MyState vs Urbandale CSD
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
MyState
This app serves as a comprehensive student toolkit, offering essential information and features for navigating university life. It provides real-time updates on campus transportation, dining options, class schedules, and campus events. Students can also access a directory, library services, and campus maps to enhance their academic and social experience.
- Customizable dashboard
- Class schedule and GPA calculator
- Real-time bus arrival predictions
- Dining hall hours and menus
- Campus directory and map
- Student organization discovery
- Library catalog and account management
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Cyclone Nation, meet MyState. MyState is the ultimate student toolkit to help you get the most out of your adventure at Iowa State. Use MyState to catch the next bus, locate your next class, see what's to eat, quickly find your instructor's office, and much more! + Dashboard - Quickly see information to start your adventure. Weather, CyRide, Classes, Dining, and more! Customize the Dashboard just for you. + Classes - View your class schedule, including locations and instructors. Calculate your GPA or check the line at testing centers and see their hours. + CyRide - Check to see when busses are scheduled to arrive at any of the bus stops in Ames, with arrival predictions from MyRide. + Dining - Find operating hours and menus for any dining location on campus. + Directory - Easily find individuals and offices on campus. + Events - See which exciting official ISU events are going on in the area. + Fairs - Prepare for and navigate career and other fairs by marking booths as favorites and seeing them on a map of the fair locations. + Library - View your checked-out items, holds, and fines; find locations and hours; search the main library catalog. + Map - Find buildings, dining locations, art on campus, testing centers, recreation centers, and more! + News - Read and share the latest updates from across campus. + Photostream - Check out user-submitted photos of the Iowa State campus. + StuOrgs - Discover, join, and subscribe to student orgs. Manage existing org memberships and subscriptions. + Testing Centers - View Testing Center locations and availability. + More - Stream KURE 88.5 along with other fun extras! MyState. Built by students, for students!
Urbandale CSD
This app connects schools and families, providing a centralized platform for important updates, messages, and school-related information. It ensures families never miss critical communications from teachers and districts, fostering a stronger school community.
- School news and classroom updates
- Direct messaging with teachers
- Automated message translation
- School alerts and notices
- Payment for school fees and invoices
- Absence and tardy reporting
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What is Urbandale CSD? Urbandale CSD helps schools and families stay connected and informed—all in one easy place. Whether it’s a quick message from a teacher, an important alert from the district, or a reminder about tomorrow’s field trip, Urbandale CSD makes sure families never miss a thing. Why families and teachers love Urbandale CSD: • Simple, easy-to-use app and website • Messages are automatically translated into 190+ languages • Best-in-class safety and security practices • One place for all school updates, alerts, and messages With Urbandale CSD, families and staff save time and stay connected—so everyone can focus on helping students succeed. Urbandale CSD for iOS The Urbandale CSD app makes it easy for families to stay in the loop and engage with their child’s school community. With the app, parents and guardians can: • See school news, classroom updates, and photos • Receive important notices like attendance alerts and cafeteria balances • Message teachers and staff directly • Join group conversations • Sign up for wishlist items, volunteering, and conferences • Respond to absences or tardies* • Pay school-related fees and invoices* * If included with your school's implementation
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Urbandale CSD at 4.4 against MyState's 2.9. Urbandale CSD also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months). MyState's advantage is ratings volume (79 vs 9) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Urbandale CSD holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MyState has 79 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two.
MyState ships an update every 3 months, Urbandale CSD weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 1, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | MyState | Urbandale CSD |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.9 (79 ratings) | 4.4 (9 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 27.5% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 79 — better | 9 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 62 MB | 151 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Iowa State University of Science and Technology | ParentSquare |
Customer experience
MyState
Urbandale CSD
Bugs and requests
MyState
Reported bugs
43 issues- Bus tracker estimates off by 10-15 minutes
- Bus tracker states no buses when there are
- App crashes when opening
- Class schedule issues persist
- Bus tracker not showing buses
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- Dining hall hours inaccurate
- Bus tracker times inaccurate
- App crashes when pressing bus stop on map
- App crashes immediately without opening
- App opens to main page then shuts down
- App crashes after new update
- App won't open after update
- App crashes when loading
- App shows blank white screen on login
- App endlessly tries to sign in then crashes
- App crashes whenever
- App won't load anything
- App crashes when trying to view schedule
- App freezes on installation
- Map randomly zooms out
- Map doesn't stay in hybrid/satellite mode
- CyRide section crashes if no other bus predicted
- CyRide section crashes if bus not running
- CyRide section shows wrong bus times
- CyRide section arrival times not available for all stops
- Class schedule messed up
- Calendar sync adds classes at wrong time
- Calendar upload button doesn't work
- Cannot log in to email
- App crashes when trying to enter system privacy settings
- Anonymous usage statistics option resets
- Map doesn't load
- Dining section doesn't work
- Login screen freezes
- App crashes on splash screen
- App crashes on welcome page
- App crashes when opening after update
- Bus routes annoying to figure out
- New bus schedule doesn't show bus type or arrival time
- Bus stops in alphabetical order
- Laundry availability not functioning correctly
- App crashes when opening on older devices
- App crashes when opening on iPhone 2nd gen iPod touch
Requested features
20 requests- Add support for alumni
- Third-party access for Ubill
- More accurate bus times
- Show all bus stops on map
- Add parking information
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- Add date, time, and weather to dashboard
- Add computer lab availability
- Restore dining center hours and menus
- Add iPad version
- Link to night/final exam schedules
- Offline bus schedule option
- Campus map with buildings
- Restore Cyride functionality from old app
- Add 'My Bus Stops' tab
- Option to change bus stop order
- Support for summer Cyride schedules
- Fix time zone issues for class schedule
- Improve bus route navigation
- Add dark mode
- More practical Cyride interface
Urbandale CSD
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
MyState
No in-app purchases
Urbandale CSD
No in-app purchases
