# 掌上高考 vs PhD Challenge

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: 掌上高考 at none against PhD Challenge's 3. 掌上高考 also leads on iOS requirement (15 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PhD Challenge sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. 掌上高考 asks for nothing beyond the download.

掌上高考 ships an update monthly, PhD Challenge every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 掌上高考 | PhD Challenge |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id1086459132/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **49** | — |
| Positive reviews | 93.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 159 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [中教智网(北京)信息技术有限公司](https://appshunter.io/developer/1605930413) | [智慧 吴](https://appshunter.io/developer/1894708009) |

## What reviewers say

### 掌上高考

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id1086459132)

This app assists students with college application and major selection. It uses AI and big data to provide personalized recommendations based on personality and interests, along with in-depth analysis of universities and majors. It aims to simplify the complex process of choosing a college and career path.

**Highlights:** AI-powered major recommendations, In-depth university and major analysis, Comprehensive university information, Guidance on various admission policies, Personalized college application planning

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### PhD Challenge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phd-challenge/id6815483993)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Retake Ticket | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5 Retake Tickets | $2.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited Retakes | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 掌上高考 free?

掌上高考 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is PhD Challenge free?

PhD Challenge is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do 掌上高考 or PhD Challenge have ads?

Neither 掌上高考 nor PhD Challenge shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 掌上高考 or PhD Challenge?

掌上高考 ships an update monthly, and PhD Challenge every 3 weeks. Most recently, 掌上高考 was updated on October 26, 2026 and PhD Challenge on October 21, 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.*