# Ritual vs AARP Staying Sharp

The clearest difference is ads: Ritual at none against AARP Staying Sharp's shown. Ritual also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 5 weeks) and review sentiment (69% vs 52%). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ritual sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and AARP Staying Sharp sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $20.00 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Ritual against 4.7 for AARP Staying Sharp. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3.6K and 3.3K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of Ritual's written reviews are positive against 52% of AARP Staying Sharp's.

Ritual ships an update every 9 days, AARP Staying Sharp every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ritual | AARP Staying Sharp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (3.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ritual-spiritual-practice/id1491336095/reviews)** | [4.7 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aarp-staying-sharp/id1583055598/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.6K** | 3.3K |
| Positive reviews | **69.4% of reviews** | 52.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 86 MB | 76 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Ritual Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/1480544005) | [AARP](https://appshunter.io/developer/394286732) |

## What reviewers say

### Ritual

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ritual-spiritual-practice/id1491336095)

Explore a library of guided audio practices for personal, spiritual, and collective growth. Save favorite sessions, build a wellbeing rhythm, and track your progress. Features daily new practices and a collection of over 1,000 audio sessions from renowned wisdom teachers.

**Highlights:** Living library of wellbeing practices, Curate your journey with saved practices, Daily guided practices, Over 1,000 audio practices, Practices from human wisdom teachers, Tools for reflection and awareness, Supportive community features

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Annual Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Annual Subscription | $59.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Annual Subscription | $59.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Annual Subscription | $69.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Annual Subscription | $69.99 | per year |


### AARP Staying Sharp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aarp-staying-sharp/id1583055598)

This app offers science-based challenges and expert advice to improve brain health, focusing on memory, focus, and digital well-being. It provides interactive tools and exercises to help users build lasting, brain-healthy habits.

**Highlights:** Science-based brain health challenges, Expert advice on memory and focus, Digital decluttering strategies, Interactive tools and exercises, Progress saving across devices, Earn AARP Rewards points

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AARP Membership | $20.00 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful and practical exercises
- 🧠 Effective for improving mental sharpness
- 🎮 Fun and engaging games
- 🔍 Useful for monitoring brain health
- 💡 Recommended by healthcare professionals

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Recurring login issues
- 🚫 Limited game selection
- 🔁 Endless login loops
- 🤯 Confusing user experience
- 🚫 Inaccessible games

**Reported bugs**

- Games not launching properly
- App freezing or crashing
- Inability to access core features

**Requested features**

- Expand game library
- Improve login and navigation experience
- Add more accessibility features
- Provide clearer instructions and guidance


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ritual free?

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

### Is AARP Staying Sharp free?

AARP Staying Sharp is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Ritual or AARP Staying Sharp?

Ritual is rated higher. Ritual averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.6K ratings, while AARP Staying Sharp averages 4.7 from 3.3K ratings.

### Do Ritual or AARP Staying Sharp have ads?

AARP Staying Sharp shows ads; Ritual does not.

### Which is updated more often, Ritual or AARP Staying Sharp?

Ritual ships an update every 9 days, and AARP Staying Sharp every 5 weeks. Most recently, Ritual was updated on November 7, 2026 and AARP Staying Sharp on November 7, 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.*