Common App vs BigFuture School
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.
BigFuture School
This app provides students with access to their test scores and personalized college and career information. It helps users plan and pay for college, and connects them with potential scholarship programs. Access requires a mobile number provided during a qualifying test.
- Access test scores
- Connect with colleges and scholarships
- Personalized career information
- College planning and payment guidance
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Discover majors, colleges, and careers that might align with your goals and interests. See how the skills you may be developing can lead to future pathways. BigFuture School is a free mobile app that helps you explore colleges and careers, see how your skills may connect to future options, and get personalized guidance, all in one place. It is available to you if you are 13 or older in a participating U.S. school and you take an in-school SAT or PSAT assessment and/or are enrolled in eligible AP courses*. You can easily view your in-school SAT Suite score(s) in the app." Can we revise to "You can easily view your score(s) in the app from any in-school SAT or PSAT-related test. To access the app, you’ll need to use the mobile number you initially provided. This account information is separate from your College Board account. If Connections** is offered at your school, it is an optional feature for you to discover nonprofit colleges, scholarship providers, and government agencies administering educational programs that may be a good match and are actively looking for students like you. Learn more about BigFuture School and how to access it: bigfutureschool.org *BigFuture School is not offered to students as part of their AP course participation in New York. There may be other exceptions. **A school, district, or state may choose to not provide access to Connections. Connections is not available to 8th grade PSAT 8/9 test takers or in New York.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: BigFuture School at 4.6 against Common App's 3.1. BigFuture School also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 10 months) and ratings volume (18K vs 656). Common App's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and chart position (#31 vs #108). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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.
BigFuture School holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BigFuture School has 18K ratings behind it against 656, 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 28% of BigFuture School's.
Common App ships an update every 10 months, BigFuture School monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Common App | BigFuture School |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.1 (656 ratings) | 4.6 (18K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 23.1% of reviews | 28.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 656 | 18K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #31 — better | #108 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 17.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 16 MB | 24 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | The Common Application | The College Board |
Customer experience
Common App
BigFuture School
User reviews
Common App
From 656 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
BigFuture School
From 18K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Helpful information and resources
- 🚀 Straightforward navigation
Room to improve
- 🐛 Login issues
- 🐛 Scores not showing up
- 🐛 Compatibility problems
- 🐛 Unresponsive customer support
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
BigFuture School
Reported bugs
3 issues- Multiple accounts linked to one phone number
- Recovery email not working
- Scores not syncing between app and website
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to change phone number
- Better integration with College Board website
- More customization options
- Faster score reporting
In-app purchases
Common App
No in-app purchases
BigFuture School
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Common App free?
Is BigFuture School free?
Which has better reviews, Common App or BigFuture School?
Do Common App or BigFuture School have ads?
Which is updated more often, Common App or BigFuture School?
Which is more popular, Common App or BigFuture School?
Other comparisons
