PTSD Coach vs RECON
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PTSD Coach
This app offers educational resources and self-help tools for individuals experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It includes a self-assessment, information on professional care, and customizable tools for managing daily stress, such as relaxation techniques and anger management.
- PTSD education
- Self-assessment tool
- Professional care information
- Stress management tools
- Customizable features
- Relaxation skills
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PTSD Coach was designed for those who have, or may have, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This app provides you with education about PTSD, information about professional care, a self-assessment for PTSD, opportunities to find support, and tools that can help you manage the stresses of daily life with PTSD. Tools range from relaxation skills and positive self-talk to anger management and other common self-help strategies. You can customize tools based on your preferences and can integrate your own contacts, photos, and music. This app can be used by people who are in treatment as well as those who are not. PTSD Coach was created by VA’s National Center for PTSD and DoD’s National Center for Telehealth & Technology.
RECON
This AI-assisted companion offers confidential emotional check-ins and personalized coping strategies for veterans, active service members, and first responders. It provides a safe space to process trauma and build resilience, understanding the unique challenges faced by those who serve. It is not a replacement for professional mental health care.
- AI-assisted mental health support
- Confidential emotional check-ins
- Personalized coping strategies
- Reflective insights
- Privacy-first design
- Tailored for service members and first responders
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RECON-nect is an AI-assisted companion designed specifically for veterans, active service members, and first responders navigating mental health challenges including trauma, PTSD, stress, and operational difficulties. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, it provides confidential emotional check-ins, personalized coping strategies, and reflective insights tailored to the unique experiences of those who serve. With privacy-first design and mission-driven values, RECON-nect offers a safe space to process trauma and build resilience. It is not a substitute for professional mental health care or therapy, but provides specialized support understanding the distinct challenges faced by military and first responder communities.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: PTSD Coach at 4.3K against RECON's 7. PTSD Coach also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.4). RECON's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 80%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
RECON holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PTSD Coach has 4.3K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of PTSD Coach's written reviews are positive against 100% of RECON's.
PTSD Coach ships an update every 11 months, RECON every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PTSD Coach | RECON |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (4.3K ratings) | 5.0 (7 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 80.2% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 4.3K — better | 7 |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 83 MB | 86 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) | Second Sponsor LLC |
Customer experience
PTSD Coach
RECON
Bugs and requests
PTSD Coach
Reported bugs
2 issues- History data being deleted after updates
- Symptom assessment reminders not working as expected
Requested features
5 requests- Multi-language support
- Ability to customize or add personal content
- Integration with mental health professionals
- Expanded resources for non-veteran PTSD
- Improved symptom tracking and data visualization
RECON
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
PTSD Coach
No in-app purchases
RECON
No in-app purchases
