# PHQ vs Simple Depression Test

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PHQ at 100% against Simple Depression Test's 50%. PHQ also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.6). Simple Depression Test's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 3.6). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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.

Simple Depression Test holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 13 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of PHQ's written reviews are positive against 50% of Simple Depression Test's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PHQ | Simple Depression Test |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phq-9-depression-test-questionnaire/id1086388343/reviews) | **[4.4 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-depression-test/id1434941014/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **13** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 32 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Andrey Fetisov](https://appshunter.io/developer/976128350) | [Yu Zhang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1434941013) |

## What reviewers say

### PHQ

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phq-9-depression-test-questionnaire/id1086388343)

This application is a self-report tool for screening and diagnosing mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety. It is based on a copyrighted inventory developed by Pfizer Inc. as a diagnostic tool.

**Highlights:** Depression screening, Anxiety screening, Mental health disorder diagnosis, Self-report inventory, Based on PRIME-MD

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Simple Depression Test

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-depression-test/id1434941014)

This tool screens for depressive and anxiety disorders by calculating scores and tracking trends. It offers multi-user management, data storage, and exportable PDF reports. Supports multiple languages and assessment types.

**Highlights:** Depression and anxiety screening, Multi-user management, Data storage (local, Firebase, iCloud), Trend tracking with charts, Multi-language support, Printable PDF reports

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PHQ free?

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

### Is Simple Depression Test free?

Simple Depression Test is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PHQ or Simple Depression Test?

Simple Depression Test is rated higher. PHQ averages 3.6 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Simple Depression Test averages 4.4 from 13 ratings.

### Do PHQ or Simple Depression Test have ads?

Neither PHQ nor Simple Depression Test shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PHQ or Simple Depression Test?

PHQ ships an update fortnightly, and Simple Depression Test fortnightly. Most recently, PHQ was updated on September 9, 2026 and Simple Depression Test on June 1, 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.*