# SCAD vs RISD

SCAD and RISD both sit at 2.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 40% of RISD's written reviews are positive against 23% of SCAD's. RISD also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.5). SCAD's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 2.5 for SCAD against 2.4 for RISD. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 24 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 23% of SCAD's written reviews are positive against 40% of RISD's.

SCAD ships an update every 5 weeks, RISD every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SCAD | RISD |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.5 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scad/id1059477031/reviews)** | [2.4 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/risd/id1220208350/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **24** |
| Positive reviews | 22.6% of reviews | **40.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 79 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.5 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Savannah College of Art and Design](https://appshunter.io/developer/467515093) | [Rhode Island School of Design](https://appshunter.io/developer/932857230) |

## What reviewers say

### SCAD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scad/id1059477031)

This app provides access to university information, including academic programs, campus details, and events. Students can log in to access personalized schedules, grades, course registration, and campus resources.

**Highlights:** Academic program information, Campus locations and events, Virtual tours, Personalized class schedule, Course registration, Interactive campus maps, Blackboard access

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### RISD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/risd/id1220208350)

This official campus app helps students, staff, faculty, and visitors navigate the Rhode Island School of Design. Access campus services like shuttle schedules, dining menus, printing resources, and maps.

**Highlights:** Campus shuttle information, Dining hall menus, Printing resource access, Interactive campus maps, Campus service directory

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SCAD free?

SCAD is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is RISD free?

RISD is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SCAD or RISD?

SCAD is rated higher. SCAD averages 2.5 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while RISD averages 2.4 from 24 ratings.

### Do SCAD or RISD have ads?

Neither SCAD nor RISD shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SCAD or RISD?

SCAD ships an update every 5 weeks, and RISD every 4 months. Most recently, SCAD was updated on September 17, 2026 and RISD on September 9, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*