# Common App vs Open

The clearest difference is rating: Common App at 3.0 against Open's 2.6. Common App also leads on chart position (#37 vs unranked) and ratings volume (673 vs 84). Open's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 9 months). On price, review sentiment, 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.

Common App holds the better App Store score, 3.0 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Common App has 673 ratings behind it against 84, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 23% of Common App's written reviews are positive against 21% of Open's.

Common App ships an update every 9 months, Open every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Common App | Open |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.0 (673 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/common-app/id1533688509/reviews)** | [2.6 (84 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-lms/id1553337282/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **673** | 84 |
| Positive reviews | **22.9% of reviews** | 21.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#37** | — |
| Size | 16 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [The Common Application](https://appshunter.io/developer/1030434052) | [PeopleFluent, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/983980647) |

## What reviewers say

### Common App

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

**Currently charting:** #37 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


### Open

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-lms/id1553337282)

Access your educational courses and content directly from your mobile device. Download materials for offline use, update your profile, and receive important notifications. Students can track grades and badges, while teachers can grade assignments on the go.

**Highlights:** Access courses on mobile, Download content for offline use, Update profile information, Receive course notifications, View grades and badges (student), Grade assignments (teacher)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Common App free?

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

### Is Open free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Common App or Open?

Common App is rated higher. Common App averages 3.0 out of 5 from 673 ratings, while Open averages 2.6 from 84 ratings.

### Do Common App or Open have ads?

Neither Common App nor Open shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Common App or Open?

Common App ships an update every 9 months, and Open every 2 months. Most recently, Common App was updated on October 17, 2026 and Open on October 16, 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.*