The O vs USU
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The O
This museum companion app uses location awareness to guide you through exhibits, providing information on artworks, amenities, and performances. It allows you to virtually queue for exhibits, save your visit details, and express your opinions on art. Consider it your personal guide to exploring the museum.
- Location-aware exhibit information
- Virtual queueing for exhibits
- Artwork 'Love' and 'Hate' feature
- Museum map
- Food and drink options
- Save visit details
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We don't have labels on the walls at Mona. We have the O. The O uses location awareness to locate you in and around the museum. Use it to find out about artworks nearby, food and drink options, music performances, and other stuff. Love or hate what you see, join virtual queues and wander off, save your visit, and read and listen in your language. Think of the O as your own personal visitor guide at Mona. The O is also how you navigate the Phrontisterion, Mona's library. It replaces Dewey — charting a course through the collection and linking books by association, theme, or obscure whim. Point the camera at any book cover and reveal myriad connections to other items. Search by title, subject, or curiosity. Follow a thread from one book to another, and then somewhere you didn't expect to end up. The O knows where everything is and will take you there.
USU
Access your digital membership card, discover the latest food and retail deals, and stay updated on campus events. This app is essential for all members.
- Digital membership card
- Latest food offers
- Retail deals
- Campus event listings
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A must have app for all USU members with their digital membership card, latest food and retail offers and events happening on campus.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: The O at 3.5 against USU's 3.0. The O also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly). USU's advantage is review sentiment (33% vs 23%) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
The O holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 8 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 23% of The O's written reviews are positive against 33% of USU's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
The O ships an update fortnightly, USU monthly. Both last shipped on November 2, 2026.
| Parameter | The O | USU |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.5 (6 ratings) — better | 3.0 (8 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 23.1% of reviews | 33.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 6 | 8 — better |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 16.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 63 MB | 97 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | MUSEUM OF OLD AND NEW ART | Vectron Systems (Victoria) Pty Ltd |
Customer experience
The O
USU
In-app purchases
The O
No in-app purchases
USU
No in-app purchases
