# Sydney Uni vs SharkSmart

The clearest difference is update cadence: SharkSmart at weekly against Sydney Uni's every 6 weeks. Sydney Uni's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.6). 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.

Sydney Uni ships an update every 6 weeks, SharkSmart weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sydney Uni | SharkSmart |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.3 (283 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sharksmart/id915621811/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **283** |
| Positive reviews | **30.8% of reviews** | 27.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 213 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The University of Sydney](https://appshunter.io/developer/542003078) | [NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development](https://appshunter.io/developer/476014891) |

## What reviewers say

### Sydney Uni

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sydney-uni/id542003075)

This app provides university students with essential tools for daily campus life. It features a personal timetable, campus navigation, event updates, and access to important services. Streamline your university experience with this all-in-one student platform.

**Highlights:** Personal timetable for classes and events, Campus wayfinding and navigation, Up-to-date events feed, Digest of important notices, Access to essential student services, Customizable favorites for quick access

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### SharkSmart

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sharksmart/id915621811)

Stay informed about shark activity in NSW before you swim. Get real-time alerts on tagged shark detections and drone sightings. Understand shark behavior and assess your personal risk for a safer beach experience.

**Highlights:** Real-time shark alerts, Drone and tagged shark detections, Interactive risk assessment, Shark and marine animal identification, Beach mitigation gear locations, Smartwatch compatibility

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📍 Real-time shark detection and tracking
- 🎯 Valuable safety information for ocean users
- 📊 Comprehensive shark tagging data
- 🏖️ Helpful for swimmers and surfers
- 👍 Good app concept and design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing
- 📬 Excessive notifications from distant locations
- ⚙️ Notification settings not persisting
- 🐢 Slow loading times
- 🚫 Unable to add/save favorite beaches

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup or when opening alerts
- Favorite beaches not saving or reverting to all beaches
- Search function not listing available beaches
- Map hanging when opening away from beaches
- Notifications not respecting location radius settings

**Requested features**

- Ability to name individual tracked sharks
- Shark size and weight information at tagging
- Historical shark movement patterns and migration data
- Deep links from notifications to specific beaches
- Time-series reporting for shark activity


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sydney Uni free?

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

### Is SharkSmart free?

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

### Do Sydney Uni or SharkSmart have ads?

Neither Sydney Uni nor SharkSmart shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sydney Uni or SharkSmart?

Sydney Uni ships an update every 6 weeks, and SharkSmart weekly. Most recently, Sydney Uni was updated on November 1, 2026 and SharkSmart on November 6, 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.*