# NIU vs Harper Hub

The clearest difference is rating: Harper Hub at 4.7 against NIU's 2.9. Harper Hub also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (264 vs 13). NIU's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.4). On price, review sentiment, 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.

Harper Hub holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Harper Hub has 264 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of NIU's written reviews are positive against 76% of Harper Hub's.

NIU ships an update every 5 months, Harper Hub every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NIU | Harper Hub |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.9 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/niu/id439798389/reviews) | **[4.7 (264 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harper-hub/id445445411/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 13 | **264** |
| Positive reviews | 71.1% of reviews | **76.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 13 MB | 76 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Northern Illinois University](https://appshunter.io/developer/439798392) | [Harper College](https://appshunter.io/developer/330501952) |

## What reviewers say

### NIU

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/niu/id439798389)

Access essential campus information, including event schedules, tech support, and residence hall updates. Find emergency contacts, navigate with campus maps, and connect through social media.

**Highlights:** Campus resource links, Event calendars, Tech guides, Laundry machine status, Emergency information, Campus maps, Social media integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Harper Hub

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harper-hub/id445445411)

Manage your academic life and campus experience with this app. Stay organized with a calendar, to-do lists, and event reminders. Access campus resources and receive important notifications.

**Highlights:** Calendar with events, classes, and assignments, Push notifications for deadlines and announcements, Access to academic tools, Class management and to-do lists, Campus event discovery and reminders, Information on campus services, Campus map with navigation

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🗺️ Helpful map feature for classes
- ✅ Everything needed is included
- 🚀 Runs smoothly with no hitches
- 💯 Indispensable for students

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Could use a little fine-tuning for class data accessibility
- 🐛 Unable to reply to posts on iPhone app
- 🐛 Cannot see assignments on iPhone app
- 📅 No due dates available to put in calendar
- 🔗 Homework assignments not linked to the app

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to reply to posts on iPhone app
- Cannot see assignments on iPhone app
- No due dates available to put in calendar
- Homework assignments not linked to the app
- Announcements lag

**Requested features**

- Simplify the app slightly
- Integrate Harper email
- Add a "remember me" button
- Have college email on the app


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NIU free?

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

### Is Harper Hub free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NIU or Harper Hub?

Harper Hub is rated higher. NIU averages 2.9 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while Harper Hub averages 4.7 from 264 ratings.

### Do NIU or Harper Hub have ads?

Neither NIU nor Harper Hub shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NIU or Harper Hub?

NIU ships an update every 5 months, and Harper Hub every 5 weeks. Most recently, NIU was updated on October 21, 2026 and Harper Hub on October 24, 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.*