Compact Feature Comparison
(Kids & Teens)
A quick look at how Mindset compares to commonly used tools.
| Feature | Mindset | AAC Apps | Journaling Apps | Mental Health Apps | Social Stories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designed for kids & teens | Yes | Young kids | General | General | Kids |
| Free core access | Yes | High cost | Sub | Sub | Paid |
| AAC communication | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| AI emotional support | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Private journaling | Yes | No | Not ND | No | No |
| Emotion regulation | Yes | Minimal | Limited | Varies | Basic |
| Social scenarios | Yes | No | No | No | Basic |
| Sensory-friendly UI | Yes | Standard | Not ND | High stim | Mixed |
| Supports communication differences | Yes | Speech-focused | No | No | Minimal |
| ND-affirming approach | Yes | Behaviour | No | No | Behaviour |
| Unified ecosystem | Yes | Single | Single | Single | Single |
Compact Comparison – Global ND Support Landscape
(Kids & Teens)
What exists today for autistic & neurodivergent kids and teens — and how Mindset is different.
| Category | What exists now | Limitations for ND kids & teens | How Mindset is different |
|---|---|---|---|
|
AAC tools Communication apps |
High-cost AAC apps focused on speech output, often designed for younger children and clinic use. | Expensive; visual style can feel “babyish” for older kids and teens; little emotional or social support. | Free AAC-style cards with calm visuals that feel okay for both kids and teens, integrated with emotion and social tools. |
|
Therapy / wellbeing apps Calm, CBT, etc. |
General mindfulness or CBT apps aimed at the broad population, mostly adults or older teens. | Text-heavy, fast-paced, or visually busy; advice often written for neurotypical users; no AAC or social decoding. | Language and design shaped around neurodivergent communication and sensory needs, with gentle pacing and concrete supports. |
|
Journaling tools Mood & diary apps |
Mood trackers and diaries focused on productivity, habit-building, or self-improvement. | Not built for kids who struggle with writing, executive function, or emotional language; privacy for younger users is often unclear. | Low-pressure, ND-friendly journaling with very simple prompts and a focus on emotional safety, privacy, and autonomy. |
|
Social learning tools Social stories |
Basic social stories and skills apps, usually aimed at younger autistic children. | Can be infantilising; rarely cover real teen situations like group chats, exclusion, masking, or online misunderstandings. | Social Decoder explains realistic kid and teen scenarios step-by-step, in clear, respectful language they can relate to. |
|
Youth wellbeing platforms General mental-health sites |
Websites and apps for “young people’s mental health” with articles, tips, and some tools. | Neurotypical framing; very little about sensory overload, stimming, or communication differences; no AAC or ND-specific tools. | A space created specifically for neurodivergent kids and teens, where stimming, sensory needs, and different communication styles are expected. |
|
School support systems SEL / behaviour platforms |
Classroom behaviour and social-emotional learning platforms used by schools. | Often focus on compliance, points, and behaviour tracking, not sensory needs, shutdowns, or masking. | Mindset can sit alongside school supports, offering students a gentle, ND-affirming space that supports communication, emotions and self-understanding instead of behaviour scores. |