# School Gateway vs The Parent App

The clearest difference is monetization model: The Parent App at free against School Gateway's ad-supported. The Parent App also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). School Gateway's advantage is review sentiment (16% vs 6%). On price, update cadence, 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.

School Gateway ships an update every 6 weeks, The Parent App monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | School Gateway | The Parent App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/school-gateway/id596039615/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| Positive reviews | **15.7% of reviews** | 6.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 14 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ISUZ Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/596039618) | [An AbsoluteByte Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/876076708) |

## What reviewers say

### School Gateway

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/school-gateway/id596039615)

This app streamlines communication and management of your child's school life. It allows parents to receive messages, make payments for school items, manage dinner money, book clubs, and view academic reports and attendance. All your children's school information is consolidated in one place.

**Highlights:** Receive school messages, Make school payments, Manage dinner money, Book school clubs, View reports and timetable, Monitor attendance, Update contact details

**In-app purchases:** none


### The Parent App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-parent-app/id1459266893)

This app facilitates communication between parents and their child's school. Receive instant notifications for school closures, events, and important updates. Access school news, social feeds, and manage payments.

**Highlights:** Instant notifications, School news and feeds, Events calendar, Parent pay functionality, Social network integration

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is School Gateway free?

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

### Is The Parent App free?

The Parent App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do School Gateway or The Parent App have ads?

Neither School Gateway nor The Parent App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, School Gateway or The Parent App?

School Gateway ships an update every 6 weeks, and The Parent App monthly. Most recently, School Gateway was updated on October 24, 2026 and The Parent App on October 14, 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.*