Comparison

Social Quest vs Stepwise Stories

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

Head to head
About

Social Quest

This gamified intervention tool helps tweens and teens master social-emotional and problem-solving skills through engaging narratives and real-life scenarios. It offers evidence-based strategies, progress tracking, and IEP-ready reporting for educational and therapeutic settings.

Highlights
  • Evidence-based social-pragmatic intervention
  • Over 800 high-interest narratives with images
  • Gamified learning with quest theme
  • Personalized student profiles and rewards
  • Automated data collection and IEP-ready reports
  • Real-world contexts and flexible social scripts
  • Available in English and Spanish
Features
Read full description

The Definitive Social-Pragmatic Intervention for Teens & Tweens Winner: Best Educational App by Teachers with Apps Social Quest is the premier, evidence-based gamified intervention tool developed by a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) to help tweens and teens (Ages 8-17) master crucial pragmatic language, social-emotional, and problem-solving skills. Stop searching for relevant, age-appropriate materials. Social Quest provides over 800 high-interest narratives paired with real-life contextual images set in everyday locations like home, school, and the community. This app transforms abstract social concepts into a motivating, customizable quest, providing the vital "jumping-off" points for deep therapeutic discussion. Why Professionals and Families Choose Social Quest: 1. Evidence-Based & Curriculum-Ready Story-Based Intervention: Aligned with evidence-based practices found effective for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and social communication disorders. Targeted Pragmatic Skills: Explicitly addresses perspective-taking, conversational maintenance, gauging reactions, problem-solving, and developing self-talk for anxiety reduction. Focus on Generalization: Features separate Receptive (multiple choice) and Expressive (open-ended) activities to promote the generalization of skills beyond the therapy room and into real-world settings. 2. Motivating Quest Theme & Personalized Profiles Gamified Learning: Students navigate a "Tele-Transporter Machine" to visit different locations and solve social challenges. Hall of Heroes: Easily manage multiple student profiles with customizable avatars or real photos to build ownership of progress. The Hall of Rewards: Reinforce growth with skill-linked tokens—such as a "Saddle" for asserting control or a "Prism" for perspective—providing tangible anchors for discussing social success. 3. Critical Data Tracking & IEP-Ready Reporting Automated Data Collection: Effortlessly track student accuracy across activities, specific locations, and individual sessions. Student Progress Report: See progress over time, accuracy on their own and with help, social skills, places, and the situations to practice next, with summaries written for the IEP and for families. Seamless Sharing: Share an IEP-ready progress report or a family summary as a PDF, simplifying record-keeping and enhancing parent-professional communication. The Social Quest Advantage Real-World Contexts: Scenarios are set in the kitchen, library, supermarket, mall, doctor’s office, and more to ensure high ecological validity. Flexible Social Scripts: Customize Receptive activities to require one or two correct answers, reflecting the nuanced and flexible nature of social rules. English and Spanish: Every situation is available in English and Spanish (Mexico), with recordings in both languages. Switch anytime in Settings. Multi-Sensory Support: Every question includes high-quality contextual images, text, and accompanying audio to support diverse learning needs and literacy levels. Bring the quest for social competence into your practice or home today!

About

Stepwise Stories

Features
Read full description

Help your child build real-world social and life skills through interactive stories and games. Developed with behavioral health experts for children with autism and developmental differences. Stepwise Stories transforms social learning into an engaging, game-based experience. Each story guides children through everyday situations, such as sharing with friends, getting dressed independently, and understanding why exercise matters, using interactive activities that help learning stick. What Makes Stepwise Stories Different Traditional social stories are read passively. Stepwise Stories brings them to life with embedded mini-games that check understanding, encourage practice, and keep children engaged. Kids don't just hear what to do; they actively participate in learning how to do it. Built on What Works Developed in collaboration with a BCBA-D and special education expert, Stepwise Stories aligns with evidence-based practices and the adaptive behavior domains used by clinicians and educators. Every story targets meaningful skills that matter in daily life. Currently Included Three complete interactive stories ready to explore: • Changing My Clothes - Build independence with dressing routines • Exercise is Good For Me - Understand the importance of physical activity • I Can Share - Practice turn-taking and sharing with others New stories are in development based on user feedback. Designed for Home, School, and Therapy Whether you're a parent reinforcing skills at home, a teacher supporting IEP goals, or a clinician integrating games into therapy, Stepwise Stories fits naturally into your routine. Progress happens one story at a time. Features • Interactive mini-games embedded in each story • Visual supports and clear, consistent structure • Child-friendly design that maintains engagement • Works offline once downloaded • No ads - ever We Want to Hear from You Stepwise Stories is just getting started. Use our in-app feedback form to share your experience and suggest topics for future stories. We're building this together. Download Stepwise Stories today and take the first step toward building skills that last.

Screenshots

Stepwise Stories4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Stepwise Stories at Free against Social Quest's $29.99. Stepwise Stories also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 10 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On ads and in-app purchases 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

Stepwise Stories is free to download; Social Quest costs $29.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Social Quest ships an update every 10 months, Stepwise Stories every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Social Quest versus Stepwise Stories: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSocial QuestStepwise Stories
Price$29.99Free — better
Rating4.2 (6 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews85.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 monthsEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size328 MB142 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSmarty EarsSimcoach Games

In-app purchases

None

Social Quest

No in-app purchases

None

Stepwise Stories

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Social Quest free?
Social Quest costs $29.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Stepwise Stories free?
Stepwise Stories is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Social Quest or Stepwise Stories have ads?
Neither Social Quest nor Stepwise Stories shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Social Quest or Stepwise Stories?
Social Quest ships an update every 10 months, and Stepwise Stories every 9 days. Most recently, Social Quest was updated on November 10, 2026 and Stepwise Stories on October 30, 2026.

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