# Standard Life vs HMRC

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Standard Life at 84% against HMRC's 48%. Standard Life also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly). HMRC's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.3) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

HMRC holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HMRC has 607 ratings behind it against 25, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 84% of Standard Life's written reviews are positive against 48% of HMRC's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Standard Life ships an update fortnightly, HMRC monthly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Standard Life | HMRC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (25 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/standard-life/id485692917/reviews) | **[4.8 (607 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hmrc/id514561561/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 25 | **607** |
| Positive reviews | **84.4% of reviews** | 47.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 78 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Standard Life Assets and Employee Services Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1445867057) | [HMRC](https://appshunter.io/developer/514561564) |

## What reviewers say

### Standard Life

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/standard-life/id485692917)

Manage your pension and investments on the go. Increase, top up, or stop pension payments, view plan values, and track transactions. Secure messaging and a retirement income tool are also available.

**Highlights:** Manage pension payments, Top up pension, View plan value and performance, Secure messaging, Retirement income tool, Update beneficiaries

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🚀 Straightforward and intuitive
- 🚀 Comprehensive pension management
- 🔒 Secure and trustworthy
- 👍 Clear and detailed information

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional login and connectivity issues
- 🐛 Performance chart issues after recent updates
- 🐛 Forced portrait mode on tablets
- 🐛 Unreliable app stability

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- App crashes on startup
- Pension balance disappearing from web app

**Requested features**

- Add ability to update beneficiary details
- Provide investment growth statistics
- Improve compatibility with tablet landscape mode


### HMRC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hmrc/id514561561)

Manage your taxes, benefits, and savings securely and easily. Check your tax code, claim refunds, and track your State Pension. Access Self Assessment and Child Benefit information, and find your National Insurance number.

**Highlights:** Quick secure sign-in, Check tax code and pay, Claim tax refunds, View State Pension details, Self Assessment payments, Manage Child Benefit, Find National Insurance number

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Straightforward payment process
- 💡 Useful information and updates
- 🔒 Secure authentication

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent login issues and app crashes
- 🤔 Confusing navigation and UI
- ⚠️ Lack of communication about tax changes
- 🕰️ Slow and unresponsive app

**Reported bugs**

- Endless login loops and redirects
- App freezing and becoming unresponsive
- Inconsistent behavior after app updates
- Issues with Face ID and biometric authentication

**Requested features**

- Improved notification system for tax updates
- Ability to view and manage tax details in-app
- Better integration with banking apps for payments
- More user-friendly design and navigation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Standard Life free?

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

### Is HMRC free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Standard Life or HMRC?

HMRC is rated higher. Standard Life averages 4.3 out of 5 from 25 ratings, while HMRC averages 4.8 from 607 ratings.

### Do Standard Life or HMRC have ads?

Neither Standard Life nor HMRC shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Standard Life or HMRC?

Standard Life ships an update fortnightly, and HMRC monthly. Most recently, Standard Life was updated on October 24, 2026 and HMRC on October 24, 2026.

---

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