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Parenting · head to head

The Wonder Weeks vs What to Expect

The Wonder Weeks logo

The Wonder Weeks

Parenting

Understand your baby's mental development leaps

From
$4.99/lifetime
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
What to Expect logo

What to Expect

Parenting

Pregnancy and parenting guidance from conception to toddler

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only What to Expect 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; What to Expect what to Expect is a free, ad-supported consumer content site with no reader subscription tier, per the 31 Dec 2022 archive capture
  • They diverge on capability: The Wonder Weeks covers Mental leap calendar, What to Expect covers Pregnancy tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which The Wonder Weeks and What to Expect actually diverge.

Attributes where The Wonder Weeks and What to Expect differ
AttributeThe Wonder WeeksWhat to Expect
Starting price$4.99/lifetimeFree
Pricing modelone-timefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsIos, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20102000

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Parenting).

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 What to Expect

  • Pregnancy tracking
  • Weekly updates
  • Symptom tracker
  • Parenting tips
  • Community forums
  • Expert articles
  • Baby names database
  • Milestone tracking

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • Ios support
  • Android support
  • English 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 What to Expect
  • Understanding why a baby is unusually clingy or crying morenot What to Expect
  • Stimulating new baby skills with the included playtime gamesnot What to Expect

What to Expect

  • Pregnancy trackingnot The Wonder Weeks
  • Parenting guidancenot The Wonder Weeks
  • Community supportnot The Wonder Weeks
  • Health informationnot 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

What to Expect

  • What to Expect is a free, ad-supported consumer content site with no reader subscription tier, per the 31 Dec 2022 archive capture

Pricing, plan by plan

The Wonder Weeks

$4.99/lifetime
  • Standard$4.99/lifetime
    • 10 mental leaps
    • Fussy period predictions
    • Development insights

What to Expect

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Weekly pregnancy updates
    • Parenting tips
    • Symptom tracker

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.
The Wonder Weeks review

Choose What to Expect if

  • You need pregnancy tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want weekly updates.
What to Expect review

Questions people ask

Is The Wonder Weeks or What to Expect better?
Neither clearly leads. The Wonder Weeks starts at $4.99/lifetime and What to Expect at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, The Wonder Weeks or What to Expect?
What to Expect has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $4.99/lifetime for The Wonder Weeks and Free for What to Expect.
Does The Wonder Weeks or What to Expect run on more platforms?
The Wonder Weeks runs on Ios, Android. What to Expect runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use What to Expect for free?
Yes. What to Expect 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 What to Expect is typically brought in for.
What can The Wonder Weeks do that What to Expect cannot?
The Wonder Weeks covers Mental leap calendar, Fussy period predictions, Development stage insights, Weekly baby updates. What to Expect covers Pregnancy tracking, Weekly updates, Symptom tracker, Parenting tips. Both handle Cloud deployment, Ios support, Android support, English language support.
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