# SMU Challenge vs Earmark

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | SMU Challenge | Earmark |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smu-challenge/id610988772/reviews) | **[4.8 (543 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/earmark/id1562599728/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **543** |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | **88.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 239 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Singapore Management University](https://appshunter.io/developer/481185235) | [Earmark CPE LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1562599730) |

## What reviewers say

### SMU Challenge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smu-challenge/id610988772)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Earmark

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/earmark/id1562599728)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Subscription | $129.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Subscription | $199.99 | per year |
| $9.99 | $9.99 | one-time |
| $19.99 | $19.99 | one-time |
| $39.99 USD | $39.99 | one-time |
| 59.99$ | $59.99 | one-time |
| $79.99 | $79.99 | one-time |
| Premium Course | $99.99 | one-time |
| $99.99 USD | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Engaging and relevant content
- 🚀 Efficient way to earn CPE
- 💡 Ability to earn CPE for listening to podcasts
- 🚀 Flexible and convenient learning
- 👍 Wide range of topics and courses

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Earmark player issues (stops working, no sound)
- 🐛 App performance and UX problems (slow, lacking features)
- 🔍 Difficulty finding specific content

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


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