PatientsLikeMe vs SELF by LFA
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PatientsLikeMe
Connect with others living with chronic conditions for peer support and shared knowledge. Discover curated solutions, gain health insights from lived experiences, and receive motivational reminders to manage your health journey effectively.
- Peer support network
- Shared health knowledge
- Curated solutions
- Motivational reminders
- Health insights from lived experiences
- Connect with peers 24/7
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PatientsLikeMe provides a path forward to better health through connection. Our app is for people living with chronic and complex conditions looking for community and guidance on improving their health from people who have been there. We offer access to curated solutions, real-time peer support, health insights from patients' lived experiences, and motivational reminders to take charge of your health. Key benefits include: • Actionable shared knowledge: Explore first-hand reviews, ask questions, and get support to uncover the best care approach for YOU, while sharing your experience to help others. Belonging and camaraderie: Connect with peers 24/7 who have been in your shoes to build a support network with zero judgement. Foster resilience and increase motivation to achieve your health goals. • A path forward: Feel empowered to make the best healthcare decisions to manage your condition effectively. At PatientsLikeMe, we understand that each of you has unique needs when managing your health effectively. We hear you, and we value your collective voice. So we've adapted our mobile experience to meet you where you need us most on your healthcare journey. From customizable reminders to help manage medications or helpful tips from peers to help prepare for your next medical appointment, PatientsLikeMe is here to empower you to take control of your health journey.
SELF by LFA
This app helps individuals manage lupus symptoms, stress, and medications. It offers tools, trackers, and information to improve energy and mood, and connect with a supportive community. Get customized tips to take control of your health journey.
- Symptom and medication tracking
- Stress management tools
- Energy and mood pattern discovery
- Customized self-management skills
- Community connection and Q&A
- Personalized tips via text
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SELF is a free app developed by the Lupus Foundation of America in partnership with ProChange Behavior Solutions to help people with lupus live their best lives. Rather than being controlled by lupus, you can feel in control. SELF is customized to help you better manage your lupus symptoms, stress, and medication --and work with your health care team. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or have been living with lupus for some time, SELF can help you: - Explore easy to use tools, trackers, information and support - Discover patterns that will improve your energy and your mood - Choose what self-management skills to work on - Create a new path on your self-management journey - Connect with your peers in the lupus community and get your questions answered by the Lupus Foundation of America’s health education specialists - Get customized tips via text
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: SELF by LFA at 50% against PatientsLikeMe's 0%. SELF by LFA also leads on monetization model (free vs ad-supported). PatientsLikeMe's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (18 vs 5). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
PatientsLikeMe holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 18 and 5 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 0% of PatientsLikeMe's written reviews are positive against 50% of SELF by LFA's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PatientsLikeMe | SELF by LFA |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (18 ratings) — better | 3.0 (5 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 18 — better | 5 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 56 MB | 29 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | PatientsLikeMe | Pro-Change Behavior Systems, Inc. |
Customer experience
PatientsLikeMe
SELF by LFA
In-app purchases
PatientsLikeMe
No in-app purchases
SELF by LFA
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is PatientsLikeMe free?
Is SELF by LFA free?
Which has better reviews, PatientsLikeMe or SELF by LFA?
Do PatientsLikeMe or SELF by LFA have ads?
Which is updated more often, PatientsLikeMe or SELF by LFA?
Other comparisons
