# SmartBen NOW vs Bright NOW

SmartBen NOW and Bright NOW both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Bright NOW's written reviews are positive against 31% of SmartBen NOW's. SmartBen NOW's advantage is ratings volume (869 vs 6). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

SmartBen NOW holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SmartBen NOW has 869 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 31% of SmartBen NOW's written reviews are positive against 100% of Bright NOW's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SmartBen NOW ships an update every 3 months, Bright NOW every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartBen NOW | Bright NOW |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (869 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartben-now/id1195891353/reviews)** | [4.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bright-now/id1460176648/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **869** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 30.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 46 MB | 143 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HodgesMace, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1195891352) | [Bright Horizons CC LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/840375887) |

## What reviewers say

### SmartBen NOW

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartben-now/id1195891353)

Access your employer-provided benefits information conveniently on your mobile device. Review plan details, make enrollment changes, and explore additional resources all within a single application.

**Highlights:** Access benefits information, Review plan details, Enroll or change benefits, Explore benefit resources, Up-to-date information

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great service
- 🚀 User-friendly app
- 💡 Convenient to have everything in one app
- 🚀 Helpful information provided

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy app
- 🐛 Trouble loading paystubs
- 🐛 Blank pages when viewing paystubs
- 🐛 App not working for over a month
- 🐛 Difficult to navigate

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot download bank statements
- Cannot enter values in certain sections
- Login issues across devices
- Credentials not working
- Paycheck download function not working

**Requested features**

- Easier way to access tax forms and insurance info
- Add phone numbers for support
- Improve chat support knowledge
- Make important contact info more user-friendly
- Provide confirmation of successful enrollment


### Bright NOW

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bright-now/id1460176648)

Stay informed and connected with your community through daily updates and personalized notifications. Share photos, stories, and feedback, and easily post to your social media. Designed for your busy lifestyle.

**Highlights:** Daily community updates, Personalized notifications, Post photos and stories, Share feedback, Social media sharing

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SmartBen NOW free?

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

### Is Bright NOW free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SmartBen NOW or Bright NOW?

SmartBen NOW is rated higher. SmartBen NOW averages 4.5 out of 5 from 869 ratings, while Bright NOW averages 4.3 from 6 ratings.

### Do SmartBen NOW or Bright NOW have ads?

Neither SmartBen NOW nor Bright NOW shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SmartBen NOW or Bright NOW?

SmartBen NOW ships an update every 3 months, and Bright NOW every 5 months. Most recently, SmartBen NOW was updated on October 24, 2026 and Bright NOW on October 25, 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.*