# Making Authentic Friendships vs Special Bridge

The clearest difference is monetization model: Special Bridge at free against Making Authentic Friendships's free with in-app purchases. Making Authentic Friendships's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (68 vs 10). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Making Authentic Friendships sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Special Bridge sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Making Authentic Friendships holds the better App Store score, 2.9 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Making Authentic Friendships has 68 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 34% and 33% positive.

Making Authentic Friendships ships an update every 4 weeks, Special Bridge every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Making Authentic Friendships | Special Bridge |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.9 (68 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/making-authentic-friendships/id1538026980/reviews)** | [2.7 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/special-bridge/id1565583221/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **68** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | **34.1% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 56 MB | 86 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Juliana Fetherman](https://appshunter.io/developer/1538026982) | [Special Bridge LLc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1419437509) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Special Bridge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/special-bridge/id1565583221)

A safe and respectful social community for adults with disabilities to build connections, find friendship, or explore dating. It offers tools to meet others at your own pace in a supportive environment with moderated, ad-free interactions.

**Highlights:** Build meaningful connections, Friendship or dating options, Quick Connect swipe feature, Join interest-based groups, Customizable preferences, Moderated, ad-free experience

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Special Bridge Monthly | $9.00 | per month |
| Special Bridge Yearly | $89.00 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Making Authentic Friendships free?

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

### Is Special Bridge free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Making Authentic Friendships or Special Bridge?

Making Authentic Friendships is rated higher. Making Authentic Friendships averages 2.9 out of 5 from 68 ratings, while Special Bridge averages 2.7 from 10 ratings.

### Do Making Authentic Friendships or Special Bridge have ads?

Neither Making Authentic Friendships nor Special Bridge shows ads.

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

Making Authentic Friendships ships an update every 4 weeks, and Special Bridge every 2 months. Most recently, Making Authentic Friendships was updated on November 3, 2026 and Special Bridge on November 3, 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.*