# Held vs Stages

The clearest difference is monetization model: Held at free against Stages's freemium. On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Held sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Stages sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Held against 5.0 for Stages. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 4 respectively.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Held | Stages |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/held-grief-and-loss-support/id6775465357/reviews) | [5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stages-grief-support/id6777447346/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **4** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 32 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Compassion Innovations LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896024999) | [Stages Limited Liability Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/6777447348) |

## What reviewers say

### Held

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/held-grief-and-loss-support/id6775465357)

This app provides a private space to process loss and grief at your own pace. It offers daily check-ins, guided reflections, support for difficult days, and a place to store memories. It's designed to be a gentle companion through the grieving process.

**Highlights:** Daily check-ins, Guided reflection and journaling, Support for difficult days, Memory Garden for cherished moments, Gentle encouragement and reminders, Private and personal space

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Held While in the Valley - Digital | $9.99 | one-time |
| Held Digital Book - Pay it Forward | $9.99 | one-time |
| 2 Digital Books | $18.99 | one-time |
| 3 Digital Books | $26.99 | one-time |
| 4 Digital Books | $34.99 | one-time |
| 5 Digital Books | $42.99 | one-time |


### Stages

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stages-grief-support/id6777447346)

This app provides a safe and anonymous space for individuals to connect with peers who have experienced similar losses. Users can share in community forums, have private conversations, and journal their thoughts. It's designed for those navigating grief and seeking understanding from others who have lived through it.

**Highlights:** Anonymous peer connections, Grief stage matching, Community forums, Private peer conversations, Private journaling, Loss-based matching

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stages Premium Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Stages Premium | $64.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Held free?

Held is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Stages free?

Stages is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Held or Stages?

Held and Stages are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 4 ratings respectively.

### Do Held or Stages have ads?

Neither Held nor Stages shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Held or Stages?

Held ships an update weekly, and Stages weekly. Most recently, Held was updated on November 5, 2026 and Stages on October 31, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*