# UCL Assistant vs Roots Academy

The clearest difference is update cadence: Roots Academy at every 2 weeks against UCL Assistant's every 3 months. UCL Assistant's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

UCL Assistant ships an update every 3 months, Roots Academy every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | UCL Assistant | Roots Academy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 31 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [UCL](https://appshunter.io/developer/611203777) | [Roots Academy Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/1819060852) |

## What reviewers say

### UCL Assistant

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ucl-assistant/id1462767418)

Manage your student life at University College London with this app. View your timetable, find lecture locations, check library and study space availability with live seating maps, and search for community members.

**Highlights:** Personal timetable viewing, Lecture directions, Library and study space availability, Live seating maps, UCL community search, Room booking information

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Roots Academy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roots-academy/id6746943628)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is UCL Assistant free?

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

### Is Roots Academy free?

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

### Do UCL Assistant or Roots Academy have ads?

Neither UCL Assistant nor Roots Academy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, UCL Assistant or Roots Academy?

UCL Assistant ships an update every 3 months, and Roots Academy every 2 weeks. Most recently, UCL Assistant was updated on September 21, 2026 and Roots Academy on September 13, 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.*