Comparison

12 Steps vs AA 12 Steps Guide

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

Head to head
About

12 Steps

Access essential 12-step literature, audio resources, and a supportive community for recovery. Track your sobriety, find meetings, and connect with others on their journey.

Highlights
  • Complete 12-step literature and audio
  • Daily reflections and prayers
  • Sobriety tracker with milestones
  • Live meeting finder (phone, Zoom)
  • Active sober community support
  • Speaker talks and podcasts
Features
Read full description

Carry essential resources and an active, supportive community wherever you go! Join the most active sober community on any app, and have every resource you could need in one place. Over 100,000+ individuals trust it to provide them with the support they need on their journey, one day at a time. Unlock the complete text and audio of foundational material, reflections for each day, resources to help you stay sober, and much more! Foundational Material - Immerse yourself in the content spread across 164 pages, including prayers, personal stories, and insights into the steps and traditions. - Includes the full Big Book text, 12 Steps and 12 Traditions (12 and 12), As Bill Sees it, Daily Reflections, Prayers, Living Sober, the Joe and Charlie Audio Tapes, and much more! - Easily navigate through pages and chapters with search and highlight features, ensuring a smooth reading experience. - Customize your reading with adjustable font sizes and Light and Dark Mode options for comfortable reading anytime, anywhere. - Have the cornerstone material always at hand, offering constant guidance and support in your journey towards sobriety and personal development. Podcasts and Audiobooks - Explore a variety of podcasts and audiobooks from individuals sharing their journey to recovery. - Discover new content contributed by community members or share your own story with others. - Listen to audio versions of foundational material, making it easier to absorb its wisdom wherever you are. Speaker Talks - Gain motivation and insights by listening to speaker talks from meetings worldwide. - Stay updated with new content added regularly, offering a continuous flow of inspiration. Tracker for Sobriety - Monitor your sobriety by recording your sobriety date and tracking your progress in days, weeks, months, and years. - Celebrate milestones with digital tokens, marking each step of your journey. - Embrace the practice of tracking and celebrating your sobriety, one day at a time. Meeting Finder - Connect with the community by attending live meetings at any time, accessible via phone, Zoom, and other services. - Access meetings directly from various sources, with real-time updates and options tailored to your preferences. - Filter meetings based on type, format, language, and accessibility. Community Support - Engage with an active, moderated community offering support, understanding, and camaraderie. - Connect with individuals sharing the common goal of staying sober, one day at a time. - Find strength and insight from daily reflections, shared stories, and lessons learned. - Enhance your journey and minimize the risk of relapse with the support of a like-minded community. - Share your story in a safe, supportive space with community guidelines. Objectionable content and abusive behavior are not tolerated: every member can report posts and block other users at any time. From foundational material to community support, this app is your companion on the path to sobriety. Join our community and experience the difference it can make. Download the app today and take the first step towards a brighter, sober future. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

AA 12 Steps Guide

This app offers a concise interpretation of the 12 steps for sober living, compiled by early members of the organization. It provides guidance through the 12-step program and helps users find nearby meetings.

Highlights
  • 12 Step Guide interpretation
  • Sober living rules
  • Search for meetings
  • Concise explanations
Features
Read full description

AA 12 Steps Guide - For Alcoholic Anonymous is intended as a simple, short and 
concise interpretation of the rules for sober living as compiled by the earliest members of
 the organization. Great care has gone into the 
preparation of the pamphlet. Most of the ideas
 and explanations were brought out in a series
of instruction classes conducted by veteran members of AA. - Follow the 12 step Guide for guidance - Search for meetings near you Optimized for iOS 10, iPhone 7, 7 Plus or earlier.

Screenshots

12 Steps4 screens
AA 12 Steps Guide3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: 12 Steps at Free against AA 12 Steps Guide's $0.99. 12 Steps also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.4) and review sentiment (79% vs 40%). AA 12 Steps Guide's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 14) and ads (none vs shown). On 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

12 Steps is free to download; AA 12 Steps Guide costs $0.99 up front. 12 Steps sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. AA 12 Steps Guide asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

12 Steps holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 12 Steps has 15K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of 12 Steps's written reviews are positive against 40% of AA 12 Steps Guide's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

12 Steps ships an update every 5 days, AA 12 Steps Guide every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 1 level
12 Steps versus AA 12 Steps Guide: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter12 StepsAA 12 Steps Guide
PriceFree — better$0.99
Rating4.8 (15K ratings) — better3.4 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews79.0% of reviews — better40.0% of reviews
Number of ratings15K — better5
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 4 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.18.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size61 MB8 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperProduct Growth LLCMTPHoldings LLC

Customer experience

12 Steps

All ratings14,744 ratings
Positive96.1%
Neutral1.8%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews138 reviews
Positive79.0%
Neutral8.0%
Negative13.0%

AA 12 Steps Guide

All ratings5 ratings
Positive60.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative40.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative60.0%

Bugs and requests

12 Steps

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Login/signup issues
  • Sobriety date calculator not working
  • Page formatting and scrolling problems
  • Frequent crashes and app instability

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add 12 Steps and 12 Traditions text
  • Implement bookmarking and highlighting
  • Introduce a dark mode option
  • Add daily meditations and reflections
  • Implement push notifications for reminders

AA 12 Steps Guide

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

14 purchases

12 Steps

Subscriptions13
  • Weekly Subscription$0.997 Days
  • Monthly Subscription$1.991 Month
  • Monthly Subscription$2.991 Month
Show 10 more
  • Monthly Subscription$3.991 Month
  • One Year Ad-free3 Days trial$9.991 Year
  • Yearly Subscription$9.991 Year
  • Annual Subscription$9.991 Year
  • One Year Ad-free3 Days trial$14.991 Year
  • Yearly Subscription$17.991 Year
  • Yearly Subscription$19.991 Year
  • Yearly Subscription3 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Yearly Subscription$24.991 Year
  • Yearly Subscription3 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$19.99
None

AA 12 Steps Guide

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is 12 Steps free?
12 Steps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is AA 12 Steps Guide free?
AA 12 Steps Guide costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, 12 Steps or AA 12 Steps Guide?
12 Steps is rated higher. 12 Steps averages 4.8 out of 5 from 15K ratings, while AA 12 Steps Guide averages 3.4 from 5 ratings.
Do 12 Steps or AA 12 Steps Guide have ads?
12 Steps shows ads; AA 12 Steps Guide does not.
Which is updated more often, 12 Steps or AA 12 Steps Guide?
12 Steps ships an update every 5 days, and AA 12 Steps Guide every 4 months. Most recently, 12 Steps was updated on October 25, 2026 and AA 12 Steps Guide on October 12, 2026.

Other comparisons