Comparison

Steady vs NailPause

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

Head to head
About

Steady

This app offers a private, shame-free companion to help manage body-focused repetitive behaviors like nail biting, skin picking, and hair pulling. It uses habit-reversal training and decoupling techniques with one-tap logging and guided exercises to help users soften these patterns at their own pace.

Highlights
  • One-tap logging for urges
  • Guided competing response tools
  • Habit-reversal training modules
  • Pattern insights and trend analysis
  • Customizable reminders
  • Data export for therapists
  • Apple Watch companion app
Features
Read full description

Bite your nails? Pick your skin? Pull your hair? You're not alone — millions live with body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) like skin picking (dermatillomania, excoriation), nail biting (onychophagia), hair pulling (trichotillomania), and lip or cheek biting. Steady is a calm, private companion that helps you soften the pattern — without shame. There are no streaks to lose here and nothing ever resets to zero. Steady never scolds. Awareness counts, resisted urges count, and even noticing after the fact counts — because that is how these patterns actually soften. HOW IT WORKS • Notice the urge — one-tap logging keeps you aware • Meet it with a plan — a short competing response or guided decoupling exercise • Watch the pattern ease over weeks — at your pace, without pressure or red warning colors Steady is built on habit-reversal training (HRT) and decoupling, the self-help methods with the strongest research support. FREE FOR EVERYONE • One-tap logging — capture a moment or a resisted urge in seconds • Urge Help — breathing, grounding and competing-response tools for the moment an urge hits • Decoupling training — a short guided motor exercise you can repeat through the day • My Plan — a gentle glide path toward the pace you choose, never a countdown • This week at a glance — your log, your awareness streak, your week • Learn — six short modules on the science of BFRBs, from why they happen to when to seek help, each with its published sources • Soft reminders — a few caring nudges a day at most, fully optional • Home-screen widget that keeps awareness gently in view • Export your log as a spreadsheet to share with a therapist STEADY PLUS — GO DEEPER • Pattern insights — time-of-day patterns, trends over weeks, and quiet observations about your triggers • Smart reminders that learn your risk windows • A clinical PDF report to bring to appointments • Custom tags for your own situations • The Apple Watch companion app PRIVATE BY DESIGN Everything stays on your device. No account, no tracking, no data collection. Steady Plus is $6.99/month, $29.99/year with a 7-day free trial, or a one-time lifetime purchase of $49.99. Payment is charged to your Apple Account; subscriptions renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends. Steady is an educational self-help tool, not a medical device or a substitute for professional care. TERMS & PRIVACY Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://mda25.github.io/steady-site/privacy.html

About

NailPause

Features
Read full description

Catch the urge before the bite. NailPause gives you a private 60-second reset when nail biting or cuticle picking starts to feel automatic. Notice the urge, choose a practical response, and make gradual recovery visible—without shame or all-or-nothing pressure. RESPOND IN THE MOMENT • Start a 60-second reset from the app, Home Screen, or Lock Screen • Choose a practical hands-on response • Note the trigger and urge intensity • Keep core resets unlimited on the free plan FOLLOW A PLAN BUILT AROUND YOU Tell NailPause what matters to you, when urges are most likely, and which response feels realistic. Your first 7-day plan turns those answers into small daily actions. Pro continues the complete 28-day guided Journey and adapts your next week using your real check-ins. UNDERSTAND YOUR PATTERNS See when urges are most likely, which triggers keep returning, and which responses help most. NailPause creates simple insights only from the information you choose to record. MAKE NAIL RECOVERY VISIBLE Take consistent nail and cuticle photos, compare progress side by side, and create a private on-device timelapse with Pro. Your recovery photos are not uploaded. FREE INCLUDES • Unlimited instant resets • Daily reflection and reminders • Care plant and Care Points • The first 7 Journey days • Up to 2 recovery photos • A 7-day reflection summary • Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets NAILPAUSE PRO ADDS • The complete 28-day Journey • 30 days of reflection history • Highest-risk-window and recurring-trigger insights • Trigger-aware reset recommendations • All five reset techniques • Weekly adaptive guidance • More recovery photos • Side-by-side comparison and an on-device timelapse PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account is required. Your plan, check-ins, notes, and recovery photos stay on your device. NailPause has no advertising or cross-app tracking. NailPause is a self-help and educational tool. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace care from a qualified health professional. Take the first pause today. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Steady4 screens
NailPause4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Steady at none against NailPause's 3. NailPause's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. NailPause sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Steady asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Steady ships an update fortnightly, NailPause weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Steady versus NailPause: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSteadyNailPause
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB16 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperMatthis DammNIYAZI ONER

In-app purchases

None

Steady

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

NailPause

Subscriptions2
  • NailPause Pro Monthly$7.991 Month
  • NailPause Pro Annual7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • NailPause Pro Lifetime$59.99

Questions

Is Steady free?
Steady is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is NailPause free?
NailPause is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Steady or NailPause have ads?
Neither Steady nor NailPause shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Steady or NailPause?
Steady ships an update fortnightly, and NailPause weekly. Most recently, Steady was updated on October 3, 2026 and NailPause on October 19, 2026.

Other comparisons