# NU Connect vs Brightside Mentoring

The clearest difference is update cadence: Brightside Mentoring at fortnightly against NU Connect's every 3 months. Brightside Mentoring also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7). NU Connect's advantage is review sentiment (25% vs 0%) and ratings volume (67 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Brightside Mentoring holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NU Connect has 67 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 25% of NU Connect's written reviews are positive against 0% of Brightside Mentoring's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

NU Connect ships an update every 3 months, Brightside Mentoring fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NU Connect | Brightside Mentoring |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (67 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nu-connect/id1315972729/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brightside-mentoring/id1477386592/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **67** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **25.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 264 MB | 127 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Northumbria University](https://appshunter.io/developer/828398437) | [The Brightside Trust](https://appshunter.io/developer/1156906120) |

## What reviewers say

### NU Connect

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nu-connect/id1315972729)

This app serves as a comprehensive resource for university students, providing access to important messages, academic timetables, campus maps, and event listings. It also offers features for finding campus facilities, booking open day tours, and exploring student union activities.

**Highlights:** University messages and notifications, Class and exam timetables, Campus maps and location finder, Event listings and open day booking, Student Union information, PC/Mac availability and accommodation tours, Campus travel information

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Brightside Mentoring

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brightside-mentoring/id1477386592)

This app connects young people with experienced mentors to explore future career and education paths. It offers insights into university life, jobs, and financial planning.

**Highlights:** Mentor connections, Future options exploration, Career insights, University life information, Financial planning advice

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NU Connect free?

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

### Is Brightside Mentoring free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NU Connect or Brightside Mentoring?

Brightside Mentoring is rated higher. NU Connect averages 4.7 out of 5 from 67 ratings, while Brightside Mentoring averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do NU Connect or Brightside Mentoring have ads?

Neither NU Connect nor Brightside Mentoring shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NU Connect or Brightside Mentoring?

NU Connect ships an update every 3 months, and Brightside Mentoring fortnightly. Most recently, NU Connect was updated on September 22, 2026 and Brightside Mentoring on September 20, 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.*