Comparison

Beacon vs Nightstand Journal

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

Head to head
About

Beacon

Connect with other mothers during challenging postpartum moments. Share your experience anonymously on a live map, track your baby's needs, monitor your mood, and access helpful resources and community support.

Highlights
  • Live map of awake mothers
  • Baby feeding, sleep, and diaper tracker
  • Mood and wellness tracking
  • Postpartum journaling
  • Community forum
  • Expert resources and guides
  • Helpful tools and calculators
Features
Read full description

Motherhood is beautiful, but at 2AM when you're the only one awake, it can feel impossibly lonely. Beacon shows you that you're not alone and lets you connect with other moms in your neighborhood or across the globe. Open the app and see a live map of mothers who are awake right now, near you. Light your own beacon so another mom knows she's not the only one up. Track your mood, log your baby's feeds, sleep, and diaper changes and connect with a community of women who truly get it. LIGHT YOUR BEACON Share your light anonymously and see thousands of other moms' beacons glowing across the map. Locations are randomized within 10 miles of your true location to keep you safe while helping you feel connected. Knowing other mothers are awake and showing up is a powerful reminder: you are not alone in this. CIRCLES: YOUR SMALL GROUP OF MOMS Get matched into a private Circle of a few moms like you, based on where you are in your motherhood journey. Circles are small on purpose, so it feels like real friendship. BABY TRACKER Log your baby's feedings, sleep, and diaper changes in seconds. See patterns over time and simplify those conversations with your pediatrician or partner. Whether you're breastfeeding, pumping, or formula feeding, Beacon makes tracking effortless. MOOD & WELLNESS TRACKING Log your mood, sleep, energy, and emotions each day. Watch patterns unfold over time and gain real insight into your mental health during postpartum recovery. Use your mood data to start honest conversations with your partner, provider, or therapist. POSTPARTUM JOURNAL Capture your thoughts, milestones, and feelings as you navigate early motherhood. Write when you need to process, celebrate, or simply vent. Your journal is private and always there when you need it. COMMUNITY FORUM Connect with other moms in a private, supportive space. Ask questions, share your story, offer encouragement, or just vent without judgment. No highlight reels — just real mothers supporting each other through the ups and downs. TRUSTED GUIDES & RESOURCES Access expert-backed information written specifically for postpartum life — from healing tips and nutrition guidance to relationship advice, mental health tools, and newborn care essentials. HELPFUL TOOLS & CALCULATORS Simplify your day with breastfeeding and pumping calculators, postpartum exercise guidance, recovery checklists, and daily self-care reminders including mindfulness exercises and gentle movement ideas. SAFE & PRIVATE Your location, data, and personal information are always protected. Beacons appear only as randomized points within 10 miles of your true location. WHY MOMS LOVE BEACON Real, honest, and supportive — not another highlight reel. Beacon helps you see that you're part of something bigger: a network of mothers lighting up the world together. Whether you're a first-time mom navigating sleepless nights, a seasoned parent balancing it all, or someone healing from postpartum anxiety or depression, Beacon is a gentle reminder that your light matters. Download Beacon today. Even in your darkest nights, there are lights shining with you. Subscription Information: Beacon offers optional premium subscriptions with auto-renewable billing: Monthly: $9.99/month Annual: $59.99/year (save 50%) Premium features include detailed mood tracking, baby tracker, AI-powered insights, advanced analytics, community forum access, postpartum journal, and premium guides. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your App Store account settings after purchase. Privacy Policy: https://kindred-spirits-beacon.lovable.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Nightstand Journal

Features
Read full description

Nightstand is a reading companion built for people who actually read. Beautiful, private, and habit-forming — without the social feed. TRACK WHAT MATTERS Add any book in seconds. Log reading sessions with time spent and pages read. Track audiobooks the same way. Your library, your data — no one else's. BUILD THE HABIT Daily streaks, session timers, and a dashboard that shows you exactly how your reading has grown. Not to perform for anyone. Just to keep going. A BOOKSHELF WORTH OPENING Four themes. Cover-extracted spine colors. A shelf that actually looks like yours. EARN BADGES, CELEBRATE QUIETLY 48 badges across 10 categories. Reading is worth celebrating — you just don't need an audience for it. SHARE WHEN YOU WANT TO Generate beautiful review cards in story or square format. Share them wherever you like, or keep them to yourself. No social feed. No followers. No noise. Just your books. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Beacon4 screens
Nightstand Journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Beacon at 506 against Nightstand Journal's 1. On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. Beacon sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Nightstand Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Beacon against 5.0 for Nightstand Journal. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Beacon has 506 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Beacon ships an update every 9 days, Nightstand Journal every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Beacon versus Nightstand Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBeaconNightstand Journal
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (506 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews91.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings506 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 9 daysEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size54 MB98 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKeagan ScottMario Hipol

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Beacon

Subscriptions3
  • Beacon Premium (Weekly)$4.997 Days
  • Beacon Premium (Monthly)7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Beacon Premium (Annual)$44.991 Year
3 purchases

Nightstand Journal

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription$3.991 Month
  • Annual Subscription$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • Nightstand Premium (Lifetime)$59.99

Questions

Is Beacon free?
Beacon is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Nightstand Journal free?
Nightstand Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Beacon or Nightstand Journal?
Nightstand Journal is rated higher. Beacon averages 4.9 out of 5 from 506 ratings, while Nightstand Journal averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Beacon or Nightstand Journal have ads?
Neither Beacon nor Nightstand Journal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Beacon or Nightstand Journal?
Beacon ships an update every 9 days, and Nightstand Journal every 8 days. Most recently, Beacon was updated on October 25, 2026 and Nightstand Journal on October 24, 2026.

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