# Grade Control vs MCBA Refs

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MCBA Refs at none against Grade Control's 6. MCBA Refs also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Grade Control sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year. MCBA Refs asks for nothing beyond the download.

Grade Control ships an update monthly, MCBA Refs fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Grade Control | MCBA Refs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (494 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grade-control-homework-app/id1123787414/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **494** | — |
| Positive reviews | 29.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 6 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kango Studios LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1115907089) | [Lachlan Geron](https://appshunter.io/developer/6776058695) |

## What reviewers say

### Grade Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grade-control-homework-app/id1123787414)

Easily track your school courses, assignments, and GPA. This app automatically calculates your GPA and helps you set and achieve grade goals by showing you what you need on future assignments. Manage your academic progress with customizable grade scales and assignment tracking.

**Highlights:** Automatic GPA calculation, Set and track grade goals, Course and assignment tracking, Customizable grade scales, Assignment due date notifications, Weighted and non-weighted courses

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Grade Control Pro Yearly | $4.99 | per year |
| Grade Control Premium 6/Mo | $5.99 | per 6 months |
| Grade Control Premium 12/Mo | $9.99 | per year |
| Ultra - Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| Premium - Unlimited Grades | $4.99 | one-time |
| GC Unlimited - Tip Large | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 💡 Customizable grade scales
- 👍 Helpful for tracking grades and GPA

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy and buggy
- 🔒 Limited free features, requires premium to unlock full functionality
- 👎 Poor customer support, unresponsive to user feedback

**Reported bugs**

- Assignments not saving properly
- Grades and progress resetting unexpectedly
- Frequent crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- Add support for weighted grades and AP/advanced classes
- Improve syncing between devices
- Provide more detailed analytics and grade forecasting


### MCBA Refs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mcba-refs/id6776058693)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Grade Control free?

Grade Control is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is MCBA Refs free?

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

### Do Grade Control or MCBA Refs have ads?

Neither Grade Control nor MCBA Refs shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Grade Control or MCBA Refs?

Grade Control ships an update monthly, and MCBA Refs fortnightly. Most recently, Grade Control was updated on November 2, 2026 and MCBA Refs on October 31, 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.*