Comparison

SMU Challenge vs Earmark

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SMU Challenge

Test your knowledge with a fast-paced trivia game. Answer multiple-choice questions within a time limit, earn points, and trigger bonus modes. Challenge friends and climb the leaderboards for a personalized and engaging learning experience.

Highlights
  • Personalized learning
  • Fast-paced trivia gameplay
  • Bonus game rounds
  • Challenge friends
  • Leaderboard competition
  • Review responses
Features
Read full description

Are you up to the challenge? Test your knowledge through a multitude of questions. Hone your reflexes as you fire your way through the questions! Be quick as you speed through 3 exciting bonus game levels! Challenge your friends and top the leaderboards! Can you rise to the SMU Challenge?! The SMU Challenge is a mobile trivia game app where faculty can upload questions and have students compete and answer them via the app. The primary motivation and purpose of using this game is for personalized learning with self-paced digital tools and to learn more about the subject matter in an engaging way. As a single player digital simulation game, the game is designed to be fast-paced mobile game that tests students knowledge using basic questions. Students have to answer a series of multiple choice questions within a specified time limit. Each correct answer is two points and if the student manages to answer 3 consecutive questions, a fever mode is triggered with the chance to earn more points. Players can also gain more time through the three different bonus rounds, which comprise different question types. They are also able to review their responses to learn from their mistakes, post their scores to a leaderboard and send challenges to other players. Game Features - Learn as you play - Fast-paced questions and answers - Test your knowledge in bonus rounds - Challenge your peers

About

Earmark

This app allows accounting and tax professionals to earn continuing professional education (CPE) credits by listening to podcasts. Users can learn at their own pace, complete short quizzes, and receive certificates via email, all while multitasking.

Highlights
  • Earn CPE credits by listening to podcasts
  • Complete courses at your own pace
  • Take short quizzes to confirm learning
  • Receive CPE certificates via email
  • Track earned CPE credits
  • Free weekly CPE credits
Features
Read full description

Earn accounting CPE credits for listening to podcasts. Earmark is a free, audio-based continuing professional education app for accounting and tax professionals, including CPAs, CMAs, and EAs. HOW IT WORKS Earn CPE whenever you want, wherever you go: 1. Choose a course. Complete each learning activity at your own pace. 2. Learn by listening to podcast episodes. Listen while driving to work, working out, doing chores, etc. 3. Confirm you’ve learned the material by taking the short quiz at the end of the course. Score 75% or higher to pass. 4. Email yourself a CPE certificate. Earmark helps by keeping track of all your CPE earned through the app. CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION FOR ACCOUNTANTS ON THE MOVE When was the last time you took a free CPE course that taught you something you didn’t already know? Most CPAs these days prefer to earn CPE from live webcasts. The problem is, we end up picking courses based on what fits our schedules, not what’s most relevant to our professional development needs. With Earmark CPE, you can earn credits whenever you want, wherever you go. Multitask and be more productive while listening to accounting and tax podcasts. When you’re done listening, complete the handful of quiz questions to access your CPE certificate. EARN FREE CPE As a profession, we all benefit when knowledge is shared. That’s why Earmark offers all of our users free credits to use on courses each week. UNCHAIN FROM YOUR DESK With the rise of remote and hybrid work, we’re spending more time in front of our computers than ever before. Get out from behind your desk and learn while you listen to podcasts on our mobile app. STOP STRESSING ABOUT GETTING CPE By using our mobile app every week for free, you’ll be sure to earn enough CPE credits to make your license renewal a breeze. Say goodbye to the pain of cramming in courses at the last minute. LEARN SOMETHING NEW Let’s be honest. Most free CPE courses aren’t that great. We aim to change that with a growing library of educational, entertaining, and on-demand accounting and tax podcasts — so you can actually learn something new while you check that CPE box. HELP US IMPROVE Report any bugs to support@earmarkcpe.com. Also, let us know what you think and what we should build next! Terms of use: https://earmarkcpe.com/terms [:mav: 1.0.20656] Illustrations made by Storyset from www.flaticon.com

Screenshots

SMU Challenge4 screens
Earmark4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Earmark at 4.8 against SMU Challenge's 4.0. Earmark also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (543 vs 6). SMU Challenge's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 9) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Earmark sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $129.99 per year. SMU Challenge asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Earmark holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Earmark has 543 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of SMU Challenge's written reviews are positive against 88% of Earmark's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SMU Challenge ships an update every 4 months, Earmark every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
SMU Challenge versus Earmark: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSMU ChallengeEarmark
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (6 ratings)4.8 (543 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews88.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings6543 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size239 MB75 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperSingapore Management UniversityEarmark CPE LLC

Customer experience

SMU Challenge

All ratings6 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral16.7%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral16.7%
Negative16.7%

Earmark

All ratings543 ratings
Positive96.3%
Neutral1.5%
Negative2.2%
Written reviews86 reviews
Positive88.4%
Neutral2.3%
Negative9.3%

Bugs and requests

SMU Challenge

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Earmark

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Earmark player constantly stops working or has no sound
  • App performance issues (slow, glitchy)
  • Difficulty using search and filtering functions

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add Spidell and Kiplinger content
  • Favorites/follow feature for preferred channels
  • PDF certificate generation
  • Improved search and filtering

In-app purchases

None

SMU Challenge

No in-app purchases

9 purchases

Earmark

Subscriptions2
  • Unlimited Subscription$129.991 Year
  • Unlimited Subscription$199.991 Year
One-time7
  • $9.99$9.99
  • $19.99$19.99
  • $39.99 USD$39.99
Show 4 more
  • 59.99$$59.99
  • $79.99$79.99
  • Premium Course$99.99
  • $99.99 USD$99.99

Questions

Is SMU Challenge free?
SMU Challenge is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Earmark free?
Earmark is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SMU Challenge or Earmark?
Earmark is rated higher. SMU Challenge averages 4.0 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Earmark averages 4.8 from 543 ratings.
Do SMU Challenge or Earmark have ads?
Neither SMU Challenge nor Earmark shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SMU Challenge or Earmark?
SMU Challenge ships an update every 4 months, and Earmark every 9 days. Most recently, SMU Challenge was updated on October 16, 2026 and Earmark on October 12, 2026.

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