Common App vs Five Star Study App
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Common App
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.
- Apply to 1000+ colleges
- Research financial aid
- Get counselor advice
- Secure application process
- Mobile convenience
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Simplify your college application experience with Common App for mobile. Common App for mobile provides you with the same secure, streamlined application experience you’ve come to expect from Common App online, all from the convenience of your mobile device. The app seamlessly integrates with the first-year desktop experience — allowing you to apply to more than 1000 colleges, research financial aid, and get advice from counselors. Common App for mobile is free and easy to use. Download the app to navigate your entire college application journey.
Five Star Study App
Organize your notes and schedules to enhance your study sessions. This tool allows you to manage your academic life efficiently, enabling you to study effectively from any location.
- Note organization
- Schedule management
- Study anywhere
- Study anytime
- School year tool
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Organize your notes and schedules with the Five Star® Study App and study anywhere, anytime.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Five Star Study App at every 6 weeks against Common App's every 9 months. Common App's advantage is chart position (#26 vs unranked) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.0 for Common App against 3.0 for Five Star Study App. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 673 and 416 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 23% and 24% positive.
Common App ships an update every 9 months, Five Star Study App every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Common App | Five Star Study App |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (673 ratings) | 3.0 (416 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 22.9% of reviews | 23.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 673 — better | 416 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #26 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 16 MB | 204 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | The Common Application | ACCO Brands USA LLC |
Customer experience
Common App
Five Star Study App
User reviews
Common App
From 673 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Convenient mobile app
- 👍 Same functionality as website
- 🎉 Finally available as an app
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🔑 Requires re-login every time
- 🚫 Doesn't work for transfer students
Five Star Study App
From 416 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Quick scanning
- 📁 Organized note-taking
- 🔋 Helpful for studying
- 💡 Integrates with Google Drive
Room to improve
- 🐛 Scanning issues
- 🔍 Poor image quality
- 🤯 Buggy and crashes often
- 🤔 Confusing flashcard feature
Bugs and requests
Common App
Reported bugs
3 issues- White screen on login
- App doesn't load past logo
- Redirects transfer students to website
Requested features
3 requests- Keep user logged in for longer
- Increase text box size
- Add back button navigation
Five Star Study App
Reported bugs
4 issues- App gets stuck on loading screen
- Scans not saving properly
- Camera not working
- Flashcards not functioning as expected
Requested features
4 requests- Handwriting to text conversion
- Ability to edit scanned notes
- Better iPad support
- More customization options
In-app purchases
Common App
No in-app purchases
Five Star Study App
No in-app purchases
