# Java Academy vs Java SE 21 Developer

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Java SE 21 Developer at 15.1 against Java Academy's 17.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Java Academy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Java SE 21 Developer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Java Academy ships an update every 2 weeks, Java SE 21 Developer weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Java Academy | Java SE 21 Developer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Size | 8 MB | 203 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jeffery Galen Reed](https://appshunter.io/developer/1819964083) | [CHOI SEONGMIN](https://appshunter.io/developer/6772332527) |

## What reviewers say

### Java Academy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/java-academy-learn-java/id6752448541)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Java Academy Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Java Academy Yearly Sub | $49.99 | per year |


### Java SE 21 Developer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/java-se-21-developer/id6785110070)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime Access | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Java Academy free?

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

### Is Java SE 21 Developer free?

Java SE 21 Developer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Java Academy or Java SE 21 Developer have ads?

Neither Java Academy nor Java SE 21 Developer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Java Academy or Java SE 21 Developer?

Java Academy ships an update every 2 weeks, and Java SE 21 Developer weekly. Most recently, Java Academy was updated on October 8, 2026 and Java SE 21 Developer on October 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.*