# Sallie Mae vs Award Advisor®

The clearest difference is rating: Award Advisor® at 5.0 against Sallie Mae's 4.5. Sallie Mae's advantage is ratings volume (105K vs 3) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Award Advisor® holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sallie Mae has 105K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Sallie Mae ships an update every 3 weeks, Award Advisor® every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sallie Mae | Award Advisor® |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (105K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sallie-mae/id1114040896/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/award-advisor/id6749672941/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **105K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 14.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 93 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sallie Mae, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/456706617) | [Vermont Student Assistance Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1659702215) |

## What reviewers say

### Sallie Mae

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sallie-mae/id1114040896)

Manage your student loans and credit cards conveniently from your mobile device. Check balances, make payments, set up auto-pay, and track loan applications. Secure login options and in-app messaging provide easy access and support.

**Highlights:** View account summary for loans and credit cards, Make payments on student loans, Set up and manage automatic payments, View loan application status, Receive payment due notifications, Secure login with Touch ID/Face ID, Track credit health with FICO Score

**Features:** Siri integration

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly app
- 🚀 Convenient for making payments
- 🔒 Secure with fingerprint/face ID login
- 💡 Helpful for tracking loan details

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy app performance
- 🤔 Inaccurate loan information
- 😤 Poor customer service
- 💸 Predatory loan terms from Sallie Mae

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and endless login loops
- Incorrect payment processing and late fees
- Outdated app information not syncing with website

**Requested features**

- Ability to pay individual loans separately
- Improved notification system for payments
- More detailed loan history and analytics
- Seamless integration with bank accounts


### Award Advisor®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/award-advisor/id6749672941)

Easily understand, compare, and manage college financial aid awards. Upload award letters to get a clear breakdown of costs, compare schools, and personalize financial scenarios to make confident college decisions.

**Highlights:** Upload financial aid award letters, Standardized cost breakdown, Apples-to-apples school comparison, Personalize financial scenarios, Notifications for deadlines and opportunities

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sallie Mae free?

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

### Is Award Advisor® free?

Award Advisor® is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Sallie Mae or Award Advisor®?

Award Advisor® is rated higher. Sallie Mae averages 4.5 out of 5 from 105K ratings, while Award Advisor® averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Sallie Mae or Award Advisor® have ads?

Neither Sallie Mae nor Award Advisor® shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sallie Mae or Award Advisor®?

Sallie Mae ships an update every 3 weeks, and Award Advisor® every 3 months. Most recently, Sallie Mae was updated on November 8, 2026 and Award Advisor® on November 5, 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.*