Comparison

AscentConnect vs Earnest Mobile

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

Head to head
About

AscentConnect

Manage your student loans with ease. Apply for new loans, track your balance, and update billing information. Build healthy financial habits by making timely payments and exploring exclusive student benefits.

Highlights
  • Apply for loans
  • Manage loan payments
  • Track loan balance
  • Update billing information
  • Set up autopay
  • Access exclusive student benefits
Features
Read full description

AscentConnect, created by Ascent Funding*, helps you apply for a loan and manage your payments easily. Stay up-to-date on your loan balance so you never miss a payment and update your billing info when you need to. TRUSTED BY STUDENTS Applying for a loan and accessing your loan information 24/7 has never been easier with Ascent’s mobile app. BUILD HEALTHY FINANCIAL HABITS Making payments on time, setting up autopay, and paying more than the minimum amount due can help you build healthy financial habits early. GET EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS With an Ascent loan, you’ll get access to free, interactive resources to help you achieve academic milestones, career breakthroughs, & financial independence with exclusive resources and access to paid internship opportunities.** Bright Futures™ are ahead! Download the AscentConnect mobile app today! By downloading this mobile application, I agree that I have read and understand Ascent's online Terms and Conditions (https://www.ascentfunding.com/terms-conditions/), Privacy Policy (https://www.ascentfunding.com/privacy-notice/), and Electronic Communications Consent (https://www.ascentfunding.com/electronic-communication-disclosure/). I also agree that I am at least 18 years old or the age of majority in my state of residence. *The AscentConnect mobile app is serviced by Launch Servicing, LLC. Mobile carrier fees may apply. **Ascent applicants and borrowers that agree to the AscentUP Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, as well as students associated with an Ascent parent loan application, have access to the AscentUP platform.

About

Earnest Mobile

Easily manage your student loans on the go. Track repayment progress, view balances, make payments, and adjust Auto Pay settings from a single, convenient platform.

Highlights
  • Track repayment progress
  • View loan balances
  • Make and schedule payments
  • Manage Auto Pay settings
  • Update profile information
  • Review payment history
Read full description

Managing your student loans just got easier with the Earnest app. Log in from anywhere at any time to track your progress, make payments, edit Auto Pay settings, and more, all in one place. Review your loans at a glance: - Track your repayment progress - Check your remaining balance - See your next scheduled payment Manage your payments: - Make payments and schedule future payments - Make extra payments - Review payment history - See your upcoming payments Edit your Auto Pay settings: - Enroll in Auto Pay - Change Auto Pay amount, frequency, and bank account - Cancel Auto Pay Update your information: - View your profile - Update your bank account info We’re always making improvements to create the most seamless experience for our clients, so stay tuned for new features.

Screenshots

AscentConnect4 screens
Earnest Mobile4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: AscentConnect at 3.9 against Earnest Mobile's 1.8. AscentConnect also leads on review sentiment (44% vs 7%) and ratings volume (277 vs 37). Earnest Mobile's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AscentConnect holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AscentConnect has 277 ratings behind it against 37, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of AscentConnect's written reviews are positive against 7% of Earnest Mobile's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
AscentConnect versus Earnest Mobile: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAscentConnectEarnest Mobile
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (277 ratings) — better1.8 (37 ratings)
Positive reviews44.1% of reviews — better7.1% of reviews
Number of ratings277 — better37
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.1 — better15.8.2
Further details — not scored
Size58 MB41 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAscent Funding, LLCEarnest Inc.

Customer experience

AscentConnect

All ratings277 ratings
Positive72.9%
Neutral1.1%
Negative26.0%
Written reviews59 reviews
Positive44.1%
Neutral3.4%
Negative52.5%

Earnest Mobile

All ratings37 ratings
Positive13.5%
Neutral8.1%
Negative78.4%
Written reviews28 reviews
Positive7.1%
Neutral7.1%
Negative85.7%

Bugs and requests

AscentConnect

Reported bugs

12 issues
  • Login credentials not saved, app forgets email and password
  • Secondary authentication code screen goes blank
  • App stuck on second authorization page
  • Payment input field requires deletion of zeros before entering amount
  • Loans not displaying in app but visible on website
Show 7 more
  • Double charging on payments
  • Automatic payment processing failures
  • Payment not reflecting in system despite submission
  • Inconsistent font sizes and screen layouts
  • App continuously asks about existing account while logged in
  • Verification code takes 30+ minutes to arrive
  • Loading issues preventing loan visibility

Requested features

10 requests
  • Payment breakdown showing principal vs interest allocation
  • Loan balance display in recent payments section
  • SMS verification code option instead of email
  • Visual graphs and charts for loan terms
  • Calendar view for payment schedules
Show 5 more
  • Principal paid tracking and visualization
  • Account deletion option in app
  • Better menu organization and layout
  • Loan buyout program for incomplete education
  • Face ID and biometric login options

Earnest Mobile

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

AscentConnect

No in-app purchases

None

Earnest Mobile

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is AscentConnect free?
AscentConnect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Earnest Mobile free?
Earnest Mobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, AscentConnect or Earnest Mobile?
AscentConnect is rated higher. AscentConnect averages 3.9 out of 5 from 277 ratings, while Earnest Mobile averages 1.8 from 37 ratings.
Do AscentConnect or Earnest Mobile have ads?
AscentConnect shows ads; Earnest Mobile does not.
Which is updated more often, AscentConnect or Earnest Mobile?
AscentConnect ships an update every 3 weeks, and Earnest Mobile every 3 weeks. Most recently, AscentConnect was updated on September 21, 2026 and Earnest Mobile on September 16, 2026.

Other comparisons