# Planbook Mobile vs Alva Goldbugs

The clearest difference is rating: Planbook Mobile at 4.8 against Alva Goldbugs's 1.8. Planbook Mobile also leads on ratings volume (7.6K vs 5) and device support (3 vs 1). Alva Goldbugs's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3). On price, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Planbook Mobile sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Alva Goldbugs asks for nothing beyond the download.

Planbook Mobile holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Planbook Mobile has 7.6K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Planbook Mobile ships an update every 2 months, Alva Goldbugs every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Planbook Mobile | Alva Goldbugs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (7.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planbook-mobile/id1502332358/reviews)** | [1.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alva-goldbugs/id6615060762/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7.6K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 50.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Size | 83 MB | 148 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Planbook Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/671763637) | [Alva Public Schools](https://appshunter.io/developer/1389033371) |

## What reviewers say

### Planbook Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planbook-mobile/id1502332358)

This is a comprehensive online lesson planning tool designed for educators. It offers a wide array of features, meticulous student learning standards, and excellent support. A free trial is available to experience its capabilities.

**Highlights:** Comprehensive lesson planning, Meticulous student learning standards, Extensive features for educators, Outstanding support and tutorials, Continuous improvement based on feedback

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1-Year Planbook Subscription | $20.00 | one-time |
| 2-Year Planbook Subscription | $36.00 | one-time |
| 3-Year Planbook Subscription | $48.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Time-saving program
- 👍 Helpful for both homeschool and school teachers
- 👍 Allows for easy sharing and organization of lessons
- 👍 Useful for adapting to changes like snow days

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Events/features not working in app
- 🐛 Google sign-in not working on app
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable, crashes frequently
- 🐛 Copy/paste feature not working as expected
- 🐛 Inability to access Google Drive files in app

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to add school year dates
- Login page issues (keyboard blocking screen)
- Inability to use Gmail account for sign-up
- Lesson plans deleted without explanation

**Requested features**

- Add copy and paste feature
- Improve mobile app experience (e.g., biometric login, portrait mode)
- Enhance integration with other platforms (e.g., Canvas)


### Alva Goldbugs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alva-goldbugs/id6615060762)

Stay informed about school district events, customize notifications for your student's organizations, and access weekly cafeteria menus. Get live updates from administration and easily find staff contact information.

**Highlights:** Event listings with calendar integration, Customizable notifications by organization, Weekly cafeteria menus, Live district updates feed, Staff and department directory

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Planbook Mobile free?

Planbook Mobile is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Alva Goldbugs free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Planbook Mobile or Alva Goldbugs?

Planbook Mobile is rated higher. Planbook Mobile averages 4.8 out of 5 from 7.6K ratings, while Alva Goldbugs averages 1.8 from 5 ratings.

### Do Planbook Mobile or Alva Goldbugs have ads?

Neither Planbook Mobile nor Alva Goldbugs shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Planbook Mobile or Alva Goldbugs?

Planbook Mobile ships an update every 2 months, and Alva Goldbugs every 3 months. Most recently, Planbook Mobile was updated on October 29, 2026 and Alva Goldbugs on October 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.*