# SMART Recovery vs Work the 12 Steps

The clearest difference is rating: Work the 12 Steps at 5.0 against SMART Recovery's 4.1. Work the 12 Steps also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly) and review sentiment (100% vs 75%). SMART Recovery's advantage is ratings volume (28 vs 3) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Work the 12 Steps holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SMART Recovery has 28 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of SMART Recovery's written reviews are positive against 100% of Work the 12 Steps's.

SMART Recovery ships an update monthly, Work the 12 Steps every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SMART Recovery | Work the 12 Steps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-recovery/id1606416910/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/work-the-12-steps/id6786144836/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **28** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 31 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SMART Recovery USA, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/988593977) | [Philip Mount](https://appshunter.io/developer/6786144838) |

## What reviewers say

### SMART Recovery

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-recovery/id1606416910)

This app connects individuals with mutual-support groups to overcome addiction to substances or activities. It guides participants in developing self-empowerment for balanced living through a science-based program.

**Highlights:** Mutual-support groups, Addiction recovery, Science-based 4-Point Program, Develop self-empowerment, Balanced living guidance

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Work the 12 Steps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/work-the-12-steps/id6786144836)

This app facilitates peer support for individuals working through the Twelve Steps of recovery. It helps sponsors and sponsees track progress, milestones, and connections within their recovery community. Designed for privacy, it keeps essential recovery relationships close without intrusive features.

**Highlights:** Step progress tracking, Sobriety milestones, Anniversary tracking, Meeting management, Recovery lineage, Private by design

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SMART Recovery free?

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

### Is Work the 12 Steps free?

Work the 12 Steps is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SMART Recovery or Work the 12 Steps?

Work the 12 Steps is rated higher. SMART Recovery averages 4.1 out of 5 from 28 ratings, while Work the 12 Steps averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do SMART Recovery or Work the 12 Steps have ads?

Neither SMART Recovery nor Work the 12 Steps shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SMART Recovery or Work the 12 Steps?

SMART Recovery ships an update monthly, and Work the 12 Steps every 5 days. Most recently, SMART Recovery was updated on November 3, 2026 and Work the 12 Steps on October 31, 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.*