Comparison

DSM vs NASW

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

DSM

Prepare for the DSM-5 exam with a comprehensive mobile study guide. It offers practice questions, personalized study plans, and detailed performance tracking to boost your confidence and improve diagnostic skills.

Highlights
  • Personalized study plan
  • 500+ practice questions
  • Strength and weakness tracking
  • Detailed test statistics
  • Community score comparison
  • Updated for DSM-5-TR
Features
Read full description

Updated for the 2026 DSM-5 exam blueprint and DSM-5-TR refresh. Pass your DSM-5 exam with flying colors! Boost your confidence in passing the first time with our mobile app and a personal study plan based on your current skill and requirements. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5) is the product of more than 10 years of effort by hundreds of international experts in all aspects of mental health. Their dedication and hard work have yielded an authoritative volume that defines and classifies mental disorders in order to improve diagnoses, treatment, and research. Key features: - Choose from different exams - Practice with 500+ questions written by instructors and expert tutors - Track your strengths and weaknesses within Stats section of the app - Study detailed statistics of every test you take - Compare your score to the community average for almost any type of exam - - - - Purchases, subscriptions and terms You need to buy lifetime access or subscribe to get access to all features, courses and questions. The cost of the purchase is charged to your iTunes account. Subscriptions are auto-renewable and are billed at the rate and period selected depending on the subscription plan. Users’ accounts are charged for auto-renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. Subscriptions can be managed and auto-renewal can be turned off in Account Settings in iTunes after the purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. Terms of use: https://mastrapi.com/terms Privacy policy: https://mastrapi.com/policy

About

NASW

Stay informed about national and local news and events from the National Association of Social Workers. Access a comprehensive platform for social work resources, including job opportunities, continuing education, and research materials.

Highlights
  • NASW news and events
  • Social work opportunities
  • Professional development
  • Continuing education
  • Job board
  • Research library
  • Social Work Talks Podcast
Read full description

The official NASW app of the National Association of Social Workers is a simple and convenient way for you to stay up-to-date with NASW news and events at the national and local levels, and to access social work resources from NASW, for both members and non-members. Discover social work opportunities all on one platform, from professional development, continuing education, advocacy and the job board to practice information, the NASW Research Library, NASW community, Social Work Talks Podcast, NASW blogs and more. Download the NASW app and check out social work resources and upcoming events in your area. Have a question? Email us at membership@socialworkers.org.

Screenshots

DSM4 screens
NASW4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: DSM at 4.7 against NASW's 3.9. DSM also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (308 vs 7). NASW's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, update cadence and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. DSM sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per month. NASW asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DSM holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DSM has 308 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DSM ships an update every 4 months, NASW every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
DSM versus NASW: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDSMNASW
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (308 ratings) — better3.9 (7 ratings)
Positive reviews33.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings308 — better7
Update frequencyEvery 4 months — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB50 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperMastrAPINational Association of Socialworkers

Customer experience

DSM

All ratings308 ratings
Positive90.9%
Neutral3.9%
Negative5.2%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%

NASW

All ratings7 ratings
Positive71.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative28.6%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

DSM

Subscriptions1
  • Monthly with Trial7 Days trial$24.991 Month
One-time1
  • Lifetime$99.99
None

NASW

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is DSM free?
DSM is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is NASW free?
NASW is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, DSM or NASW?
DSM is rated higher. DSM averages 4.7 out of 5 from 308 ratings, while NASW averages 3.9 from 7 ratings.
Do DSM or NASW have ads?
NASW shows ads; DSM does not.
Which is updated more often, DSM or NASW?
DSM ships an update every 4 months, and NASW every 6 months. Most recently, DSM was updated on October 22, 2026 and NASW on October 24, 2026.

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