Comparison

DaySteps vs Charty

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

Head to head
About

DaySteps

This app breaks down daily routines into manageable steps, offering visual timers and calm encouragement to reduce stress. It supports individuals and care teams by providing a shared, consent-based system for home, clinic, and classroom.

Highlights
  • One step at a time focus
  • Visual countdown timers
  • No gamification (points, streaks)
  • Progressive structure for growing skills
  • Care team collaboration
  • Child Mode with PIN protection
  • Privacy-focused design
Features
Read full description

DaySteps is a visual schedule for every level of support, from one guided step at a time to a simple checklist. Build a routine once, then adjust the structure as needs change. Use it for mornings, homework, transitions, chores, bedtime, or any part of the day that keeps turning into another reminder. Parents create the structure. Kids see a clear next step, a visual timer when it helps, and calm completion feedback. Teens and adults can use the same tools to run their own day. ONE CLEAR STEP AT A TIME In Guided Mode, DaySteps shows one clear, finishable step. The full routine does not have to compete for attention, and the next step does not always have to come from another verbal reminder. When less support is needed, Checklist Mode keeps the full sequence visible. TIME YOU CAN SEE Add a gentle visual countdown to any step. When time runs out, there is no failure state or harsh alarm. The step simply stays ready to finish. SUPPORT THAT ADJUSTS Parents choose how much of the routine a child sees, which tools are available, and how independently the child moves through the day. Support can change as needs change, without rebuilding the routine. CALM BY DESIGN No points. No streaks. Nothing to lose on a hard day. DaySteps does not use child-facing badges, negative sounds, or red failure states. Progress is acknowledged in the moment without turning a hard day into something to make up. BUILT FOR CARE TEAMS, WITH PARENTS IN CONTROL Parents create routines and choose what to share. A connected clinician can view shared routine patterns and send a structured suggestion for a specific, parent-created routine. The parent approves or declines every suggestion before anything changes for the child. Educators can connect to run structured classroom sessions. FOR FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS * Parents: build routines, follow along, and see patterns over time * Kids: use PIN-protected Child Mode with only the tools a parent enables * Teens and adults: use the same calm structure for their own day * Clinicians: support families between appointments while parents stay in control DaySteps is grounded in published executive function research and designed for people with ADHD, autism, and other executive function differences. It is a support tool, not a treatment, diagnostic, or cure. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No ads. No selling personal data. Children do not need their own account, and nothing about a child is shared without explicit parent consent. FREE TO START Create unlimited routines and use the core DaySteps experience for free. DaySteps Family adds full calendar views, Insights history, templates, and calendar sync. DaySteps Practice adds tools for clinicians supporting multiple families, and connected client households receive Family access at no cost while connected. Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in App Store settings. Terms of Use: https://daysteps.app/legal/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://daysteps.app/legal/privacy/ Calm days are built one step at a time.

About

Charty

This app helps children aged 4-10 manage daily routines with visual aids and rewards. It's designed to foster independence and reduce stress for both children and parents, particularly those with autism or ADHD.

Highlights
  • Picture-first routines
  • Point-based rewards system
  • Built-in picture puzzle reward
  • Multiple celebration styles
  • Themed backgrounds
  • Sensory-aware design
  • Parent gate for settings
Features
Read full description

