# Common App vs Five Star Study App

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 (#23 vs unranked) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Common App | Five Star Study App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (673 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/common-app/id1533688509/reviews) | [3.0 (416 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/five-star-study-app/id1550915849/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **673** | 416 |
| Positive reviews | 22.9% of reviews | **23.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#23** | — |
| Size | 16 MB | 204 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The Common Application](https://appshunter.io/developer/1030434052) | [ACCO Brands USA LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/594765823) |

## What reviewers say

### Common App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/common-app/id1533688509)

**Currently charting:** #23 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** Apply to 1000+ colleges, Research financial aid, Get counselor advice, Secure application process, Mobile convenience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient mobile app
- 👍 Same functionality as website
- 🎉 Finally available as an app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🔑 Requires re-login every time
- 🚫 Doesn't work for transfer students

**Reported bugs**

- White screen on login
- App doesn't load past logo
- Redirects transfer students to website

**Requested features**

- Keep user logged in for longer
- Increase text box size
- Add back button navigation


### Five Star Study App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/five-star-study-app/id1550915849)

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.

**Highlights:** Note organization, Schedule management, Study anywhere, Study anytime, School year tool

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Quick scanning
- 📁 Organized note-taking
- 🔋 Helpful for studying
- 💡 Integrates with Google Drive

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Scanning issues
- 🔍 Poor image quality
- 🤯 Buggy and crashes often
- 🤔 Confusing flashcard feature

**Reported bugs**

- App gets stuck on loading screen
- Scans not saving properly
- Camera not working
- Flashcards not functioning as expected

**Requested features**

- Handwriting to text conversion
- Ability to edit scanned notes
- Better iPad support
- More customization options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Common App free?

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

### Is Five Star Study App free?

Five Star Study App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Common App or Five Star Study App?

Common App and Five Star Study App are both rated 3.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 673 and 416 ratings respectively.

### Do Common App or Five Star Study App have ads?

Neither Common App nor Five Star Study App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Common App or Five Star Study App?

Common App ships an update every 9 months, and Five Star Study App every 6 weeks. Most recently, Common App was updated on October 13, 2026 and Five Star Study App on October 14, 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.*