SmartPass Mobile vs Common App
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SmartPass Mobile
This app allows educators and school staff to manage digital hall passes in real-time. It enables the creation, approval, and tracking of student passes, with features like Hall Monitor and Kiosk Mode for efficient school management.
- Create and schedule digital hall passes
- Approve or deny pass requests
- Real-time student tracking with photos
- Kiosk Mode for device-limited rooms
- Access staff ID cards
- Manage school account settings
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Educators use SmartPass to easily create, manage, and oversee digital hall passes in real-time. Protect your students and school assets with features like encounter prevention and room capacity limits, all without compromising student privacy and security. Teachers & Admins can: - Streamline hall passes with one-touch creation, approval, denial, or queuing - Prevent unsafe and disruptive incidents through encounter prevention and room restrictions - Deploy custom digital student ID cards, reducing costs, saving time, and improving record-keeping - Access analytics for live, pre-scheduled, and pattern-based insights into student movement to improve safety and security - Customize use to account for each student’s unique needs and accommodations Smarter movement. Better outcomes.
Common App
Manage your college applications on the go. This app offers a secure and streamlined way to apply to over 1000 colleges, research financial aid options, and access guidance from counselors, all from your mobile device.
- Apply to 1000+ colleges
- Research financial aid
- Get counselor advice
- Secure application process
- Mobile convenience
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Simplify your college application experience with Common App for mobile. Common App for mobile provides you with the same secure, streamlined application experience you’ve come to expect from Common App online, all from the convenience of your mobile device. The app seamlessly integrates with the first-year desktop experience — allowing you to apply to more than 1000 colleges, research financial aid, and get advice from counselors. Common App for mobile is free and easy to use. Download the app to navigate your entire college application journey.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: SmartPass Mobile at fortnightly against Common App's every 9 months. Common App's advantage is chart position (#26 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 2.9 for SmartPass Mobile against 3.0 for Common App. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.5K and 673 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 27% of SmartPass Mobile's written reviews are positive against 23% of Common App's.
SmartPass Mobile ships an update fortnightly, Common App every 9 months. Both last shipped on October 13, 2026.
| Parameter | SmartPass Mobile | Common App |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.9 (1.5K ratings) | 3.0 (673 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 26.7% of reviews — better | 22.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1.5K — better | 673 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 9 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | #26 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 46 MB | 16 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | SmartPass, Inc | The Common Application |
Customer experience
SmartPass Mobile
Common App
User reviews
SmartPass Mobile
From 1.5K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🔒 Helps track student activity
- 👍 Useful for school administrators
Room to improve
- 🐛 Constant log-out issues
- 🕰️ Restrictive time limits
- 🚫 Invades student privacy
- 💤 Disrupts class time
- 🤕 Causes student stress and anxiety
Common App
From 673 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Convenient mobile app
- 👍 Same functionality as website
- 🎉 Finally available as an app
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🔑 Requires re-login every time
- 🚫 Doesn't work for transfer students
Bugs and requests
SmartPass Mobile
Reported bugs
3 issues- Frequent crashes and glitches
- Unreliable pass tracking
- Syncing issues between devices
Requested features
4 requests- More flexible time limits
- Customizable settings for each school
- Better integration with school systems
- Ability to provide feedback/explanations for time limit overruns
Common App
Reported bugs
3 issues- White screen on login
- App doesn't load past logo
- Redirects transfer students to website
Requested features
3 requests- Keep user logged in for longer
- Increase text box size
- Add back button navigation
In-app purchases
SmartPass Mobile
No in-app purchases
Common App
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is SmartPass Mobile free?
Is Common App free?
Which has better reviews, SmartPass Mobile or Common App?
Do SmartPass Mobile or Common App have ads?
Which is updated more often, SmartPass Mobile or Common App?
Other comparisons
