# NCTest vs NWEA Secure Testing

The clearest difference is rating: NCTest at 3.7 against NWEA Secure Testing's 1.5. NCTest also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 8 months). NWEA Secure Testing's advantage is ratings volume (1.2K vs 3) and review sentiment (18% vs 0%). 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.

NCTest holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 1.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NWEA Secure Testing has 1.2K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 0% of NCTest's written reviews are positive against 18% of NWEA Secure Testing's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

NCTest ships an update every 2 months, NWEA Secure Testing every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on June 6, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NCTest | NWEA Secure Testing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nctest/id669592120/reviews)** | [1.5 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nwea-secure-testing/id1087546325/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **1.2K** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **18.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 8 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **9.3** |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [North Carolina State University - CUACS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1427620139) | [NWEA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1087546324) |

## What reviewers say

### NCTest

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nctest/id669592120)

This application allows for the administration of online assessments for students in North Carolina, covering grades K-12. It is designed to facilitate educational testing and evaluation processes for the state.

**Highlights:** Online assessment administration, Supports K-12 grades, State-specific testing, Educational evaluation tool

**In-app purchases:** none


### NWEA Secure Testing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nwea-secure-testing/id1087546325)

This application allows K-12 students to take standardized assessments on an iPad. It supports various NWEA tests, including MAP Growth and state summative assessments, ensuring a secure testing environment.

**Highlights:** K-12 assessment delivery, iPad compatibility, MAP Growth support, MAP Growth K-2 support, State summative assessments

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📊 Accurate assessment of student progress
- ⏱️ Efficient testing experience
- 💻 Works well on computers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Overly difficult and stressful questions
- 🔒 Restrictive app lock feature
- 🕰️ Inconsistent test duration
- 🤢 Caused health issues for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Compatibility issues with certain devices
- Inconsistent test results

**Requested features**

- Allow going back to previous questions
- Provide more detailed feedback on performance
- Adjust question difficulty to grade level


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NCTest free?

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

### Is NWEA Secure Testing free?

NWEA Secure Testing is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, NCTest or NWEA Secure Testing?

NCTest is rated higher. NCTest averages 3.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while NWEA Secure Testing averages 1.5 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do NCTest or NWEA Secure Testing have ads?

Neither NCTest nor NWEA Secure Testing shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NCTest or NWEA Secure Testing?

NCTest ships an update every 2 months, and NWEA Secure Testing every 8 months. Most recently, NCTest was updated on June 6, 2026 and NWEA Secure Testing on September 24, 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.*