Comparison

GrandPad vs Ridwell

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

Head to head
About

GrandPad

This app connects you with your family through photos, video calls, and messages. It allows you to share memories, see updates from your trusted circle, and stay in touch with loved ones. Play games and check the weather in your family's locations.

Highlights
  • Video calling
  • Photo and video sharing
  • Commenting on posts
  • Calling and texting
  • Turn-based and real-time games
  • Weather updates
  • Contact management
Features
Read full description

IMPORTANT NOTE: Only download this app if you or a member of your family are a current member of the GrandPad service. GrandPad allows you to communicate with your family in a simple, safe and fun way! With this app, you can send photos, video call, and share with everyone in your family. A companion application to the GrandPad tablet. Keep grandma and grandpa in the social media and communication loop by means of video calling, emailing, and sharing photos/videos. Also, see instant updates from those in your family circle. Feature Highlights: - See photos & videos posted by contacts in your trusted friends & family circle. - Share memories by posting photos & videos for those in your GrandPad contacts to see. - Contribute to the conversation by commenting back and forth with friends and family on shared posts. Even listen to voice comments left by your loved ones. - Call, text, email, and make video calls with those in your always up-to-date GrandPad contact list. - Add up to 4 total participants to a video call, so that more members of your family and loved ones can join. - Invite new contacts to the family circle using their phone number and/or email address from your device’s contact book. - Play games at your own pace with turn-based gameplay, or challenge your opponents in real-time matches, even while in a video call! You decide how you want to play. Receive alerts when it's your turn to play, so you never miss a move. - See what the weather’s like where your friends and family live. - Keep your profile and contact information up-to-date & stay connected with your closed friends & family circle. Add multiple phone numbers & email addresses to your profile to ensure your loved one knows it’s you when you are trying to contact them. - Get in touch with our member experience team for any questions you have about GrandPad. - Get notified for new posts, comments, video calls, and updates from GrandPad.

About

Ridwell

Easily dispose of hard-to-recycle items with convenient doorstep pickups. Schedule collections, track your impact, and feel good knowing your items are being reused or recycled by trusted partners.

Highlights
  • Schedule doorstep pickups
  • Collect hard-to-recycle items
  • Receive real-time notifications
  • Track community impact
  • Transparent item destinations
Read full description

Get rid of your stuff the right way with Ridwell. Seamlessly schedule your upcoming pickups, receive real-time notifications, and see the impact you’re making with the Ridwell community! Collect hard-to-recycle items in your Ridwell bags. We give you bags to store your plastic film, threads, and other hard-to-recycle things that might otherwise go to waste. Easy pickups from your front door. We come to your front door to pick up your stuff every two weeks. Just let us know when you have stuff to pick up! Feel great about where your stuff goes. You’ll always know where your stuff is going to be reused or recycled with one of our partners. Together, Ridwell members save tons from the landfill every year to support our community, keep our oceans clean, and build a brighter future. If you're in need of any support, please contact us at app@ridwell.com.

Screenshots

GrandPad4 screens
Ridwell3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: GrandPad at none against Ridwell's shown. GrandPad also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (90% vs 73%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for GrandPad against 4.9 for Ridwell. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 18K and 8.9K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 90% of GrandPad's written reviews are positive against 73% of Ridwell's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GrandPad ships an update every 3 months, Ridwell every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
GrandPad versus Ridwell: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGrandPadRidwell
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (18K ratings) — better4.9 (8.9K ratings)
Positive reviews89.8% of reviews — better73.3% of reviews
Number of ratings18K — better8.9K
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.517.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size78 MB17 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperGrandPad Inc.Ridwell, Inc.

Customer experience

GrandPad

All ratings17,802 ratings
Positive98.5%
Neutral0.8%
Negative0.7%
Written reviews88 reviews
Positive89.8%
Neutral4.5%
Negative5.7%

Ridwell

All ratings7,684 ratings
Positive97.8%
Neutral1.2%
Negative1.0%
Written reviews247 reviews
Positive73.3%
Neutral6.9%
Negative19.8%

User reviews

GrandPad

From 18K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use for elderly users
  • 🚀 Keeps elderly users connected to family
  • 💡 Helpful features like video calls, photo sharing, and games
  • 👍 Excellent customer service
  • 🚀 Reliable and consistent performance

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Notification issues with unwanted alerts
  • 🐛 Video calling feature not working consistently

Ridwell

From 8.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💚 Excellent for the environment
  • 🙌 Convenient pickup service
  • 🤗 Helpful customer service
  • 👍 Easy to use app
  • 🎉 Reduces waste

Room to improve

  • 🚫 Missed pickups
  • 🤔 Inconsistent service
  • 💰 Overcharging for extras
  • 🏢 Inaccessible for apartment buildings
  • 🤷‍♀️ Unclear communication

Bugs and requests

GrandPad

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Video calling feature stops working after a period of time
  • Compatibility issues with certain devices/operating systems

Requested features

2 requests
  • Add group video call functionality
  • Improve notification controls

Ridwell

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Incorrect pickup status notifications
  • Drivers unable to access buildings

Requested features

3 requests
  • Advance scheduling for pickups
  • More recycling categories
  • Proactive notifications for missed pickups

In-app purchases

None

GrandPad

No in-app purchases

None

Ridwell

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is GrandPad free?
GrandPad is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ridwell free?
Ridwell is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, GrandPad or Ridwell?
GrandPad is rated higher. GrandPad averages 4.9 out of 5 from 18K ratings, while Ridwell averages 4.9 from 8.9K ratings.
Do GrandPad or Ridwell have ads?
Ridwell shows ads; GrandPad does not.
Which is updated more often, GrandPad or Ridwell?
GrandPad ships an update every 3 months, and Ridwell every 2 months. Most recently, GrandPad was updated on October 22, 2026 and Ridwell on October 23, 2026.

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