Common App vs Bold.org
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
Read full descriptionHide full description
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.
Bold.org
Discover and apply for thousands of exclusive scholarships directly from your phone. This platform offers smart matching, one-tap applications for no-essay scholarships, and rewards for engagement, helping students secure funding for their education.
- Thousands of exclusive scholarships
- Smart matching to scholarships
- One-tap application
- No-essay scholarship options
- Earn Bold Points rewards
- Direct scholarship disbursement
Read full descriptionHide full description
Bold.org gives you access to thousands of scholarships — find, apply, and win, all from your phone. WHY BOLD.ORG? • Thousands of exclusive scholarships with new ones added daily • Real scholarships from real donors — not a shared database • No-essay scholarships for quick wins • Smart matching to find scholarships that fit you • Apply to multiple scholarships in minutes • Earn Bold Points rewards just for using the app SCHOLARSHIPS THAT ACTUALLY PAY OUT Unlike scholarship aggregator sites that send you to broken links, Bold.org manages every scholarship end-to-end. When you win, we handle disbursement directly — to your school, your student loans, or to you. Millions of dollars awarded to students and counting. BOLD POINTS REWARDS Earn points for completing your profile, applying to scholarships, and engaging with the platform. Redeem points for student loan payments or cash back — real money, not gimmicks. HOW IT WORKS 1. Create your free profile in under 2 minutes 2. Get matched with scholarships based on your background 3. Apply with one tap (no-essay) or write a standout response 4. Win scholarships and get paid TRUSTED BY MILLIONS OF STUDENTS Bold.org is the #1 scholarship platform trusted by millions of students and thousands of donors across the country. Download now and start applying. Your next scholarship is waiting.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Bold.org at 95% against Common App's 23%. Bold.org also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.0) and update cadence (weekly vs every 9 months). Common App's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, in-app purchases, chart position and iOS requirement 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.
Bold.org holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 679 and 3.2K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 23% of Common App's written reviews are positive against 95% of Bold.org's.
Common App ships an update every 9 months, Bold.org weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Common App | Bold.org |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (679 ratings) | 4.7 (3.2K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 22.9% of reviews | 95.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 679 | 3.2K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Best chart rank | #64 — better | #81 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 16 MB | 118 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | The Common Application | Bold.org |
Customer experience
Common App
Bold.org
User reviews
Common App
From 679 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
Bold.org
From 3.2K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 💰 Easy to earn cash back
- 🏆 Helpful for scholarships
- 💳 Convenient debit card
- 💸 Rewards for spending
- 🤑 Ability to pay off student loans
Room to improve
- 🕰️ Slow to redeem points
- 🔍 Lack of transparency on scholarships
- 🤖 Automated responses from support
- 🔒 Difficulty managing settings
- 💱 Limited cash back options
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
Bold.org
Reported bugs
3 issues- Account login issues
- Glitches with point redemption
- Compatibility problems with older devices
Requested features
5 requests- Apply for scholarships directly in the app
- More frequent point updates
- Ability to dispute charges
- Daily login bonus in the app
- Dark mode option
In-app purchases
Common App
No in-app purchases
Bold.org
No in-app purchases
