Comparison

College Ave vs AscentConnect

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

Head to head
About

College Ave

Manage your student loans securely and conveniently from your mobile device. Track loan status, make payments, set up AutoPay, and update your contact information with ease. Secure login options like Face ID and Touch ID provide quick and safe access.

Highlights
  • Track loan status and applications
  • Make one-time and recurring payments
  • Set up and manage AutoPay
  • View loan balance and interest rate
  • Update contact information
  • Secure login with Face ID/Touch ID
  • Receive payment alerts
Features
Read full description

With the College Ave App, you have secure access to your account from virtually anywhere. Check the status of your loan, make payments, manage AutoPay, update your contact info, and more. Plus, you can log into the app with Face ID and Touch ID. TRACK YOUR LOANS AND APPLICATIONS • Track your applications and see when we’ll send money to your school • See key info like current loan balance and interest rate • See when your payment is due • Review payment history • Get alerts QUICKLY SET UP AND EDIT AUTOPAY • Set up an automatic payment for the total amount due or a fixed amount • Edit the payment amount, payment date, frequency and payment method • Cancel your automatic payments MAKE A PAYMENT WITHIN SECONDS • Set up a one-time payment within seconds • Pay multiple loans at once • Edit your payment amount • Easily make an extra payment • Change or cancel a payment PERSONALIZE YOUR SETTINGS • Update your contact info • Manage your alerts and preferences STAY SECURE • Log in with your Face ID or Touch ID • Change your password CONTACT US EASILY • Leave your feedback to help us improve the experience • Chat with a representative during normal business hours • Email us • Click to call Privacy Policy (https://www.collegeavestudentloans.com/privacy) © 2023 College Ave. All Rights Reserved. iPhone, iPod touch and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc.

About

AscentConnect

Manage your student loans with ease. Apply for new loans, track your balance, and update billing information. Build healthy financial habits by making timely payments and exploring exclusive student benefits.

Highlights
  • Apply for loans
  • Manage loan payments
  • Track loan balance
  • Update billing information
  • Set up autopay
  • Access exclusive student benefits
Features
Read full description

AscentConnect, created by Ascent Funding*, helps you apply for a loan and manage your payments easily. Stay up-to-date on your loan balance so you never miss a payment and update your billing info when you need to. TRUSTED BY STUDENTS Applying for a loan and accessing your loan information 24/7 has never been easier with Ascent’s mobile app. BUILD HEALTHY FINANCIAL HABITS Making payments on time, setting up autopay, and paying more than the minimum amount due can help you build healthy financial habits early. GET EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS With an Ascent loan, you’ll get access to free, interactive resources to help you achieve academic milestones, career breakthroughs, & financial independence with exclusive resources and access to paid internship opportunities.** Bright Futures™ are ahead! Download the AscentConnect mobile app today! By downloading this mobile application, I agree that I have read and understand Ascent's online Terms and Conditions (https://www.ascentfunding.com/terms-conditions/), Privacy Policy (https://www.ascentfunding.com/privacy-notice/), and Electronic Communications Consent (https://www.ascentfunding.com/electronic-communication-disclosure/). I also agree that I am at least 18 years old or the age of majority in my state of residence. *The AscentConnect mobile app is serviced by Launch Servicing, LLC. Mobile carrier fees may apply. **Ascent applicants and borrowers that agree to the AscentUP Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, as well as students associated with an Ascent parent loan application, have access to the AscentUP platform.

Screenshots

College Ave4 screens
AscentConnect4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: AscentConnect at 3.9 against College Ave's 2.6. AscentConnect also leads on review sentiment (43% vs 10%) and ratings volume (281 vs 32). College Ave's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support 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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AscentConnect holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AscentConnect has 281 ratings behind it against 32, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 10% of College Ave's written reviews are positive against 43% of AscentConnect's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

College Ave ships an update monthly, AscentConnect every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
College Ave versus AscentConnect: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCollege AveAscentConnect
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.6 (32 ratings)3.9 (281 ratings) — better
Positive reviews9.8% of reviews42.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings32281 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.1
Further details — not scored
Size33 MB59 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCollege Avenue Student Loans, LLCAscent Funding, LLC

Customer experience

College Ave

All ratings30 ratings
Positive36.7%
Neutral6.7%
Negative56.7%
Written reviews51 reviews
Positive9.8%
Neutral2.0%
Negative88.2%

AscentConnect

All ratings278 ratings
Positive72.7%
Neutral1.1%
Negative26.3%
Written reviews61 reviews
Positive42.6%
Neutral3.3%
Negative54.1%

User reviews

College Ave

From 32 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to pay loans
  • 👍 Helpful reminders
  • 👍 Tracks multiple loans
  • 👍 Intuitive interface
  • 👍 Access account info easily

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Slow loading times
  • 🐛 Login issues
  • 🐛 Payment processing errors
  • 🐛 App is confusing
  • 🐛 Only shows one loan

AscentConnect

From 281 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
  • 🚀 Fast and smooth app performance
  • 💳 Convenient payment functionality
  • 📱 User-friendly compared to website
  • 🔐 Face recognition login option

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent login and authentication failures
  • 🐛 App crashes and doesn't load properly
  • 💸 High monthly costs and fees
  • 🔐 Slow email verification code delivery
  • 📊 Inconsistent and confusing dashboard display

Bugs and requests

College Ave

Reported bugs

15 issues
  • Cannot log in
  • App does not sync correctly
  • Payment processing is slow
  • Only one loan is visible
  • Confusing UI
Show 10 more
  • Autopay setup broken
  • App is glitchy
  • System gets swirly/circle of death
  • App does not load past login screen
  • Login process fails (2FA issues)
  • App crashes immediately
  • Payment information not updating
  • App is incredibly slow and glitchy
  • Payment confirmation email received but app shows denial
  • App crashes when opening

Requested features

5 requests
  • Improve payment processing speed
  • Allow viewing all loans
  • Fix autopay setup
  • Update app for better performance
  • Provide IT support for troubleshooting

AscentConnect

Reported bugs

12 issues
  • Login credentials not saved, app forgets email and password
  • Secondary authentication code screen goes blank
  • App stuck on second authorization page
  • Payment input field requires deletion of zeros before entering amount
  • Loans not displaying in app but visible on website
Show 7 more
  • Double charging on payments
  • Automatic payment processing failures
  • Payment not reflecting in system despite submission
  • Inconsistent font sizes and screen layouts
  • App continuously asks about existing account while logged in
  • Verification code takes 30+ minutes to arrive
  • Loading issues preventing loan visibility

Requested features

10 requests
  • Payment breakdown showing principal vs interest allocation
  • Loan balance display in recent payments section
  • SMS verification code option instead of email
  • Visual graphs and charts for loan terms
  • Calendar view for payment schedules
Show 5 more
  • Principal paid tracking and visualization
  • Account deletion option in app
  • Better menu organization and layout
  • Loan buyout program for incomplete education
  • Face ID and biometric login options

In-app purchases

None

College Ave

No in-app purchases

None

AscentConnect

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is College Ave free?
College Ave is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is AscentConnect free?
AscentConnect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, College Ave or AscentConnect?
AscentConnect is rated higher. College Ave averages 2.6 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while AscentConnect averages 3.9 from 281 ratings.
Do College Ave or AscentConnect have ads?
AscentConnect shows ads; College Ave does not.
Which is updated more often, College Ave or AscentConnect?
College Ave ships an update monthly, and AscentConnect every 3 weeks. Most recently, College Ave was updated on October 22, 2026 and AscentConnect on October 24, 2026.

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