Comparison

Penn State Go vs Gradescope

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Penn State Go

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
Read full description

Penn State Go is the official mobile app of Penn State. The app connects you with the tools, services, and updates that matter most. With a personalized homepage, Penn State Go greets you with the current date and campus weather, and highlights timely content based on your experience. STAY ON TOP OF ACADEMICS • LionPATH: Check grades, class schedules, tuition bills, and more • Canvas: View course updates, announcements, to-do items, messages, and grades • Academic Calendar: Track key academic dates and semester milestones • Starfish: Connect with your adviser and receive academic alerts • Countdown Widget: Track upcoming deadlines, events, and breaks MANAGE CAMPUS LIFE • PSU Email: Quick access to your Penn State email account • id+ Card: View LionCash and meal plan balances, manage transactions, and update plans • Dining: Order food on the go, view past orders, and manage payment methods • Housing: View your current housing assignment and meal plan, with quick access to housing resources STAY INFORMED AND CONNECTED • Messages: Get personalized push notifications and in-app alerts based on your college, housing, meal plan, international status, and more • Events Calendars: Discover campus events and filter by your academic college or interests • Special Events: Stay up to date on Arrival Week, THON, Homecoming, Commencement, Welcome Week, and more • Digital Signage: View content from campus digital signage, directly in the app • News: Catch up on the latest updates from across the Penn State community SUPPORT AND SAFETY • Wellness: Find campus health, counseling, and fitness resources • Safety: Access emergency contacts, safety tips, and campus services CAMPUS RESOURCES • Maps: Explore buildings, departments, services, and parking • Shuttles: Get live updates on Penn State and CATA shuttle routes • Library: Search library catalogs and access academic resources • Paw Prints: Use pay-as-you-go printing services on campus You can also share your Penn State pride with Penn State Go Sticker Packs in Messages. Penn State Go is available to students, faculty, staff, parents and families, and alumni. While some features are designed for students, the app provides valuable tools and information for the entire Penn State community. Whether you’re managing your classes, supporting a student, or staying connected to your alma mater, Penn State Go helps you stay in the know and on the go.

About

Gradescope

Easily upload assignments for courses using this app. Submit files from your device or scan your work directly. Assign pages for variable-length assignments and resubmit if needed before the deadline.

Highlights
  • Upload assignments
  • Scan documents with camera
  • Select existing files
  • Assign pages for variable-length assignments
  • Resubmit assignments
  • View submitted and graded assignments
Features
Read full description

Students, upload your assignments to Gradescope more easily than ever before! If your instructor uses Gradescope for your assignments, you can now upload your submission with our mobile app. After installing and opening the app, login to see your Gradescope courses and assignments. To upload a submission, click on the assignment in the “Not Submitted” tab and either “Select File” to select an existing file from your device or “Scan” all pages of your completed work using your iPhone’s camera. Once you submit your file(s), for templated assignments, you’re all set. For variable-length assignments, “Assign pages” to indicate where your answer for each question appears within your submission. It’s that easy! After confirming, your assignment then moves to the “Submitted” tab. If needed, you can resubmit your assignment until the due date your instructor set has passed. Once it is graded and grades are published for the assignment, it then moves to the “Graded” tab. Note: For V1 of the app, you will be directed to our mobile website for any advanced functionality, including viewing feedback and submitting timed, programming, or online assignments. Stay tuned for future updates that will allow you to do even more with our mobile app!

Screenshots

Penn State Go4 screens
Gradescope4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Penn State Go at 45% against Gradescope's 9%. Gradescope's advantage is iOS requirement (13.4 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Penn State Go ships an update every 3 months, Gradescope every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Penn State Go versus Gradescope: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPenn State GoGradescope
PriceFreeFree
Rating—1.4 (259 ratings) — better
Positive reviews45.0% of reviews — better9.1% of reviews
Number of ratings—259 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThe Pennsylvania State UniversityTurnitin

Customer experience

Penn State Go

Written reviews40 reviews
Positive45.0%
Neutral7.5%
Negative47.5%

Gradescope

All ratings259 ratings
Positive7.3%
Neutral3.5%
Negative89.2%
Written reviews99 reviews
Positive9.1%
Neutral7.1%
Negative83.8%

Bugs and requests

Penn State Go

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Gradescope

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Camera flash issues during scanning
  • Photos not uploading in correct order
  • Inconsistent download button behavior

Requested features

3 requests
  • Ability to sort assignments by due date
  • Integration of tools for instructors
  • Improved iPad and tablet optimization

In-app purchases

None

Penn State Go

No in-app purchases

None

Gradescope

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Penn State Go free?
Penn State Go is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Gradescope free?
Gradescope is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Penn State Go or Gradescope have ads?
Neither Penn State Go nor Gradescope shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Penn State Go or Gradescope?
Penn State Go ships an update every 3 months, and Gradescope every 2 months. Most recently, Penn State Go was updated on October 16, 2026 and Gradescope on October 17, 2026.

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