# smartUST vs HKUST Alumni

The clearest difference is rating: HKUST Alumni at 5.0 against smartUST's 1.0. smartUST's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 13.4). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

HKUST Alumni holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

smartUST ships an update monthly, HKUST Alumni every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | smartUST | HKUST Alumni |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartust/id1361574826/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hkust-alumni/id1435768421/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Positive reviews | — | 28.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 77 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 13.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CardApp Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/539151439) | [The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology](https://appshunter.io/developer/332536363) |

## What reviewers say

### smartUST

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartust/id1361574826)

This app enhances the university experience by connecting students to campus life. Discover activities, events, facilities, housing, and special offers for a seamless integration into the university community.

**Highlights:** Campus activities and events, Facility information, Housing services, University services, Special offers, Seamless campus connection

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### HKUST Alumni

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hkust-alumni/id1435768421)

Access your Alum eCard for exclusive campus and alumni entrepreneur offers. Apply for library and sports services directly through the app and use your mobile eCard for seamless access.

**Highlights:** Digital Alum eCard, Campus offers access, Alumni entrepreneur deals, Library service application, Sports service application, Mobile eCard for access

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is smartUST free?

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

### Is HKUST Alumni free?

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

### Which has better reviews, smartUST or HKUST Alumni?

HKUST Alumni is rated higher. smartUST averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while HKUST Alumni averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do smartUST or HKUST Alumni have ads?

Neither smartUST nor HKUST Alumni shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, smartUST or HKUST Alumni?

smartUST ships an update monthly, and HKUST Alumni every 3 months. Most recently, smartUST was updated on October 29, 2026 and HKUST Alumni on October 30, 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.*