# Project Rainbow vs HCPSS Compass

The clearest difference is update cadence: HCPSS Compass at fortnightly against Project Rainbow's every 2 months. HCPSS Compass also leads on ratings volume (4 vs 1). Project Rainbow's advantage is iOS requirement (12.2 vs 16.6). On price, rating, 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Project Rainbow against 5.0 for HCPSS Compass. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 4 respectively.

Project Rainbow ships an update every 2 months, HCPSS Compass fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Project Rainbow | HCPSS Compass |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/project-rainbow/id1619192817/reviews) | [5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hcpss-compass/id6747911352/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **4** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 79 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.2** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cook County Government](https://appshunter.io/developer/1619192819) | [ASKnowledge, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1823365219) |

## What reviewers say

### Project Rainbow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/project-rainbow/id1619192817)

This free on-demand video app offers educational and informative multimedia content for children and families. Developed as a Cook County initiative, it partners with cultural institutions and award-winning teachers to inspire and educate.

**Highlights:** On-demand video content, Educational multimedia resource, Partnerships with cultural institutions, Content from award-winning teachers, Family-friendly

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### HCPSS Compass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hcpss-compass/id6747911352)

Navigate educational and career paths within Howard County Public School System. Access essential resources and tools to plan your academic journey and prepare for future success.

**Highlights:** Educational opportunity navigation, Career opportunity navigation, Access to essential resources, Academic journey planning tools, Future success preparation

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Project Rainbow free?

Project Rainbow is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is HCPSS Compass free?

HCPSS Compass is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Project Rainbow or HCPSS Compass?

Project Rainbow and HCPSS Compass are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 4 ratings respectively.

### Do Project Rainbow or HCPSS Compass have ads?

Neither Project Rainbow nor HCPSS Compass shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Project Rainbow or HCPSS Compass?

Project Rainbow ships an update every 2 months, and HCPSS Compass fortnightly. Most recently, Project Rainbow was updated on October 3, 2026 and HCPSS Compass on October 7, 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.*