Comparison

Making Authentic Friendships vs Navigating Life App

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

Head to head
About

Making Authentic Friendships

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
Read full description

Social network for special needs individuals and their loved ones.

About

Navigating Life App

This app provides a private social network and mobile data collection tool for human services organizations. It facilitates communication between staff, families, and team members, while securely tracking progress and digitizing critical information. The platform aims to increase transparency and operational efficiency.

Highlights
  • Private social network for families
  • Mobile data collection and progress tracking
  • Seamless team and family communication
  • Secure and HIPAA-compliant
  • Real-time messaging and push notifications
  • Secure photo documentation
Features
Read full description

Build relationships with families while uniting and empowering staff with the all-in-one communications solution built by and for human services organizations. Navigating Life® is a compliant private social networking and mobile data collection app that tracks progress, increases transparency, and digitizes critical information with real-time communication and secure photo documentation. Leveraging decades of industry experience, our easy-to-use tool is engineered to deliver tangible ROI by enhancing operational efficiency and decision-making accuracy. Key Features: Private Social Network: Enable families to join in the moments that matter with our real-time private social media interface. Mobile Data Collection: Effortlessly track progress and goals with instant logging while digitizing vital data for easy team access. Seamless Communication: Instantly connect with team members, families & staff with integrated messaging and push notifications. Secure & HIPAA Compliant: All data is stored and encrypted in a secure, HIPAA-compliant database maintained by an independent third party. Interested in Navigating Life®? Learn how our all-in-one platform can transform your organization and learn more at https://www.navigatinglifeapp.org.

Screenshots

Making Authentic Friendships4 screens
Navigating Life App4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Navigating Life App at 100% against Making Authentic Friendships's 34%. Navigating Life App also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.9) and in-app purchases (none vs 5). Making Authentic Friendships's advantage is ratings volume (68 vs 3). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. Making Authentic Friendships sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Navigating Life App asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Navigating Life App 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 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 34% of Making Authentic Friendships's written reviews are positive against 100% of Navigating Life App's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Making Authentic Friendships ships an update every 4 weeks, Navigating Life App every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Making Authentic Friendships versus Navigating Life App: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMaking Authentic FriendshipsNavigating Life App
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.9 (68 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews34.1% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings68 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeksEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size56 MB49 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperJuliana FethermanWaypoint Interactive, Inc

Customer experience

Making Authentic Friendships

All ratings65 ratings
Positive40.0%
Neutral7.7%
Negative52.3%
Written reviews44 reviews
Positive34.1%
Neutral4.5%
Negative61.4%

Navigating Life App

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Making Authentic Friendships

Reported bugs

16 issues
  • 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
Show 11 more
  • App is stuck on subscription page
  • Login issues (user/pass not working)
  • Cannot upload a picture (custom avatar issue)
  • Age displayed incorrectly in profiles
  • Friend suggestions not loading
  • Cannot select interests/activities
  • Keyboard overlays sign-in button
  • Buttons are inactive or stuck
  • No tech support or contact information available
  • App doesn't work or is not active
  • Error message about already having an account

Requested features

6 requests
  • 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
Show 1 more
  • Make the app free or significantly cheaper

Navigating Life App

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Making Authentic Friendships

Subscriptions2
  • 1 Month Member Subscription$4.991 Month
  • 1 Year Member Subscription$39.991 Year
One-time3
  • 10 Coins$4.99
  • 20 Coins$9.99
  • 50 Coins$19.99
None

Navigating Life App

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Making Authentic Friendships free?
Making Authentic Friendships is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Navigating Life App free?
Navigating Life App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Making Authentic Friendships or Navigating Life App?
Navigating Life App is rated higher. Making Authentic Friendships averages 2.9 out of 5 from 68 ratings, while Navigating Life App averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Making Authentic Friendships or Navigating Life App have ads?
Neither Making Authentic Friendships nor Navigating Life App shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Making Authentic Friendships or Navigating Life App?
Making Authentic Friendships ships an update every 4 weeks, and Navigating Life App every 3 weeks. Most recently, Making Authentic Friendships was updated on October 29, 2026 and Navigating Life App on October 23, 2026.

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