StoryRetriever vs Choiceworks
Choiceworks by Bee Visual is one of the most popular visual schedule apps for children with autism. But visual schedules and social stories are different tools that solve different problems. Here is when you need each one.
The Bottom Line
Choose Choiceworks if your primary need is visual schedules, first-then boards, or choice boards on an iPad. Choiceworks does this well at an affordable one-time price.
Choose StoryRetriever if you need narrative social stories that explain a situation, describe perspectives, and coach a child through a new experience. StoryRetriever is built for this use case and includes collaboration, cross-device access, and a free tier.
Many families use both. Choiceworks for daily routines and schedules. StoryRetriever for specific situations like a dentist visit, a first day of school, or a grocery store trip. For a deeper look at how these two approaches work together, read our guide on visual stories vs visual schedules.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | StoryRetriever | Choiceworks |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes — 3 stories | No |
| Starting price | $4.99/month | $6.99 one-time |
| Primary purpose | Narrative social stories | Visual schedules and choice boards |
| iPad & iPhone | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | No |
| Chromebook | Yes | No |
| Web browser | Yes | No |
| SLP-to-family sharing | Yes — one tap | No |
| Real-time sync | Yes | No |
| Offline access | Yes — after first load | Yes — device-local |
| Templates included | Yes | Yes — schedule templates |
| COPPA compliant | Yes | No |
Visual Schedules vs Social Stories
Choiceworks is a visual schedule tool. It helps children follow a sequence of steps: first brush teeth, then get dressed, then eat breakfast. It answers what happens next.
StoryRetriever creates narrative social stories. These explain a situation from the child's perspective: what the dentist office looks like, how other children feel there, and what the child can do if they feel scared. It answers why this is happening and how to handle it.
Both are evidence-informed visual supports. They serve different purposes. A child might use a Choiceworks schedule for their morning routine and a StoryRetriever story to prepare for a new experience like their first haircut.
Where Choiceworks Excels
Choiceworks has a polished interface for building visual schedules and first-then boards. The $6.99 one-time price is affordable. For families who primarily need daily routine structure on an iPad, Choiceworks is a strong fit.
Where StoryRetriever Wins
StoryRetriever is purpose-built for narrative social stories with collaboration between SLPs and families. It works on every device including Chromebook and Android. Real-time sharing means the SLP creates a story in session and the family has it immediately. And the free tier lets families start without spending anything.
Choiceworks is iOS only and stores schedules locally on one device. There is no sharing between the SLP and the family, no cloud sync, and no web access.
Build your first social story free
Start with a template for the dentist, grocery store, or school.