A Choiceworks alternative on the wrist: Choiceworks and GentleTime compared

Choiceworks and GentleTime at a glance

The facts about Choiceworks below come from the Bee Visual website and the US App Store listing, checked on 30 September 2026. Check the current details yourself before you decide.

Where Choiceworks is strong

Choiceworks has been around for a long time, and many schools and therapists recommend it.

• A one-time purchase. You pay once, with no subscription.
• Privacy. There is no account and no tracking. Boards, photos, videos and recordings stay on your device and in your own iCloud, according to its App Store listing.
• Fully offline. Because everything is stored locally, it does not depend on an internet connection.
• More than schedules. Besides schedule boards it has a waiting board, a feelings board and a feelings scale. A separate Choiceworks Calendar app is also available.
• Rich media. You can add your own photos, video, text and recorded audio to each step.
• Seven languages. English, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, German, French and Portuguese.
• Actively maintained. A new version was released on 29 September 2026.

If you want a private, one-time purchase for a tablet at home or in the classroom, Choiceworks is a strong option.

Where GentleTime is different

GentleTime is built around two ideas: the schedule goes where the person goes, and the people who plan do not have to be in the same room.

• The schedule is on the wrist. On an Apple Watch or Wear OS watch the person sees a picture of what is happening now, a countdown and what comes next. A gentle vibration marks each transition, with an optional heads-up before the change. It keeps working offline on the watch after syncing.
• Follow without reading. A picture and a countdown are enough, so it also works for someone who cannot read yet.
• Planning from anywhere. A caregiver plans in the web app or phone app, and changes reach the watch once it is connected.
• A team with roles. Parents, grandparents, a school or a care team can work on the same person's day.
• A clock-based timeline, or not. Per person you choose: by the clock with a countdown, step by step (no "late"), by parts of the day, or as a checklist.
• Beyond childhood. It is also used by teens and adults, and by carers of someone with dementia or an intellectual disability.
• Pictograms in 5 languages. About 3,000 Mulberry Symbols with names in English, Dutch, German, French and Spanish, plus your own pictures. More in our guide to pictograms for visual schedules.
• A free printable maker. Print the same kind of schedule for the wall with the free visual schedule maker.

Which one fits you?

• You want one purchase, no subscription and no account. Choiceworks may fit better.
• You mainly use a tablet at home or in one classroom. Choiceworks is designed for exactly that, and its waiting and feelings boards are useful extras.
• The person needs their schedule outside, at school, on trips or in the car. A watch goes along. See our smartwatch visual schedule guide for what to look for.
• Several people plan the day from different places. For example two parents in different homes, or parents and a care team. GentleTime has shared planning with several caregivers.
• The person benefits from a countdown and a signal at each change. GentleTime shows time left on the watch and gives a gentle vibration. Our guide to transitions between activities explains why that can help.
• You plan for an adult. A watch is often more discreet than a tablet.

Using both

Choiceworks and GentleTime can sit side by side. Some families keep Choiceworks on the tablet for its waiting board and feelings scale, and use a watch for the day schedule when the person is on the move. A paper strip from the free maker works as a backup for both.

Frequently asked questions

Is Choiceworks available on Android?

The Bee Visual website says Choiceworks is also offered for Android. Its App Store listing covers iPad, iPhone and Mac.

Does Choiceworks work on Apple Watch or Wear OS?

On 30 September 2026 we found no Apple Watch or Wear OS app for Choiceworks. GentleTime works on both.

Can several caregivers use Choiceworks?

Choiceworks has no accounts. You can make several profiles on one device, sync across your own devices with iCloud, and share boards by AirDrop, email or export. There is no live shared team. In GentleTime several caregivers can plan the same person's day: 2 on the Family plan and unlimited on the Care Team and Facility plans; see pricing.

Does Choiceworks work offline?

Yes. Everything is stored on your device and in your own iCloud. GentleTime's watch app also keeps working offline after it has synced.