# ZipGrade vs First Bell

ZipGrade and First Bell both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 86% of ZipGrade's written reviews are positive against 50% of First Bell's. ZipGrade also leads on ratings volume (36K vs 15) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). First Bell's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 6 weeks). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ZipGrade sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. First Bell asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for ZipGrade against 4.8 for First Bell. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ZipGrade has 36K ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of ZipGrade's written reviews are positive against 50% of First Bell's.

ZipGrade ships an update every 6 weeks, First Bell every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ZipGrade | First Bell |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (36K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zipgrade/id635077270/reviews)** | [4.8 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-bell/id6751309514/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **36K** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | **86.0% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 30 MB | 0 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ZipGrade LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/582826575) | [Subramanian Ramaswamy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1834509675) |

## What reviewers say

### ZipGrade

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zipgrade/id635077270)

Instantly grade multiple-choice tests and quizzes using your device's camera. This app offers a fast and accurate way for educators to assess student work, with features for organizing and exporting results. It provides immediate feedback to inform lesson planning and assignments.

**Highlights:** Instant grading with device camera, Supports multiple choice tests and quizzes, Organizes and exports results (PDF, Excel), Free answer sheet templates available, Companion website for data management, Stores results by student, subject, and quiz

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Add 1 year of use | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient grading
- 👍 Instant feedback for students
- 📊 Detailed data analysis
- 💰 Affordable subscription
- ⏱️ Time-saving

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent scanning issues
- 🔍 Difficulty navigating interface
- 🔢 Lack of class/student grouping options
- 🖼️ Poor image quality for student names

**Reported bugs**

- Scanning issues with flat surface detection
- Incorrect answer marking due to eraser marks

**Requested features**

- Ability to change question point values in bulk
- Option to create/edit answer keys on website
- Support for non-multiple choice question types
- Improved data export/integration with other systems


### First Bell

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-bell/id6751309514)

This app helps high school students manage their daily class schedules with personalized views and live timers. Input your classes once to instantly organize your day and always know what's next.

**Highlights:** Personalized class schedules, Live timers for current block, View today's full schedule, Input class names and room numbers, Organized daily view

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ZipGrade free?

ZipGrade is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is First Bell free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ZipGrade or First Bell?

ZipGrade is rated higher. ZipGrade averages 4.9 out of 5 from 36K ratings, while First Bell averages 4.8 from 15 ratings.

### Do ZipGrade or First Bell have ads?

Neither ZipGrade nor First Bell shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ZipGrade or First Bell?

ZipGrade ships an update every 6 weeks, and First Bell every 9 days. Most recently, ZipGrade was updated on October 15, 2026 and First Bell on October 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.*