Comparison

Upward Dating vs Steele Sharpens Steele

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

Head to head
About

Upward Dating

This app connects singles seeking serious relationships and marriage, emphasizing shared values and intentional courtship. It offers features like core value selection and marriage timelines to help users find like-minded partners for lasting connections.

Highlights
  • Values-first community
  • Core Values selection
  • Marriage Timeline
  • Chivalry Mode
  • Facial recognition verification
  • Super Likes
  • Profile Boost
Read full description

Upward. The dating app built for modern courtship, where shared values, clear intentions, and real effort can lead to marriage. Join a values-first community of singles who know what they want and aren’t afraid to say it. If you’re over casual dating and ready for a relationship with real direction, you belong here. Upward brings together values-driven singles who are ready to build something lasting. Our mission is simple: Bring back courtship and conviction. A way of dating where people lead with their values, show genuine interest, and follow through. Because love is worth courting. Whether you lead with faith, family, loyalty, integrity, or simply a clear sense of what matters most, Upward helps you meet someone who wants the same kind of future. Modern courtship, made clear. Create your dating profile and share what matters most to you from day one. Choose your Core Values so potential matches can see what shapes your life, your relationships, and the future you want to build. Add your Marriage Timeline to be clear about your goals and meet people moving toward the same kind of future. Turn on Chivalry Mode for a more intentional way to connect. Men take the lead by making the first move. Women choose what happens next. Both show up with clear intention. Meet singles who are dating with intention and looking for a lasting relationship that can lead to marriage. Swipe right to like someone or left to pass. Make a mutual connection and chat with like-minded singles near you for FREE! Marriage is the goal. Find someone who shares your values, matches your effort, and wants to build a life together. Download Upward today and find the one who’s Wanted for Life. Go Premium and you can also: • Send 5 Super Likes per week to stand out from the crowd and let people know that you're really interested • Rewind on people to give them a second chance • Boost your profile each month to be one of the top profiles in your area for 30 minutes • Send unlimited likes to other singles who share your values and relationship goals • Enjoy an uninterrupted experience with no ads! Become Elite and you can: • Get all of the Premium benefits PLUS • Remove the mystery and See Who's Liked You for instant matches! Check us out every day — we're growing fast and there's someone new to connect with every day, making it easier to find values-based relationships built on what truly matters. Here we grow! Share Upward with your family and friends. Privacy Policy: https://www.upward-app.com/en/privacy-policy Terms & Conditions: https://www.upward-app.com/en/terms-of-use All photos are of models and used for illustrative purposes only.

About

Steele Sharpens Steele

This app fosters a veteran-led community focused on restoring structure, connection, and purpose. It offers peer-led sessions, live conversations, and direct member communication to support individuals after service. Safety and profile controls are included.

Highlights
  • Peer-led Sharpening Sessions
  • Live Open Forum conversations
  • Member Dashboard
  • Connect with fellow veterans
  • Direct member messaging
  • Profile and safety controls
Features
Read full description

Steele Sharpens Steele (S3) is a veteran-led community built to restore structure, connection, accountability, and shared purpose after the uniform. S3 membership, Sharpening Sessions, and Open Forum are free. There are no paid subscriptions, paid membership tiers, or purchases required to use the app’s member features. The S3 mobile app gives you direct access to: • Open Forum — Join live peer conversations for veterans, first responders, spouses, family, and friends. Held Monday–Friday at 3 PM Eastern through Zoom. No S3 login or registration required. Participants must be 18 or older. • Sharpening Sessions — View available peer-led sessions, reserve a seat, manage reservations, and access session information. • Member Dashboard — Review upcoming sessions, reservation history, and membership information. • Member Connect — Find and connect with fellow veterans through a protected member community. • Conversations and Messaging — Continue meaningful peer connection through direct member communication. • Profile and Presence Controls — Manage your member profile and control how you appear within the S3 community. • Safety Controls — Block or report inappropriate conduct and review S3 community standards. Sharpening Sessions are small, structured, peer-led conversations designed to help veterans recognize patterns, reframe perspective, strengthen accountability, and identify practical next actions. Open Forum extends the conversation to veterans, first responders, spouses, family, and friends, creating space for shared experiences, practical perspectives, and connection. S3 is not therapy, crisis intervention, medical treatment, or a replacement for professional care. It is a disciplined community where brotherhood and sisterhood, personal responsibility, leadership, and mutual accountability remain visible. Veterans sharpen veterans.

Screenshots

Upward Dating4 screens
Steele Sharpens Steele3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Steele Sharpens Steele at 5.0 against Upward Dating's 4.3. Steele Sharpens Steele also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ads (none vs shown). Upward Dating's advantage is ratings volume (163K vs 1) and chart position (#35 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement 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. Upward Dating sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per 7 days. Steele Sharpens Steele asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Steele Sharpens Steele holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Upward Dating has 163K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Upward Dating ships an update weekly, Steele Sharpens Steele every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Upward Dating versus Steele Sharpens Steele: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUpward DatingSteele Sharpens Steele
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (163K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews11.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings163K — better1
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#35 — better—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size265 MB42 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperAffinity Apps, LLCSteele Sharpens Steele LLC

Customer experience

Upward Dating

All ratings162,989 ratings
Positive81.5%
Neutral7.3%
Negative11.2%
Written reviews1,662 reviews
Positive11.4%
Neutral8.5%
Negative80.1%

Steele Sharpens Steele

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Upward Dating

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Accounts being disabled for no apparent reason
  • Matches disappearing and reappearing in the feed
  • Notifications not accurately reflecting new likes/matches
  • Inability to undo accidental swipes

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add distance filter to show only nearby matches
  • Implement user verification system to weed out fake profiles
  • Improve subscription model and make it more affordable
  • Enhance chat features and allow video/voice calls
  • Provide better customer support and communication

Steele Sharpens Steele

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Upward Dating

Subscriptions8
  • 1 week Elite membership$17.997 Days
  • 1 month Elite membership$19.991 Month
  • Elite 1 Week$19.997 Days
Show 5 more
  • 1 Week Elite$21.997 Days
  • Upward Elite Membership$29.991 Month
  • 1 month Elite membership$29.991 Month
  • 3 months Elite membership$44.993 Months
  • 6 months Elite membership$71.996 Months
One-time2
  • Super Like - 5 Pack$2.99
  • Super Like - 5 Pack$4.99
None

Steele Sharpens Steele

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Upward Dating free?
Upward Dating is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Steele Sharpens Steele free?
Steele Sharpens Steele is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Upward Dating or Steele Sharpens Steele?
Steele Sharpens Steele is rated higher. Upward Dating averages 4.3 out of 5 from 163K ratings, while Steele Sharpens Steele averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Upward Dating or Steele Sharpens Steele have ads?
Upward Dating shows ads; Steele Sharpens Steele does not.
Which is updated more often, Upward Dating or Steele Sharpens Steele?
Upward Dating ships an update weekly, and Steele Sharpens Steele every 2 weeks. Most recently, Upward Dating was updated on November 10, 2026 and Steele Sharpens Steele on October 31, 2026.

Other comparisons