# AST UPAS vs AR Academics

The clearest difference is ads: AST UPAS at none against AR Academics's shown. AST UPAS also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 21 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

AST UPAS ships an update every 3 months, AR Academics every 21 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AST UPAS | AR Academics |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 21 months |
| Size | 11 MB | 121 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Access Sensor Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/1437331333) | [AR Academics LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1599145035) |

## What reviewers say

### AST UPAS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ast-upas/id1543735564)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### AR Academics

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ar-academics/id1599145033)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AST UPAS free?

AST UPAS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is AR Academics free?

AR Academics is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do AST UPAS or AR Academics have ads?

AR Academics shows ads; AST UPAS does not.

### Which is updated more often, AST UPAS or AR Academics?

AST UPAS ships an update every 3 months, and AR Academics every 21 months. Most recently, AST UPAS was updated on October 27, 2026 and AR Academics 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.*