# READYSAVE 529 vs Award Advisor®

The clearest difference is ratings volume: READYSAVE 529 at 30K against Award Advisor®'s 3. READYSAVE 529 also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). Award Advisor®'s advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7). 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.

Award Advisor® holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: READYSAVE 529 has 30K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

READYSAVE 529 ships an update monthly, Award Advisor® every 3 months. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | READYSAVE 529 | Award Advisor® |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (30K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readysave-529/id1538849481/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/award-advisor/id6749672941/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **30K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 30.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 36 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ascensus](https://appshunter.io/developer/1455711984) | [Vermont Student Assistance Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1659702215) |

## What reviewers say

### READYSAVE 529

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readysave-529/id1538849481)

Manage your education savings plan account on the go. Securely access your 529 plan, track investments, and make contributions. Withdraw funds for education expenses starting July 2025.

**Highlights:** Secure 529 account access, View balance and transaction history, Add one-time or recurring contributions, Track investment allocations, Invite others to contribute, Withdraw funds for education expenses (July 2025)

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Convenient for tracking 529 plans
- 💡 Allows recurring contributions
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 👍 User-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
- 🔍 Limited functionality compared to website
- 🔍 Lacks key features like performance tracking and withdrawal options
- 🔍 Recurring contributions not flexible enough
- 🔍 Difficult to find and navigate the app

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues with Face ID and password saving
- Inconsistent behavior when making changes to accounts
- Delayed processing of contributions and gifts
- Navigation issues within the app

**Requested features**

- Add ability to view individual investment performance
- Provide more detailed information on fund allocations and investment options
- Allow withdrawals and distributions from the app
- Implement alerts for when relatives contribute to accounts
- Support for tracking multiple 529 accounts across different states


### Award Advisor®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/award-advisor/id6749672941)

Easily understand, compare, and manage college financial aid awards. Upload award letters to get a clear breakdown of costs, compare schools, and personalize financial scenarios to make confident college decisions.

**Highlights:** Upload financial aid award letters, Standardized cost breakdown, Apples-to-apples school comparison, Personalize financial scenarios, Notifications for deadlines and opportunities

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is READYSAVE 529 free?

READYSAVE 529 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Award Advisor® free?

Award Advisor® is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, READYSAVE 529 or Award Advisor®?

Award Advisor® is rated higher. READYSAVE 529 averages 4.7 out of 5 from 30K ratings, while Award Advisor® averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do READYSAVE 529 or Award Advisor® have ads?

Neither READYSAVE 529 nor Award Advisor® shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, READYSAVE 529 or Award Advisor®?

READYSAVE 529 ships an update monthly, and Award Advisor® every 3 months. Most recently, READYSAVE 529 was updated on November 5, 2026 and Award Advisor® on November 5, 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.*