SkillSteps vs Anchor for Autism

Every child deserves tools that speak their language. SkillSteps brings together everything your child needs — social stories, communication support, mood tracking, and calming sensory tools — in one beautifully simple app. No more juggling five different apps. No more losing progress between tools. Just one place where your child can learn, express, and feel safe. SOCIAL STORIES — BUILT IN MINUTES Create personalised social stories for any situation — visiting the dentist, starting a new school, handling a meltdown. Use your own photos or our icon library. Based on Carol Gray's evidence-based Social Stories™ framework, trusted by thousands of therapists and parents worldwide. COMMUNICATION BUILDER Build visual communication boards tailored to your child's vocabulary and needs. Tap pictures to speak, construct sentences, and express needs confidently. Designed for children at every communication level — from first words to full sentences. MOOD TRACKER — UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY FEEL Help your child name and track their emotions each day with simple visual check-ins. Parents get a private dashboard showing patterns over time — invaluable for therapy appointments and spotting triggers before they become crises. SENSORY & STIM TOOLS — CALM IN THEIR POCKET When the world gets too loud, SkillSteps is ready. Pop bubbles, draw freely, or focus on your breathing. These sensory tools give children a safe, acceptable way to self-regulate — anywhere, any time. BUILT FOR CHILDREN. DESIGNED FOR PARENTS. Children enjoy the simple, colourful experience. Parents and caregivers get full control behind the scenes — create content, review mood history, share stories with therapists, and track progress over time. ALSO INCLUDES • Visual daily schedule builder • Emotion recognition activities• Custom reward system • Calming breathing exercises • Offline mode — works without internet • No ads. Ever. Your child's world makes more sense with SkillSteps. Free to try — because every family deserves access.

Anchor helps parents of children with autism build structured, visual daily routines that foster independence and reduce anxiety. Built by a special needs dad. Anchor was born from the daily reality of raising a child with autism. We couldn't find tools that were both clinically useful and genuinely pleasant to use. So we built one. HOW IT WORKS Parents create visual routines (morning, school, bedtime — anything) on their phone. Children follow them on their own device through a simple, calming interface designed for sensory-friendly interaction. FOR PARENTS • Create unlimited daily routines with visual tasks • Set timers for timed activities (brushing teeth, homework) • Break complex tasks into step-by-step mini-schedules • Add rewards and motivators to keep your child engaged • Track progress with analytics, streaks, and completion data • Record prompt levels (independent → verbal → physical) for IEP evidence • Get notifications for routine reminders and missed starts • View daily activity timeline showing everything your child accomplished FOR KIDS • One task at a time — calm, clear, predictable • Fun celebrations and confetti on every completion • Built-in sensory breaks (breathing exercises, movement breaks) • Choice boards that build autonomy ("Pick your shirt!") • Token boards — earn stars toward a big reward • First-Then motivators ("First homework, Then iPad") • Works on their own iPad or phone DESIGNED FOR AUTISM • Sensory-friendly: soft colors, gentle animations, no sudden sounds • Predictable: same layout, same interactions, every time • Visual-first: icons and images, minimal text • Customizable: every child is different, every routine can be personalized • Independence-building: the goal is for your child to need less help over time THERAPIST-FRIENDLY • Prompt level tracking aligned with ABA standards • Activity logs with timestamps for progress documentation • Data your BCBA, OT, or school team can actually use NO ADS. NO DATA SELLING. EVER. Your family's data belongs to your family. Period.