# SGI vs SRF/YSS

The clearest difference is rating: SRF/YSS at 4.8 against SGI's 4.1. SRF/YSS also leads on review sentiment (83% vs 50%) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

SRF/YSS holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 742 and 400 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of SGI's written reviews are positive against 83% of SRF/YSS's.

SGI ships an update every 4 months, SRF/YSS every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SGI | SRF/YSS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (742 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sgi-usa/id1158895738/reviews) | **[4.8 (400 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/srfyss/id1380804297/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **742** | 400 |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **82.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 63 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Soka Gakkai International - USA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1158895737) | [Self-Realization Fellowship Church Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/1380804296) |

## What reviewers say

### SGI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sgi-usa/id1158895738)

Support your daily Buddhist practice with tools for chanting, recitation, and goal tracking. Find local facilities and access Buddhist resources.

**Highlights:** Chanting calculator with target tracking, Audio guide for daily recitation, Goal setting and progress monitoring, SGI-USA facility locator, Links to World Tribune website

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for practice
- 🚀 Comprehensive app with many features
- 💡 Ability to chant with audio
- 💡 Access to publications and study materials
- 👍 Great for beginners and experienced users

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches after updates
- 🔒 Login issues and need to log in frequently
- 🔋 Timer/stopwatch issues when phone is locked or app is closed
- 👎 Slow chanting/gongyo speed options
- 👎 Difficulty navigating and finding content

**Reported bugs**

- Daimoku count not updating accurately
- Writings of Nichiren Daishonin not loading
- Crashes or freezes when using certain features
- Incorrect or outdated content displayed

**Requested features**

- Ability to adjust chanting/gongyo speed
- Seamless looping of chanting audio
- Sync daimoku counts across devices
- More customization options (e.g. font size, themes)
- Improved navigation and organization of content


### SRF/YSS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/srfyss/id1380804297)

Explore spiritual teachings and guided meditations based on Paramahansa Yogananda's wisdom. Access digital lessons, audio recordings, and live online meditations to cultivate peace, joy, and a balanced spiritual life.

**Highlights:** Guided meditations, Live online meditations, Digital SRF/YSS Lessons, Audio recordings of Paramahansa Yogananda, Video instruction in Energization Exercises, SRF/YSS News and Events

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient access to lessons
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🌟 Exceptional content quality
- 🌍 Global accessibility
- 🔍 Helpful search and navigation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and login issues
- 📱 Limited functionality on mobile devices
- 🔒 Restrictive access controls
- 🔋 Requires constant internet connection

**Reported bugs**

- Incompatibility with latest iOS updates
- Unreliable login and authentication
- Broken lesson access for some users

**Requested features**

- Offline mode for lessons
- Landscape mode support
- Customizable highlighting and note-taking
- Integrated dictionary
- Widgets with inspirational content


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SGI free?

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

### Is SRF/YSS free?

SRF/YSS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SGI or SRF/YSS?

SRF/YSS is rated higher. SGI averages 4.1 out of 5 from 742 ratings, while SRF/YSS averages 4.8 from 400 ratings.

### Do SGI or SRF/YSS have ads?

Neither SGI nor SRF/YSS shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SGI or SRF/YSS?

SGI ships an update every 4 months, and SRF/YSS every 2 months. Most recently, SGI was updated on October 26, 2026 and SRF/YSS on October 29, 2026.

---

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