# Penn State Go vs Common App

The clearest difference is rating: Penn State Go at 4.2 against Common App's 3.0. Penn State Go also leads on review sentiment (45% vs 23%) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 9 months). Common App's advantage is ratings volume (677 vs 5) and chart position (#26 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Penn State Go holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Common App has 677 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of Penn State Go's written reviews are positive against 23% of Common App's.

Penn State Go ships an update every 3 months, Common App every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Penn State Go | Common App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penn-state-go/id1474983115/reviews)** | [3.0 (677 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/common-app/id1533688509/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **677** |
| Positive reviews | **45.0% of reviews** | 22.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#26** |
| Size | 18 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The Pennsylvania State University](https://appshunter.io/developer/391462114) | [The Common Application](https://appshunter.io/developer/1030434052) |

## What reviewers say

### Penn State Go

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penn-state-go/id1474983115)

This app provides a personalized hub for the Penn State community, offering access to academic tools, campus life management, important updates, and essential resources. It helps users stay informed and connected with campus services and events.

**Highlights:** Personalized homepage with campus weather, Academic calendar and course updates, Campus dining and meal plan management, Access to PSU email and student ID, Campus event discovery and alerts, Campus maps and shuttle tracking, Health, wellness, and safety resources

**Features:** iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Common App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/common-app/id1533688509)

**Currently charting:** #26 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** Apply to 1000+ colleges, Research financial aid, Get counselor advice, Secure application process, Mobile convenience

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient mobile app
- 👍 Same functionality as website
- 🎉 Finally available as an app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🔑 Requires re-login every time
- 🚫 Doesn't work for transfer students

**Reported bugs**

- White screen on login
- App doesn't load past logo
- Redirects transfer students to website

**Requested features**

- Keep user logged in for longer
- Increase text box size
- Add back button navigation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Penn State Go free?

Penn State Go is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Common App free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Penn State Go or Common App?

Penn State Go is rated higher. Penn State Go averages 4.2 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Common App averages 3.0 from 677 ratings.

### Do Penn State Go or Common App have ads?

Neither Penn State Go nor Common App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Penn State Go or Common App?

Penn State Go ships an update every 3 months, and Common App every 9 months. Most recently, Penn State Go was updated on October 20, 2026 and Common App on October 21, 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.*