Comparison

12 Steps Guide vs BlueCrest Recovery

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

Head to head
About

12 Steps Guide

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
Read full description

Work the Twelve Steps one day at a time, with a practical guide to every Step and Tradition, the Big Book and over 90 hours of recovery audio, in one calm, easy-to-read app. THE STEPS AND TRADITIONS - A guide to each of the Twelve Steps, with an introduction and a conclusion, written from personal experience in plain language - A guide to each of the Twelve Traditions - See how far you've read: a quiet percentage while you read, and a tick when you finish THE BIG BOOK - Every chapter, from the Doctor's Opinion to A Vision for You - Personal stories from the first and second editions - Printed page numbers, so you can follow along in a meeting - A clean list of chapters and stories with a tick for each one you've read, and "Continue reading" to pick up where you left off PRAYERS AND READINGS - The Serenity Prayer, the Third, Seventh and Eleventh Step prayers and more - How It Works, the Promises, the Preamble, Just for Today, On Awakening and other readings - Sobriety tips, including how to find a sponsor, and a link to the day's Daily Reflection RECOVERY AUDIO - 138 recordings in 11 albums: Big Book studies, speaker tapes and meditation bells, including Joe and Charlie, Chuck C., Sandy B., Clarence S. and Father Martin - Read along with the transcript of the Joe and Charlie and Big Book recordings - Choose your playback speed, from 0.75× to 2× - Keeps playing with the screen locked, with controls on the lock screen - Premium: download recordings and listen offline YOUR RECOVERY - Count your days from your recovery date. It stays on your phone. - Optional hourly reminders between the times you choose, each with a thought for the hour COMFORTABLE TO READ - Choose your text size; the app also follows your iPhone's text size - Light and dark themes, or follow your iPhone's setting - Designed for iPad too, with readings beside their list FREE, WITH A PREMIUM OPTION Reading and listening are free and supported by adverts. Premium removes the adverts and lets you download recordings for offline listening. Premium is an annual subscription with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when the trial ends, and the subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel it in your Apple Account's subscription settings. No account is needed. Your recovery date and your reading stay on your device. Terms of use: https://ibyteapps.com/apps/12-step-guide/terms Privacy policy: https://ibyteapps.com/apps/12-step-guide/privacy 12 Step Guide is not affiliated with or endorsed by Alcoholics Anonymous or A.A. World Services, Inc.

About

BlueCrest Recovery

Connect with peers and coaches for real-time support and inspiration throughout your recovery journey. Access recovery content like videos and podcasts, participate in discussions, and join virtual events. Control your privacy and stay connected with your recovery program.

Highlights
  • Real-time posts for alumni connection
  • Daily inspiration messages
  • Recovery content (videos, podcasts, articles)
  • Discussion forums on recovery topics
  • Virtual event participation
  • User-controlled privacy settings
Features
Read full description

Share updates, ask questions, support others, and stay connected with others throughout your recovery. This community is a tool to help you in recovery and receive support when you need it the most. Connect with: * Peers and coaches to share updates, ask questions, and offer support. * Your recovery program to receive inspirations, updates for onsite events, and ways to be involved. Key Features: * Real-time posts: This private group allows you to stay connected to fellow alumni in real-time. * Daily inspirations help to center your thoughts and actions. * Recovery Content: Explore videos, podcasts, and articles to help you as progress in your recovery. * Discussions are a way for you to share your voice and inspire others on recovery topics. * Join virtual events directly from the app * Privacy: You control what information you share. For clients of BlueCrest, you will be added to a private group consisting of peers.

Screenshots

12 Steps Guide4 screens
BlueCrest Recovery4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BlueCrest Recovery at none against 12 Steps Guide's 4. 12 Steps Guide's advantage is ratings volume (3.3K vs 3). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. 12 Steps Guide sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year. BlueCrest Recovery asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

BlueCrest Recovery holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 12 Steps Guide has 3.3K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

12 Steps Guide ships an update every 3 months, BlueCrest Recovery every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
12 Steps Guide versus BlueCrest Recovery: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter12 Steps GuideBlueCrest Recovery
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (3.3K ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews92.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3.3K — better3
Update frequencyEvery 3 months — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscriptionFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.014.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB33 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperTushar BhagatBlueCrest Recovery Center

Customer experience

12 Steps Guide

All ratings3,293 ratings
Positive96.4%
Neutral2.0%
Negative1.6%
Written reviews251 reviews
Positive92.0%
Neutral4.0%
Negative4.0%

BlueCrest Recovery

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

12 Steps Guide

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Daily reflections page not working
  • App crashes on older devices

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add sobriety tracker
  • Include 12 & 12 book content
  • Improve bookmarking and page saving

BlueCrest Recovery

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

12 Steps Guide

Subscriptions1
  • Annual Subscription7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time3
  • Donate$2.99
  • Donate$4.99
  • Donate$9.99
None

BlueCrest Recovery

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is 12 Steps Guide free?
12 Steps Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is BlueCrest Recovery free?
BlueCrest Recovery is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, 12 Steps Guide or BlueCrest Recovery?
BlueCrest Recovery is rated higher. 12 Steps Guide averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.3K ratings, while BlueCrest Recovery averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do 12 Steps Guide or BlueCrest Recovery have ads?
Neither 12 Steps Guide nor BlueCrest Recovery shows ads.
Which is updated more often, 12 Steps Guide or BlueCrest Recovery?
12 Steps Guide ships an update every 3 months, and BlueCrest Recovery every 5 months. Most recently, 12 Steps Guide was updated on October 24, 2026 and BlueCrest Recovery on October 16, 2026.

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