an update every 17 months, AA Steps 8/9 every 4 days. Both last shipped on November 2, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | AA | AA Steps 8/9 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (176 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aa-sandy-b/id1071631421/reviews)** | [4.3 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aa-steps-89/id1455711763/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **176** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 85.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 17 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#131** |
| Size | 35 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tushar Bhagat](https://appshunter.io/developer/901932809) | [12 Step Apps LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/947529610) |

## What reviewers say

### AA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aa-sandy-b/id1071631421)

Access a collection of inspirational speaker tapes from a renowned AA member. This app supports your 12-step program with a sobriety calculator, key AA literature, and essential prayers. It's designed as a pocket companion for recovering alcoholics.

**Highlights:** Collection of 26 speaker tapes, Sobriety calculator, AA Big Book (first 164 pages), Dr Bob's Nightmare, Included prayers, Included readings

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium - Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium - Annual | $14.99 | per year |
| Satisfactory | $2.99 | one-time |
| Good | $4.99 | one-time |
| Excellent | $7.99 | one-time |


### AA Steps 8/9

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aa-steps-89/id1455711763)

**Currently charting:** #131 Top Paid · Lifestyle (US App Store)

This app helps users manage their 8th and 9th Step lists for Alcoholics Anonymous. It offers secure storage, relevant AA literature, and tools to track amends and progress.

**Highlights:** Secure Touch ID/Pass-code protection, Integrated AA literature resources, Tools for 8th Step harms and amends timing, 9th Step amends review and status tracking, Progress visualization meter, Exportable PDF lists, Shareable app link

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AA free?

AA is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is AA Steps 8/9 free?

AA Steps 8/9 costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, AA or AA Steps 8/9?

AA is rated higher. AA averages 4.8 out of 5 from 176 ratings, while AA Steps 8/9 averages 4.3 from 9 ratings.

### Do AA or AA Steps 8/9 have ads?

AA shows ads; AA Steps 8/9 does not.

### Which is updated more often, AA or AA Steps 8/9?

AA ships an update every 17 months, and AA Steps 8/9 every 4 days. Most recently, AA was updated on November 2, 2026 and AA Steps 8/9 on November 2, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*