# Common App vs Bluebook Exams

The clearest difference is rating: Common App at 3.0 against Bluebook Exams's 1.4. Common App also leads on chart position (#41 vs unranked) and review sentiment (23% vs 13%). Bluebook Exams's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 9 months). On price, ratings volume, 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 1.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 679 and 1.1K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 23% of Common App's written reviews are positive against 13% of Bluebook Exams's.

Common App ships an update every 9 months, Bluebook Exams every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Common App | Bluebook Exams |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.0 (679 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/common-app/id1533688509/reviews)** | [1.4 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bluebook-exams/id1645016851/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 679 | **1.1K** |
| Positive reviews | **22.9% of reviews** | 13.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#41** | — |
| Size | 16 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The Common Application](https://appshunter.io/developer/1030434052) | [The College Board](https://appshunter.io/developer/361264757) |

## What reviewers say

### Common App

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

**Currently charting:** #41 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


### Bluebook Exams

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bluebook-exams/id1645016851)

This application allows students to take standardized tests like the SAT, PSAT, and AP Exams directly on their iPads. It provides a digital platform for completing these crucial academic assessments.

**Highlights:** Take SAT Exams, Take PSAT Exams, Take AP Exams, iPad compatible, Digital testing platform

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Clean and intuitive UI
- 👍 Useful practice tests
- 🚀 Smooth testing experience
- 💡 Helpful score explanations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔒 Security and privacy concerns
- 🔋 High device resource usage
- 👎 Unreliable performance

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues
- Freezing during tests
- Incompatibility with some devices
- Unexpected app behavior

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Improved score reporting
- Better mobile optimization
- Expanded practice test library


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Common App free?

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

### Is Bluebook Exams free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Common App or Bluebook Exams?

Common App is rated higher. Common App averages 3.0 out of 5 from 679 ratings, while Bluebook Exams averages 1.4 from 1.1K ratings.

### Do Common App or Bluebook Exams have ads?

Neither Common App nor Bluebook Exams shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Common App or Bluebook Exams?

Common App ships an update every 9 months, and Bluebook Exams every 6 weeks. Most recently, Common App was updated on November 6, 2026 and Bluebook Exams on November 3, 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.*