Visual routines that help kids feel calm, capable, and proud. Charty turns the morning rush, the bedtime drag, and every routine in between into a clear list of pictures your child can follow on their own. Tap. Tick. Earn a star. Watch the day come together. Built for kids aged 4 to 10 — and especially helpful for children with autism, ADHD, or anyone who thrives on predictable, visual structure — Charty replaces shouting and reminders with a tool the kid actually wants to use. WHY FAMILIES LOVE CHARTY • Picture-first routines — every task shows a friendly icon, so even pre-readers can run their own morning. • Let them choose — build a set of 2 to 6 pictures and drop it into a routine, so "What's for breakfast?" becomes a step your child answers themselves. Or open one on its own, any time. • A color-coded plan they can read — a color for every day, a picture card for every activity, and a whole month at a glance with days gone by crossed off. Date a one-off so the zoo trip lands on one Saturday, not every Saturday, and page ahead to next month. • Tick from the Home Screen — the interactive widget marks tasks done without opening the app, and an Apple Watch app puts the routine on their wrist. • Print it for the fridge — export the week or the whole month as a PDF, plus a one-page progress report for school or therapy. Both Charty Plus. • Real rewards your kid cares about — set up "30 min iPad", "ice cream" or "trip to the park". Earn stars by ticking tasks; spend them when ready. • Built-in picture puzzle — an optional reward where each piece is unlocked by completing routines. Hand-illustrated scenes, or a family photo. • Gentle timers, and your own voice — give a task a visual countdown, and record yourself reading it aloud so your child hears you, not text-to-speech. • 11 celebration styles — confetti, balloons, fireworks, calm wave, dinosaurs, toy cars, robots and more. Every finished chart is its own little party, with a calm mode for overwhelm days. • Sensory-aware — full Reduce Motion support, optional sounds, calm-mode that strips celebrations back. • Accessibility-first — VoiceOver labels throughout, Dynamic Type to AX5, Bold Text, Differentiate Without Color, contrast checked on every background. • Parent gate — Settings sit behind a PIN or Face ID, so kids can't rewrite the rules. • One app, every kid — each child gets their own charts, their own star balance, and their own progress. • iCloud sync — the same charts, points, and progress on every device in the family. • 7 languages — English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Brazilian and European Portuguese. • iPad-ready — full-screen layout with a 2-column chart grid. FREE TO USE, WITH AN OPTIONAL UNLOCK Charty is free to download and genuinely usable that way: two charts, five tasks each, one child — enough for a real morning and bedtime routine, forever, with no time limit and no ads. Charty Plus is a single one-time purchase — never a subscription. It unlocks unlimited charts and tasks, multiple children, recorded voice prompts, task timers, parent insights, the interactive widget and Watch app, every theme and celebration, and printable charts. Buy once — it works across your family's devices. PRIVACY AS A VALUE, NOT A TAGLINE • Zero tracking, zero ads, zero analytics • No third-party SDKs; no data leaves the device unless you turn on iCloud sync (to your own account only) • Photos you add to the puzzle stay on your devices • Crash reports go through Apple's built-in metrics only — never shared with us MADE WITH CARE FOR ONE SPECIFIC FAMILY — AND NOW YOURS Charty was built by a parent who wanted something better than another generic chore-chart app. Every default, every animation, every word was chosen to feel kind. Whether your child is neurotypical or has additional needs, Charty meets them where they are. Visual routines. Calm celebrations. A kid who can do it themselves.

Screenshots

DaySteps4 screens
Charty4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: DaySteps at 100% against Charty's 50%. DaySteps also leads on rating (5.0 vs 1.0) and ratings volume (8 vs 1). Charty's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 weeks). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. DaySteps sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Charty sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DaySteps holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DaySteps has 8 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of DaySteps's written reviews are positive against 50% of Charty's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DaySteps ships an update every 3 weeks, Charty every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
DaySteps versus Charty: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDayStepsCharty
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (8 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings8 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size213 MB81 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDaySteps LLCPascal Peltriaux

Customer experience

DaySteps

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Charty

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

5 purchases

DaySteps

Subscriptions4
  • Family Monthly$6.991 Month
  • Practice Monthly$24.991 Month
  • Family Annual14 Days trial$49.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Practice Annual1 Month trial$224.991 Year
One-time1
  • Founding Member$149.99
1 purchases

Charty

One-time1
  • Charty Plus$4.99

Questions

Is DaySteps free?
DaySteps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Charty free?
Charty is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, DaySteps or Charty?
DaySteps is rated higher. DaySteps averages 5.0 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Charty averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do DaySteps or Charty have ads?
Neither DaySteps nor Charty shows ads.
Which is updated more often, DaySteps or Charty?
DaySteps ships an update every 3 weeks, and Charty every 6 days. Most recently, DaySteps was updated on October 24, 2026 and Charty on October 18, 2026.

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