# CFA Essentials vs SIS

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SIS at none against CFA Essentials's 3. SIS also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CFA Essentials sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. SIS asks for nothing beyond the download.

CFA Essentials ships an update every 5 months, SIS monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CFA Essentials | SIS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cfa-essentials-review-and-prep/id6745157137/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 14 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [晔斌 范](https://appshunter.io/developer/1609081920) | [YAYASAN PENDIDIKAN ASIAN PASIFIK](https://appshunter.io/developer/1811065861) |

## What reviewers say

### CFA Essentials

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cfa-essentials-review-and-prep/id6745157137)

Prepare for CFA Levels I, II, and III exams with comprehensive curriculum coverage and LOS-focused content. Master complex financial concepts with clear explanations and essential formulas, perfect for on-the-go study.

**Highlights:** Complete curriculum coverage, LOS-focused content, Clear explanations of financial concepts, Essential formulas, Study on the go

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CFA Essentials Monthly Access | $1.99 | per month |
| CFA Essentials Quarterly Access | $3.99 | per 3 months |
| CFA Essentials Lifetime Unlock | $9.99 | one-time |


### SIS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sis-connect/id6745161349)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CFA Essentials free?

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

### Is SIS free?

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

### Do CFA Essentials or SIS have ads?

Neither CFA Essentials nor SIS shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CFA Essentials or SIS?

CFA Essentials ships an update every 5 months, and SIS monthly. Most recently, CFA Essentials was updated on October 24, 2026 and SIS on October 16, 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.*