# Study Circle vs ApexIB

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Study Circle at none against ApexIB's 4. Study Circle also leads on ratings volume (47 vs 2). ApexIB's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price, monetization model, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ApexIB sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Study Circle asks for nothing beyond the download.

ApexIB holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Study Circle has 47 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Study Circle ships an update fortnightly, ApexIB every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Study Circle | ApexIB |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (47 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-circle-the-focus-app/id6453023919/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/apexib/id6787762563/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **47** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 90.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 188 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hikaru Hanada](https://appshunter.io/developer/1619728671) | [CAMERON K ARYANPOUR](https://appshunter.io/developer/6787762565) |

## What reviewers say

### Study Circle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-circle-the-focus-app/id6453023919)

This app helps users boost motivation and make studying enjoyable by connecting them with friends. It offers a focus timer, progress visualization, and a community feature for mutual support and encouragement during study sessions.

**Highlights:** Virtual study circles with friends, Intuitive study timer, Send encouragement and support messages, Visualize study progress with charts, Track daily, weekly, and monthly progress

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### ApexIB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/apexib/id6787762563)

Prepare for investment banking interviews with this app. Practice technical questions across key finance topics, receive instant feedback, and track your progress. Mock interview formats simulate real recruiting scenarios to help you ace your interviews.

**Highlights:** Technical question practice, Instant feedback and scoring, Voice or text answer input, Timed mock interview formats, Readiness score tracking, Targeted weak spot drills

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Recruiting Pass | $11.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro | $19.99 | per month |
| Recruiting Pass | $39.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Study Circle free?

Study Circle is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ApexIB free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Study Circle or ApexIB?

ApexIB is rated higher. Study Circle averages 4.7 out of 5 from 47 ratings, while ApexIB averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Study Circle or ApexIB have ads?

Study Circle shows ads; ApexIB does not.

### Which is updated more often, Study Circle or ApexIB?

Study Circle ships an update fortnightly, and ApexIB every 4 days. Most recently, Study Circle was updated on September 23, 2026 and ApexIB on September 5, 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.*