Comparison

Playground Buddy vs Beacon

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

Head to head
About

Playground Buddy

Discover playgrounds globally with a vast database of over 700,000 locations. Get directions, view photos, and share playground details. Save favorites, log visits, and contribute new playgrounds and photos.

Highlights
  • Worldwide playground database
  • Search by location
  • Get directions
  • View playground photos
  • Share playground info
  • Save favorite playgrounds
  • Log playground visits
  • Add new playgrounds
Features
Read full description

Every parent knows the question: "Where can we go play?" Playground Buddy answers it in seconds. Discover over 700,000 playgrounds around the world, see what each one is really like before you go, and turn any afternoon into an adventure. Whether you're a parent, grandparent, nanny, or anyone lucky enough to look after a little one, Playground Buddy helps you find the perfect spot — from the swings around the corner to a hidden gem across the country. WHY FAMILIES LOVE PLAYGROUND BUDDY • Find playgrounds near you, across town, or anywhere you're traveling • See real photos and details before you make the trip • Get one-tap directions in Apple Maps or Google Maps • Filter for exactly what you need — swings, slides, water play, shade, washrooms, fenced areas, and wheelchair-accessible equipment • Save your favorites and build your family's go-to list • Log your visits, rate each playground, and keep private notes • See everywhere you've already been, right on the map BUILT BY FAMILIES, FOR FAMILIES Playground Buddy is powered by a community of caregivers just like you. Spot a playground that's missing? Add it in a few taps and help the next family find it. Took a great photo? Share it so others know what to expect. PHOTOS THAT PROTECT KIDS' PRIVACY Children's safety comes first. That's why Playground Buddy automatically blurs faces in the photos you upload — so you can show what a playground looks like without sharing who was there. PLAN THE PERFECT OUTING • Heading somewhere new? Search any city and scope out playgrounds before you arrive. • Long car trip? Find a great place to stretch little legs along the way. • Need a break from the sun? Filter for shaded and covered spots. Finding somewhere wonderful for your kids to play should be the easy part of your day. Download Playground Buddy and discover your next favorite playground today.

About

Beacon

Connect with other mothers during challenging postpartum moments. Share your experience anonymously on a live map, track your baby's needs, monitor your mood, and access helpful resources and community support.

Highlights
  • Live map of awake mothers
  • Baby feeding, sleep, and diaper tracker
  • Mood and wellness tracking
  • Postpartum journaling
  • Community forum
  • Expert resources and guides
  • Helpful tools and calculators
Features
Read full description

