SkillSteps vs AutiBuddy
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SkillSteps
Read full descriptionHide full description
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.
AutiBuddy
This app offers interactive games designed to help children develop essential social, emotional, and communication skills. It features adaptive age modes and a sensory-friendly option for a personalized learning experience. Parents can track progress through a private dashboard.
- Interactive learning games
- Social and emotional skill development
- Adaptive age modes (4-6 and 7-12)
- Sensory-friendly quiet mode
- Parent progress dashboard
- Reward system with badges and charts
Read full descriptionHide full description
Meet Bamboo the panda - your child's new learning buddy! AutiBuddy is a fun, safe, research-inspired app that helps children build essential life skills through interactive games and activities. Designed with neurodivergent and autistic learners in mind, but loved by every child who wants to grow social, emotional, and communication skills at their own pace. FOUR ENGAGING GAMES - Emotions - Bamboo shows feelings for kids to identify and understand - Social Skills - Navigate real-life scenarios with Bamboo - Communication - Match words and gestures to everyday situations - Sensory Studio - Pop bubbles, draw rainbows, paint with light, breathe with Bamboo TWO AGE MODES - Ages 4-6 (Toddler) - Big pictures, simple choices, gentle sounds - Ages 7-12 (Kids) - Stories, scenarios, and fun challenges Switch modes anytime as your child grows. 12 LEVELS PER GAME Progressive difficulty with star-based unlocks. Your child grows with the content - from recognizing basic feelings to handling real-life moments like online kindness, honesty after mistakes, and big overwhelming feelings. QUIET MODE A sensory-friendly toggle that turns off confetti, mutes celebration sounds, and creates a calmer experience for kids who need less stimulation. PARENT DASHBOARD Private, on-device insights for parents: - Weekly summaries of your child's progress - Strengths and growth areas - Recent activity log - Shareable reports - perfect for IEP meetings, therapy sessions, and school check-ins REWARDS & PROGRESS - Earn badges and fill your Trophy Room - Track progress with detailed charts - Build daily streaks to keep learning consistent - Earn 1, 2, or 3 stars per game SAFE & PRIVATE - Zero ads, ever - No data collection - No external links - No accounts or sign-ins required - 100% on-device storage - Full COPPA compliance PREMIUM FEATURES - Unlimited daily plays (free version offers 3 plays per day) - All 12 levels in every game unlocked - Full Sensory Studio access (8 calming activities) - Monthly: $4.99/month - Yearly: $29.99/year (save 50%) - 7-day free trial included Start your child's learning journey with Bamboo today! Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage subscriptions in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: SkillSteps at daily against AutiBuddy's every 3 weeks. SkillSteps also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. SkillSteps sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and AutiBuddy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
SkillSteps ships an update daily, AutiBuddy every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SkillSteps | AutiBuddy |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 2 — better |
| Update frequency | Daily — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 26.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 34 MB | 662 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Aaron Ball | ADRIAN VAZQUEZ |
In-app purchases
SkillSteps
- SkillSteps Full Access$4.99
AutiBuddy
- AutiBuddy Premium Monthly$4.991 Month
- AutiBuddy Premium Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year





