# Sparkle vs Self

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Self at none against Sparkle's 1. Self also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 77%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Sparkle's advantage is ratings volume (106 vs 7). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sparkle sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Self asks for nothing beyond the download.

Self holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sparkle has 106 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Sparkle's written reviews are positive against 100% of Self's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sparkle | Self |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (106 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparkle-self-care-checklist/id1493083960/reviews) | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/self-caring/id6748835046/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **106** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 77.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 23 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SmartWOD GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1248966040) | [The Self-Care Institute](https://appshunter.io/developer/1827539650) |

## What reviewers say

### Sparkle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparkle-self-care-checklist/id1493083960)

This app helps you build a self-care routine by tracking activities that bring you joy. It offers daily check-ins, journaling prompts, and reminders to foster accountability and improve well-being.

**Highlights:** Track self-care activities, Daily check-ins, Journaling for self-reflection, Inspiration for self-care, Overview of past entries, Personalized reminders, Daily motivational quotes

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sparkle Plus | $2.99 | one-time |


### Self

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/self-caring/id6748835046)

Access your self-care courses and community sanctuary on the go. This app brings your learning and practices directly to your mobile device, making self-care accessible anywhere.

**Highlights:** Access self-care courses, Connect to The Self-Care Sanctuary, Mobile learning, On-the-go practices, Personalized self-care tools

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sparkle free?

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

### Is Self free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Sparkle or Self?

Self is rated higher. Sparkle averages 4.7 out of 5 from 106 ratings, while Self averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.

### Do Sparkle or Self have ads?

Neither Sparkle nor Self shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sparkle or Self?

Sparkle ships an update every 3 weeks, and Self every 3 weeks. Most recently, Sparkle was updated on November 3, 2026 and Self on October 30, 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.*