# Zen Educate vs Upkid

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Zen Educate at 84% against Upkid's 13%. Zen Educate also leads on rating (4.9 vs 2.7) and ads (none vs shown). Upkid's advantage is monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Zen Educate holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Zen Educate has 1.1K ratings behind it against 75, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of Zen Educate's written reviews are positive against 13% of Upkid's.

Zen Educate ships an update every 11 days, Upkid every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Zen Educate | Upkid |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-educate/id1352772651/reviews)** | [2.7 (75 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/upkid/id1575435439/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 75 |
| Positive reviews | **84.3% of reviews** | 13.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 74 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zen Educate Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1352772650) | [Upkid LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1575435441) |

## What reviewers say

### Zen Educate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-educate/id1352772651)

This app connects educators with schools, streamlining the job search and hiring process. It allows teachers to manage their profiles and availability, while schools can find and book staff efficiently. The platform aims to be a more ethical and cost-effective alternative to traditional recruitment agencies.

**Highlights:** Manage teacher profiles, Set work availability, Accept/decline job offers, Search for screened staff, Save and rebook preferred teachers, Manage timesheets

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use app
- 🚀 Quick job acceptance
- 🤝 Supportive staff
- ✨ Great agency experience
- ✅ Convenient job finding

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😞 Jobs fill up too quickly
- 🐛 Training modules slow to load
- 🚫 No explanation for rejection
- ⚠️ Toxic school environments
- 📉 Jobs cut off unexpectedly

**Reported bugs**

- Training modules take a long time to load
- Cannot go backward in CV or interview prep documents on iOS
- App login issues on iOS
- App not showing jobs in certain areas
- App doesn't work

**Requested features**

- Make job availability more accessible
- Improve training module loading speed
- Add backward navigation for CV and interview prep
- Fix app login issues on iOS
- Improve job search functionality for specific areas


### Upkid

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/upkid/id1575435439)

Connects daycares and preschools with early childhood teachers seeking flexible work. Offers a quick onboarding process for substitute roles, allowing users to work when and where they choose and get paid immediately.

**Highlights:** Flexible job opportunities, Substitute teaching roles, Fast onboarding process, Work where you want, Get paid immediately, Work with children

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Zen Educate free?

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

### Is Upkid free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Zen Educate or Upkid?

Zen Educate is rated higher. Zen Educate averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Upkid averages 2.7 from 75 ratings.

### Do Zen Educate or Upkid have ads?

Upkid shows ads; Zen Educate does not.

### Which is updated more often, Zen Educate or Upkid?

Zen Educate ships an update every 11 days, and Upkid every 3 weeks. Most recently, Zen Educate was updated on September 21, 2026 and Upkid on September 17, 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.*