# FernUni vs GESIS SMART

The clearest difference is update cadence: GESIS SMART at every 2 months against FernUni's every 16 months. FernUni's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.4 vs 16.0). On price, 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.

FernUni ships an update every 16 months, GESIS SMART every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FernUni | GESIS SMART |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | — | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 16 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 89 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.4** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [FernUni Hagen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1420495269) | [GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences](https://appshunter.io/developer/1735286430) |

## What reviewers say

### FernUni

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fernuni-lernkarten/id1635968462)

**In-app purchases:** none


### GESIS SMART

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gesis-smart/id6479244351)

Participate in academic research by completing surveys and questionnaires directly within the app. Track your progress and compensation for contributing to studies. Requires an access code to join specific research projects.

**Highlights:** Complete questionnaires in-app, Track study progress, View compensation details, Receive push notifications for new surveys, Secure and pseudonymized data storage, Control data sharing permissions

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FernUni free?

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

### Is GESIS SMART free?

GESIS SMART is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do FernUni or GESIS SMART have ads?

Neither FernUni nor GESIS SMART shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FernUni or GESIS SMART?

FernUni ships an update every 16 months, and GESIS SMART every 2 months. Most recently, FernUni was updated on October 27, 2026 and GESIS SMART on October 17, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*