ARU vs Student Manager
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ARU
This app provides university students with essential tools and information to navigate their studies. Access timetables, emails, course materials, campus maps, and important university alerts all in one place.
- Personalized teaching timetable
- Student email access
- Interactive campus maps
- Canvas course access
- University alerts
- Library loans and search
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Welcome to the ARU app! Whether you're already studying at ARU or about to join us, our handy app is packed with information and functionality to guide you through your university studies, no matter which campus you're at. Access everything from one app, including your teaching timetable, your student email account, and key systems like Canvas, e:Vision, and My ARU. Based on student feedback, we've made some improvements to the design and functionality of the ARU app to make sure it's easy to use and faster than ever. The app is brighter and easier to navigate, with plenty of exciting content and features to support you while studying at ARU. We've introduced an interactive map feature to help you navigate our campuses, and you can discover your next timetabled class on your personalised home screen. Recently, we've also added display themes, a dark mode feature, improved navigation, food and drink menus on campus, and even a university alert banner so you can get important updates even faster. On top of all that, you can now view your student timetable, canvas courses, and to-do lists directly in the ARU app, putting everything you need all in one place. Download the official university student app today and start exploring the best of ARU! Key features: • View your personalised teaching timetable. • Discover your next timetabled class on your personalised home screen. • Check your student email account at the tap of a tile. • Read headline news and articles specifically related to your campus, faculty, and year of study. • Access online information and activities relating to your studies through Canvas. • View your library loans and search for books on your Reading List • Ask questions through ‘Ask ARU’. • Log in to e:Vision • View your Print Credit balance and add credit to your account • Quickly check your Canvas dashboard to stay on top of your course and to-do lists. • Easily switch themes for an accessible display using our ‘Dark Mode’ feature. • Keep up to date with the university alert banner • Find your way with the interactive campus maps • Access help and support • And so much more... Have more feedback for us? Simply tap “Report a Problem” or “Share an idea” in your app settings. Please note: The information contained within the ARU App is for students studying at Cambridge, Chelmsford, Peterborough, and Writtle campuses, on higher education courses. Information for students studying at Writtle College on further education courses will be introduced in a future release.
Student Manager
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Tired of juggling spreadsheets and scattered notes? Student Manager is the simple way for teachers to keep essential student information in one secure, easy-to-use app. Spend more time teaching and less on admin. Getting started is a breeze. Just import your class list from a CSV file, and you’re ready to go in seconds. From adding a quick comment to logging a new grade, every feature is designed to be fast, clear, and helpful. KEY FEATURES: Complete Student Profiles: Keep track of each student's name, photo, points, and more. Flexible Grading: Easily add detailed grades for tests, projects, or classwork, complete with names, dates, and types (Summative/Formative/Homework/Custom). Dated Comments: Add timestamped notes to track student progress and observations over time. Photo Attachments: Snap photos of student work and save them directly to their profiles—perfect for portfolios and conferences. Smart Class Organization: Assign custom colors to your classes for easy visual organization. Instant CSV Import/Export: Import your entire roster in seconds from Mail, Files, or any other app. Export detailed class data anytime. Student Archiving: When a class ends, students are archived—not deleted. Easily view their records or re-assign them to new classes later. iCloud Sync: Your data is always secure, private, and synced across your iPhone and iPad. Take control of your classroom with Student Manager. No ads, no subscriptions, just a simple one-time purchase.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: ARU at Free against Student Manager's $1.99. Student Manager's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 6 weeks). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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
ARU is free to download; Student Manager costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
ARU ships an update every 6 weeks, Student Manager every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ARU | Student Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $1.99 |
| Positive reviews | 37.5% of reviews | — |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 10 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 60 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Anglia Ruskin | Samuel Attwood |
In-app purchases
ARU
No in-app purchases
Student Manager
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is ARU free?
Is Student Manager free?
Do ARU or Student Manager have ads?
Which is updated more often, ARU or Student Manager?
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