Parenting & Family · head to head
The Wonder Weeks vs Apple Screen Time
The Wonder Weeks
Parenting & Family
Understand your baby's mental development leaps
- From
- $4.99/lifetime
- Rated
- -
Apple Screen Time
Parenting & Family
Apple's built-in parental controls for iOS and Mac
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Apple Screen Time has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: The Wonder Weeks the app covers only the 10 mental leaps in the first 20 months of a baby's life, so it stops being relevant after that; Apple Screen Time parental controls require setting up Family Sharing and a Child Account rather than working standalone
- They diverge on capability: The Wonder Weeks covers Mental leap calendar, Apple Screen Time covers Screen time tracking.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which The Wonder Weeks and Apple Screen Time actually diverge.
| Attribute | The Wonder Weeks | Apple Screen Time |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $4.99/lifetime | Free |
| Pricing model | one-time | free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Ios, Android | Ios, Ipados, Macos |
| Founded | 2010 | 2016 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Parenting & Family).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in The Wonder Weeks
- Mental leap calendar
- Fussy period predictions
- Development stage insights
- Weekly baby updates
- Skill development tips
- Photo diary
- Leap notifications
- Game suggestions
Only in Apple Screen Time
- Screen time tracking
- App limits
- Downtime scheduling
- Content filtering
- App restrictions
- Communication limits
- Purchase controls
- Family Sharing management
Both cover
- Cloud deployment
- Ios support
- English language support
- Spanish language support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
The Wonder Weeks
- Predicting when a baby will enter a developmental leapnot Apple Screen Time
- Understanding why a baby is unusually clingy or crying morenot Apple Screen Time
- Stimulating new baby skills with the included playtime gamesnot Apple Screen Time
Apple Screen Time
- Screen time managementnot The Wonder Weeks
- Content filteringnot The Wonder Weeks
- Device controlnot The Wonder Weeks
- Family safetynot The Wonder Weeks
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
The Wonder Weeks
- The app covers only the 10 mental leaps in the first 20 months of a baby's life, so it stops being relevant after that
- Sharing tracking with a partner requires linking to the partner's own copy of the app
- The developer states neither the developer nor the author is liable for damage resulting from inaccuracies or omissions in the app
Apple Screen Time
- Parental controls require setting up Family Sharing and a Child Account rather than working standalone
Pricing, plan by plan
The Wonder Weeks
$4.99/lifetime- Standard$4.99/lifetime
- 10 mental leaps
- Fussy period predictions
- Development insights
Apple Screen Time
Free- Included with iOS/macOSFree
- Screen time limits
- App restrictions
- Content filtering
Which should you pick?
Choose The Wonder Weeks if
- You need mental leap calendar.
- You work on Ios, Android.
- You also want fussy period predictions.
Choose Apple Screen Time if
- You need screen time tracking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Ios, Ipados, Macos.
- You also want app limits.
Questions people ask
- Is The Wonder Weeks or Apple Screen Time better?
- Neither clearly leads. The Wonder Weeks starts at $4.99/lifetime and Apple Screen Time at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, The Wonder Weeks or Apple Screen Time?
- Apple Screen Time has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $4.99/lifetime for The Wonder Weeks and Free for Apple Screen Time.
- Does The Wonder Weeks or Apple Screen Time run on more platforms?
- The Wonder Weeks runs on Ios, Android. Apple Screen Time runs on Ios, Ipados, Macos.
- Can I use Apple Screen Time for free?
- Yes. Apple Screen Time has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. The Wonder Weeks starts at $4.99/lifetime.
- What is The Wonder Weeks best used for?
- The Wonder Weeks is most often used for predicting when a baby will enter a developmental leap, understanding why a baby is unusually clingy or crying more, stimulating new baby skills with the included playtime games. Of those, predicting when a baby will enter a developmental leap and understanding why a baby is unusually clingy or crying more are not what Apple Screen Time is typically brought in for.
- What can The Wonder Weeks do that Apple Screen Time cannot?
- The Wonder Weeks covers Mental leap calendar, Fussy period predictions, Development stage insights, Weekly baby updates. Apple Screen Time covers Screen time tracking, App limits, Downtime scheduling, Content filtering. Both handle Cloud deployment, Ios support, English language support, Spanish language support.