Comparison

System Design Refresher vs AZ

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

System Design Refresher

Features
Read full description

System Design Refresher is a free study companion for software engineers preparing for system design interviews. WHAT'S INSIDE • 30+ system design articles covering distributed systems, databases, caching, and more • Engineering blogs from top tech companies (Google, Meta, Stripe, Airbnb, and more) aggregated in one place • AI-powered flashcards with spaced repetition • Ask AI to summarize or explain any article in plain language • Favorites, reading progress tracking, and custom RSS feeds FEATURES • Works offline — articles download for reading without internet • Dark mode, font customization, and text size controls • Face ID / Touch ID lock for privacy • Sign in with Google or Apple, or use as a guest with no account required

About

AZ

Features
Read full description

Keep studying across your phone, tablet and desktop. Use your phone on the move and a tablet or desktop when you want more room to study. Connect the same StudyCert account to continue your learning in the app and on the desktop web. Prepare for Designing and Implementing Microsoft Azure Networking Solutions (AZ-700) with 500 practice questions and 115 key terms. Study coverage Ā· 5 areas • Design and implement core networking infrastructure • Design, implement, and manage connectivity services • Design and implement application delivery services • Design and implement private access to Azure services • Design and implement Azure network security services 1. Build your foundation with key terms Use flashcards to learn meanings, exam context and selection cues. Mark terms as known or not yet known, then revisit unstudied or unfamiliar cards. Edit card content to suit your learning and restore the original when needed. 2. Practice and understand each answer Study in 50-question sets, by domain or by difficulty. Work through single- and multiple-choice questions, then read the explanation for the answer and each option. Choose all, unfinished or wrong questions; shuffle questions and choices; use a study timer; and resume where you left off. 3. Review mistakes and uncertain concepts Collect questions marked for review, recent errors and repeated mistakes. Filter by cumulative wrong-answer count and focus on weaker domains or difficulty levels. The glossary report connects your known/not-yet records with accuracy on related questions. 4. Check your preparation with a mock exam Practice time management with 50 questions in 100 minutes. Change answers before submission, resume a saved exam and receive grading when time expires. Afterwards, see correct, wrong and unanswered counts, your score and domain results, then revisit mistakes. Tools that fit your study routine Optional audio study reads terms and meanings aloud. Choose whether to include exam context and selection cues, set repeats and pauses, and control playback with the mini player. In the mobile app, audio can continue in the background and with the screen locked. A study calendar, learning streaks, weekly goals, reminders for unmet goals and light, dark or system themes support your routine. Learning records are managed for each supported language. Some features require paid access. Check the included features and price on the purchase screen. Purchase restoration is supported. This is an independent study aid, not an official, affiliated or endorsed app of any exam administrator or certification body. Exam names and trademarks belong to their respective owners.

Screenshots

System Design Refresher4 screens
AZ4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: System Design Refresher at none against AZ's 1. AZ's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.2). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. AZ sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. System Design Refresher asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

System Design Refresher ships an update monthly, AZ every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Ā· 3 level
System Design Refresher versus AZ: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSystem Design RefresherAZ
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS26.215.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB160 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSaurabh SharmaCHOI SEONGMIN

In-app purchases

None

System Design Refresher

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

AZ

One-time1
  • AZ-700 Lifetime Access$4.99

Questions

Is System Design Refresher free?
System Design Refresher is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is AZ free?
AZ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do System Design Refresher or AZ have ads?
Neither System Design Refresher nor AZ shows ads.
Which is updated more often, System Design Refresher or AZ?
System Design Refresher ships an update monthly, and AZ every 5 days. Most recently, System Design Refresher was updated on October 25, 2026 and AZ on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons