# ASSIST vs The Commons

The clearest difference is rating: ASSIST at 2.0 against The Commons's 1.3. The Commons's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (230 vs 4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ASSIST holds the better App Store score, 2.0 against 1.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Commons has 230 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 5% of ASSIST's written reviews are positive against 13% of The Commons's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ASSIST ships an update every 4 months, The Commons fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ASSIST | The Commons |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/assist/id666008984/reviews)** | [1.3 (230 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-commons-students/id6746174591/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **230** |
| Positive reviews | 4.8% of reviews | **13.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 22 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ALL In Learning](https://appshunter.io/developer/344248081) | [The Commons, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1815629327) |

## What reviewers say

### ASSIST

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/assist/id666008984)

This app automates the grading of various student assessments, including bubble sheets captured by camera. It allows educators to log and review individual student results, manage collaborative learning activities, and aggregate data by student, class, or standard.

**Highlights:** Automated assessment grading, Bubble sheet scanning, Student result logging, Collaborative activity scoring, Immediate result review, Data aggregation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### The Commons

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-commons-students/id6746174591)

This app helps students stay focused during school hours by pausing access to distracting apps like social media and games. It automatically activates at school and deactivates when the day ends, ensuring essential academic and communication apps remain accessible. It prioritizes privacy with no tracking or data collection.

**Highlights:** Automatic focus activation at school, Blocks distracting apps during school hours, Keeps essential academic apps accessible, Privacy-first with no tracking, Builds stronger tech habits

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Helps students focus on school work

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Blocks access to social media and communication apps
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with VPN and data tracking
- 🐛 Causes issues with phone functionality
- 🤬 Perceived as an unnecessary and intrusive app

**Reported bugs**

- VPN doesn't work properly when traveling
- Slows down messaging and other apps

**Requested features**

- Allow access to certain apps during school hours
- Improve VPN functionality when traveling
- Provide more transparency on data collection and usage


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ASSIST free?

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

### Is The Commons free?

The Commons is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ASSIST or The Commons?

ASSIST is rated higher. ASSIST averages 2.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while The Commons averages 1.3 from 230 ratings.

### Do ASSIST or The Commons have ads?

Neither ASSIST nor The Commons shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ASSIST or The Commons?

ASSIST ships an update every 4 months, and The Commons fortnightly. Most recently, ASSIST was updated on September 16, 2026 and The Commons on September 23, 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.*