# Gathrr vs Making Authentic Friendships

The clearest difference is rating: Gathrr at 5.0 against Making Authentic Friendships's 2.9. Gathrr also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). Making Authentic Friendships's advantage is ratings volume (68 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Making Authentic Friendships sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Gathrr asks for nothing beyond the download.

Gathrr holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Making Authentic Friendships has 68 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Gathrr ships an update every 6 weeks, Making Authentic Friendships every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Gathrr | Making Authentic Friendships |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gathrr/id1498313428/reviews)** | [2.9 (68 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/making-authentic-friendships/id1538026980/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **68** |
| Positive reviews | — | 34.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 71 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Jeet Vithalani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497081360) | [Juliana Fetherman](https://appshunter.io/developer/1538026982) |

## What reviewers say

### Gathrr

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gathrr/id1498313428)

Streamline event management with tools for organizers to boost attendee engagement. Facilitate seamless check-ins, generate professional name badges, and enable live polling. Enhance event marketing and post-event networking with virtual business cards.

**Highlights:** Attendee check-in, Name badge generation, Live event polling, Event marketing via push notifications, Post-event networking, Event feedback and statistics

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Making Authentic Friendships

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/making-authentic-friendships/id1538026980)

This social network connects individuals with special needs and their families. It provides a safe and supportive space for users to build meaningful connections and find community.

**Highlights:** Connect with special needs individuals, Connect with loved ones, Build meaningful connections, Find community, Supportive environment

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Member Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| 1 Year Member Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| 10 Coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| 20 Coins | $9.99 | one-time |
| 50 Coins | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helps make authentic friendships
- 👍 Positive impact on confidence and happiness
- 👍 Creates a sense of belonging
- 👍 Supports users with neurodivergence
- 👍 Helpful for making connections

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Expensive subscription model
- 💸 Misleading free trial claims
- 💸 Charges users with limited income
- 💸 App is not free
- 💸 Predatory pricing

**Reported bugs**

- App takes a long time to load
- App is slow and buggy
- App freezes after login
- Cannot exit subscription screen
- Charged after canceling free trial

**Requested features**

- Allow users to set age filters
- Improve friend suggestion intelligence
- Add more descriptors for cognitive abilities/challenges
- Offer a version for younger teens (11-16)
- Expand filters for interests and locations


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Gathrr free?

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

### Is Making Authentic Friendships free?

Making Authentic Friendships is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Gathrr or Making Authentic Friendships?

Gathrr is rated higher. Gathrr averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Making Authentic Friendships averages 2.9 from 68 ratings.

### Do Gathrr or Making Authentic Friendships have ads?

Neither Gathrr nor Making Authentic Friendships shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Gathrr or Making Authentic Friendships?

Gathrr ships an update every 6 weeks, and Making Authentic Friendships every 4 weeks. Most recently, Gathrr was updated on October 12, 2026 and Making Authentic Friendships on October 29, 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.*