# Sub Start vs Swing Subs

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Sub Start at 100% against Swing Subs's 13%. Sub Start also leads on rating (4.2 vs 1.7). Swing Subs's advantage is ratings volume (23 vs 5). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Sub Start holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 1.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 23 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Sub Start's written reviews are positive against 13% of Swing Subs's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 13, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sub Start | Swing Subs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sub-start/id1571113022/reviews)** | [1.7 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swing-subs-for-substitutes/id6480072147/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **23** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 12.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 86 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SubStart](https://appshunter.io/developer/1571113024) | [Swing Education, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1193348200) |

## What reviewers say

### Sub Start

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sub-start/id1571113022)

This app streamlines substitute teacher booking and management for childcare programs. It offers features like check-in/out, messaging, document management, and worksite insights. Available in multiple languages, it aims to simplify administrative tasks for educational facilities.

**Highlights:** Substitute teacher booking management, Check-in/out functionality, Messaging and alerts, Document management, Worksite insights, Multi-language support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Swing Subs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swing-subs-for-substitutes/id6480072147)

Find and apply for substitute teaching positions based on your preferences for grade, subject, pay, and location. Take control of your schedule and income by choosing which jobs to accept, and make a positive impact in local school communities.

**Highlights:** Explore job openings by grade, subject, pay, location, Sign up for jobs directly from phone, Control your schedule and income, Choose which jobs to accept, Support local school communities

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Seeing sub score
- 💡 Skill builders for classroom management

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable notifications
- 🐛 Frequent log-outs
- 🐛 Slow app performance
- 🔍 Lack of filters and sorting options
- 🔍 Fewer job opportunities

**Reported bugs**

- Jobs disappearing before they can be viewed
- Inconsistent login behavior
- Refresh issues causing missed opportunities

**Requested features**

- Add filters for single/multi-day assignments
- Improve notification reliability
- Implement automatic app refresh
- Provide dark mode option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sub Start free?

Sub Start is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Swing Subs free?

Swing Subs is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Sub Start or Swing Subs?

Sub Start is rated higher. Sub Start averages 4.2 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Swing Subs averages 1.7 from 23 ratings.

### Do Sub Start or Swing Subs have ads?

Neither Sub Start nor Swing Subs shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sub Start or Swing Subs?

Sub Start ships an update every 2 months, and Swing Subs every 2 months. Most recently, Sub Start was updated on September 13, 2026 and Swing Subs on September 14, 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.*