# 12 Steps Guide vs Sober SideKick

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sober SideKick at none against 12 Steps Guide's 4. Sober SideKick also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). 12 Steps Guide's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 12 Steps Guide sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year. Sober SideKick asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for 12 Steps Guide against 4.8 for Sober SideKick. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3.3K and 8.1K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of 12 Steps Guide's written reviews are positive against 96% of Sober SideKick's.

12 Steps Guide ships an update every 3 months, Sober SideKick every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 12 Steps Guide | Sober SideKick |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/12-steps-guide/id1238097883/reviews) | **[4.8 (8.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sober-sidekick-quit-addiction/id1448251580/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3.3K | **8.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 92.0% of reviews | **96.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Size | 35 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Tushar Bhagat](https://appshunter.io/developer/901932809) | [Chris Thompson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1397988760) |

## What reviewers say

### 12 Steps Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/12-steps-guide/id1238097883)

This app provides a comprehensive guide to the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, featuring audiobooks of key recovery tapes and literature. It includes prayers, readings, a sobriety calculator, and the complete Big Book text for a structured recovery journey.

**Highlights:** 12-step program guide, Audiobooks of recovery tapes, Complete Big Book text, Sobriety calculator, Included prayers and readings, AA literature

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Donate | $2.99 | one-time |
| Donate | $4.99 | one-time |
| Donate | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great recovery resource
- 🚀 Convenient and easy to use
- 💡 Comprehensive AA literature in one place
- 🙏 Helpful prayers and daily reflections

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Ads still present after paid upgrade
- 🤔 Lack of dark mode option
- 💤 Difficulty retaining information from reading

**Reported bugs**

- Daily reflections page not working
- App crashes on older devices

**Requested features**

- Add sobriety tracker
- Include 12 & 12 book content
- Improve bookmarking and page saving


### Sober SideKick

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sober-sidekick-quit-addiction/id1448251580)

This app provides a supportive community and tools for individuals seeking to quit alcohol or drug addiction. It offers a sobriety tracker, counter, and access to recovery resources, connecting users with others on a similar journey.

**Highlights:** Sober community support, Sobriety counter, Daily sobriety tracker, Anonymous social network, Access to AA/NA meetings, Motivational content and blogs

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Supportive community
- 🚀 Accessible 24/7 support
- 💡 Helpful for staying accountable and motivated
- 👍 Safe and non-judgmental space
- 🚀 Easy to use and navigate

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional app glitches or crashes
- 🔒 Concerns about privacy and data security
- 🔍 Difficulty navigating some features

**Reported bugs**

- Issues with sober day counter accuracy
- Trouble connecting to Zoom meetings

**Requested features**

- More customization options
- Improved in-app analytics and progress tracking
- Ability to delete or edit comments


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 12 Steps Guide free?

12 Steps Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Sober SideKick free?

Sober SideKick is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, 12 Steps Guide or Sober SideKick?

Sober SideKick is rated higher. 12 Steps Guide averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.3K ratings, while Sober SideKick averages 4.8 from 8.1K ratings.

### Do 12 Steps Guide or Sober SideKick have ads?

Neither 12 Steps Guide nor Sober SideKick shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 12 Steps Guide or Sober SideKick?

12 Steps Guide ships an update every 3 months, and Sober SideKick every 2 weeks. Most recently, 12 Steps Guide was updated on October 24, 2026 and Sober SideKick on October 26, 2026.

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