# smartUSTStaff vs HKUST Path Advisor

The clearest difference is update cadence: smartUSTStaff at every 3 months against HKUST Path Advisor's every 12 months. smartUSTStaff also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.1). 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.

smartUSTStaff ships an update every 3 months, HKUST Path Advisor every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on September 11, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | smartUSTStaff | HKUST Path Advisor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 12 months |
| Size | 74 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, 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

### smartUSTStaff

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartuststaff/id1473801524)

**In-app purchases:** none


### HKUST Path Advisor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hkust-path-advisor/id1529844964)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is smartUSTStaff free?

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

### Is HKUST Path Advisor free?

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

### Do smartUSTStaff or HKUST Path Advisor have ads?

Neither smartUSTStaff nor HKUST Path Advisor shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, smartUSTStaff or HKUST Path Advisor?

smartUSTStaff ships an update every 3 months, and HKUST Path Advisor every 12 months. Most recently, smartUSTStaff was updated on September 11, 2026 and HKUST Path Advisor on September 27, 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.*