Motherhood is beautiful, but at 2AM when you're the only one awake, it can feel impossibly lonely. Beacon shows you that you're not alone and lets you connect with other moms in your neighborhood or across the globe. Open the app and see a live map of mothers who are awake right now, near you. Light your own beacon so another mom knows she's not the only one up. Track your mood, log your baby's feeds, sleep, and diaper changes and connect with a community of women who truly get it. LIGHT YOUR BEACON Share your light anonymously and see thousands of other moms' beacons glowing across the map. Locations are randomized within 10 miles of your true location to keep you safe while helping you feel connected. Knowing other mothers are awake and showing up is a powerful reminder: you are not alone in this. CIRCLES: YOUR SMALL GROUP OF MOMS Get matched into a private Circle of a few moms like you, based on where you are in your motherhood journey. Circles are small on purpose, so it feels like real friendship. BABY TRACKER Log your baby's feedings, sleep, and diaper changes in seconds. See patterns over time and simplify those conversations with your pediatrician or partner. Whether you're breastfeeding, pumping, or formula feeding, Beacon makes tracking effortless. MOOD & WELLNESS TRACKING Log your mood, sleep, energy, and emotions each day. Watch patterns unfold over time and gain real insight into your mental health during postpartum recovery. Use your mood data to start honest conversations with your partner, provider, or therapist. POSTPARTUM JOURNAL Capture your thoughts, milestones, and feelings as you navigate early motherhood. Write when you need to process, celebrate, or simply vent. Your journal is private and always there when you need it. COMMUNITY FORUM Connect with other moms in a private, supportive space. Ask questions, share your story, offer encouragement, or just vent without judgment. No highlight reels — just real mothers supporting each other through the ups and downs. TRUSTED GUIDES & RESOURCES Access expert-backed information written specifically for postpartum life — from healing tips and nutrition guidance to relationship advice, mental health tools, and newborn care essentials. HELPFUL TOOLS & CALCULATORS Simplify your day with breastfeeding and pumping calculators, postpartum exercise guidance, recovery checklists, and daily self-care reminders including mindfulness exercises and gentle movement ideas. SAFE & PRIVATE Your location, data, and personal information are always protected. Beacons appear only as randomized points within 10 miles of your true location. WHY MOMS LOVE BEACON Real, honest, and supportive — not another highlight reel. Beacon helps you see that you're part of something bigger: a network of mothers lighting up the world together. Whether you're a first-time mom navigating sleepless nights, a seasoned parent balancing it all, or someone healing from postpartum anxiety or depression, Beacon is a gentle reminder that your light matters. Download Beacon today. Even in your darkest nights, there are lights shining with you. Subscription Information: Beacon offers optional premium subscriptions with auto-renewable billing: Monthly: $9.99/month Annual: $59.99/year (save 50%) Premium features include detailed mood tracking, baby tracker, AI-powered insights, advanced analytics, community forum access, postpartum journal, and premium guides. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your App Store account settings after purchase. Privacy Policy: https://kindred-spirits-beacon.lovable.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Playground Buddy4 screens
Beacon4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Beacon at 4.9 against Playground Buddy's 4.1. Beacon also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (91% vs 67%). Playground Buddy's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3). 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. Beacon sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Playground Buddy asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Beacon holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Beacon has 483 ratings behind it against 48, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Playground Buddy's written reviews are positive against 91% of Beacon's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Playground Buddy ships an update every 3 months, Beacon every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Playground Buddy versus Beacon: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPlayground BuddyBeacon
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (48 ratings)4.9 (483 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews91.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings48483 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB54 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBirds Eye TechnologyKeagan Scott

Customer experience

Playground Buddy

All ratings48 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral10.4%
Negative14.6%
Written reviews72 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral12.5%
Negative20.8%

Beacon

All ratings483 ratings
Positive96.1%
Neutral1.7%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews184 reviews
Positive91.3%
Neutral3.3%
Negative5.4%

Bugs and requests

Playground Buddy

Reported bugs

10 issues
  • App crashes within seconds
  • Submitting feedback results in a blank screen
  • Contributions and photos disappear
  • Text shows up black on black background (dark theme)
  • Favorites list not linking to park data
Show 5 more
  • App pastes from clipboard on opening
  • Playgrounds saved with details/photos lose information
  • App says 'no playgrounds found' initially
  • Text keeps getting deleted after posting
  • App crashes when trying to add parks

Requested features

15 requests
  • Add personal notes on places
  • Filter out school playgrounds
  • Ability to build a personal list of parks visited
  • Support dark screens (writing visible)
  • Filter for inclusive playground equipment
Show 10 more
  • Include Spark Parks
  • Change pin colors to track visited playgrounds
  • Track visited but disliked parks
  • Add satellite view
  • Adjust top buttons for newer iPhones
  • Integrate Google's business feature for crowd avoidance
  • Allow users to rate playgrounds
  • Add option to add parks
  • Consider getting sponsors for updates
  • Add dark mode support

Beacon

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Playground Buddy

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Beacon

Subscriptions3
  • Beacon Premium (Weekly)$4.997 Days
  • Beacon Premium (Monthly)7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Beacon Premium (Annual)$44.991 Year

Questions

Is Playground Buddy free?
Playground Buddy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Beacon free?
Beacon is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Playground Buddy or Beacon?
Beacon is rated higher. Playground Buddy averages 4.1 out of 5 from 48 ratings, while Beacon averages 4.9 from 483 ratings.
Do Playground Buddy or Beacon have ads?
Neither Playground Buddy nor Beacon shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Playground Buddy or Beacon?
Playground Buddy ships an update every 3 months, and Beacon every 8 days. Most recently, Playground Buddy was updated on October 14, 2026 and Beacon on October 16, 2026.

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