Comparison

Dérive app vs ScholarRoam

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Dérive app

Explore urban spaces in a spontaneous and engaging way. This app merges Situationist ideals with digital tools to encourage unplanned discovery and break daily routines. It aims to open up new urban experiences by introducing external suggestions into your city explorations.

Highlights
  • Spontaneous urban exploration
  • Unplanned discovery
  • Digital tool for city exploration
  • Breaks daily routines
  • Introduces external suggestions
Read full description

Dérive app is created as a simple but engaging platform that allows users to explore their urban spaces in a care-free and casual way. It takes the ideals of the Situationists and merges it with digital means in order to create a tool that allows for the exploration of urban space in a random unplanned way, as a game. Too often in urban centers we are controlled by our day to day activities thus closing off urban experiences that exist around us. Dérive app was created to try to nudge those people who are in this repetitive cycle to allow the suggestions and subjectivities of others to enter into their urban existences.

About

ScholarRoam

This app helps students maximize their study abroad experience by discovering places, planning adventures, and connecting with fellow students. Organize itineraries, find top-rated attractions, and document memories all in one place.

Highlights
  • Build day-by-day travel itineraries
  • Discover top-rated attractions and hidden gems
  • Connect with other study abroad students
  • Organize destinations and activities
  • Document memories and experiences
  • Manage multiple trips
Features
Read full description

ScholarRoam is the all-in-one study abroad companion designed to help students maximize their experience overseas. Whether you're preparing for your semester abroad or already exploring a new city, ScholarRoam helps you discover places, plan adventures, connect with other students, and capture memories along the way. FEATURES PLAN YOUR ADVENTURES • Build day-by-day travel itineraries • Organize destinations, activities, and must-see places • Create and manage multiple trips DISCOVER THE BEST PLACES • Find top-rated attractions, restaurants, nightlife, museums, and hidden gems • Explore curated recommendations for students abroad • Save places directly to your itinerary CONNECT WITH OTHER STUDENTS • Share your travel experiences with the ScholarRoam community • Discover trips, adventures, and recommendations from fellow students • Build connections with students studying around the world TRACK YOUR STUDY ABROAD JOURNEY • Keep all your travel plans in one place • Document memories and experiences through shared posts • Stay organized throughout your semester abroad DESIGNED FOR STUDENTS ScholarRoam was built specifically for study abroad students who want to get more out of their international experience. From weekend trips to local discoveries, ScholarRoam helps you spend less time planning and more time exploring. Download ScholarRoam and start making the most of your study abroad journey. https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Dérive app4 screens
ScholarRoam4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: ScholarRoam at 5.0 against Dérive app's 3.8. Dérive app's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. ScholarRoam sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month. Dérive app asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ScholarRoam holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 3 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Dérive app ships an update every 6 weeks, ScholarRoam every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Dérive app versus ScholarRoam: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDérive appScholarRoam
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (5 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews94.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings5 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS11.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB91 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperBabak FakhamzadehScholarRoam

Customer experience

Dérive app

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive94.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative5.9%

ScholarRoam

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Dérive app

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

ScholarRoam

Subscriptions1
  • ScholarRoam Explorer$3.991 Month

Questions

Is Dérive app free?
Dérive app is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ScholarRoam free?
ScholarRoam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Dérive app or ScholarRoam?
ScholarRoam is rated higher. Dérive app averages 3.8 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while ScholarRoam averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Dérive app or ScholarRoam have ads?
Neither Dérive app nor ScholarRoam shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Dérive app or ScholarRoam?
Dérive app ships an update every 6 weeks, and ScholarRoam every 3 weeks. Most recently, Dérive app was updated on November 2, 2026 and ScholarRoam on October 31, 2026.

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