# Common App vs 4U app

The clearest difference is rating: 4U app at 5.0 against Common App's 3.0. 4U app also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 9 months). Common App's advantage is ratings volume (673 vs 1) and chart position (#33 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

4U app holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Common App has 673 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Common App ships an update every 9 months, 4U app daily. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Common App | 4U app |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (673 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/common-app/id1533688509/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/4u-app/id6754278625/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **673** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 22.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#33** | — |
| Size | 16 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [The Common Application](https://appshunter.io/developer/1030434052) | [USAID AHMED ABDULELAH AL HADEETHI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1847614806) |

## What reviewers say

### Common App

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

**Currently charting:** #33 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


### 4U app

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/4u-app/id6754278625)

A medical study companion for students in Iraqi universities. Access daily lessons, explore courses, track progress, and study offline to achieve academic goals.

**Highlights:** Daily lessons, Medical course exploration, Progress tracking, Offline study mode, Designed for Iraqi universities

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Common App free?

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

### Is 4U app free?

4U app is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Common App or 4U app?

4U app is rated higher. Common App averages 3.0 out of 5 from 673 ratings, while 4U app averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Common App or 4U app have ads?

Neither Common App nor 4U app shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Common App or 4U app?

Common App ships an update every 9 months, and 4U app daily. Most recently, Common App was updated on October 17, 2026 and 4U app 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.*