# InstaSub vs Swing Subs

The clearest difference is rating: InstaSub at 4.5 against Swing Subs's 1.9. InstaSub also leads on ratings volume (257 vs 31) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). Swing Subs's advantage is review sentiment (13% vs 0%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

InstaSub holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: InstaSub has 257 ratings behind it against 31, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 0% of InstaSub's written reviews are positive against 13% of Swing Subs's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

InstaSub ships an update every 6 weeks, Swing Subs every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | InstaSub | Swing Subs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (257 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instasub/id1501485445/reviews)** | [1.9 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swing-subs-for-substitutes/id6480072147/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **257** | 31 |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **12.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 24 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Humanity.com, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/864258525) | [Swing Education, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1193348200) |

## What reviewers say

### InstaSub

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instasub/id1501485445)

This app streamlines job management for educators and administrators. It allows substitutes to easily accept or decline jobs, while teachers can post and manage absences. Administrators benefit from efficient scheduling and reporting tools.

**Highlights:** Accept/Decline jobs, View job history, Post and manage absences, Schedule substitute requests, Approve/Deny time-off, Absence reporting

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Swing Subs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swing-subs-for-substitutes/id6480072147)

Find and apply for substitute teaching positions based on your preferences for grade, subject, pay, and location. Take control of your schedule and income by choosing which jobs to accept, and make a positive impact in local school communities.

**Highlights:** Explore job openings by grade, subject, pay, location, Sign up for jobs directly from phone, Control your schedule and income, Choose which jobs to accept, Support local school communities

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Seeing sub score
- 💡 Skill builders for classroom management

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable notifications
- 🐛 Frequent log-outs
- 🐛 Slow app performance
- 🔍 Lack of filters and sorting options
- 🔍 Fewer job opportunities

**Reported bugs**

- Jobs disappearing before they can be viewed
- Inconsistent login behavior
- Refresh issues causing missed opportunities

**Requested features**

- Add filters for single/multi-day assignments
- Improve notification reliability
- Implement automatic app refresh
- Provide dark mode option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is InstaSub free?

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

### Is Swing Subs free?

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

### Which has better reviews, InstaSub or Swing Subs?

InstaSub is rated higher. InstaSub averages 4.5 out of 5 from 257 ratings, while Swing Subs averages 1.9 from 31 ratings.

### Do InstaSub or Swing Subs have ads?

Neither InstaSub nor Swing Subs shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, InstaSub or Swing Subs?

InstaSub ships an update every 6 weeks, and Swing Subs every 2 months. Most recently, InstaSub was updated on October 27, 2026 and Swing Subs on October 23, 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.*