Comparison

CollegeCal vs CST Surgical Tech Prep

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

Head to head
About

CollegeCal

This AI-powered planner helps college students organize their academic life. Upload your syllabus to automatically generate a visual calendar with all deadlines, exams, and assignments. Receive smart reminders and personalized study plans to stay ahead.

Highlights
  • AI syllabus extraction
  • Instant deadline detection
  • Visual academic calendar
  • Personalized study plans
  • Smart deadline reminders
  • PDF and DOCX support
Features
Read full description

Stop manually typing dates and start staying ahead with CollegeCal! CollegeCal is the ultimate AI-powered planner designed specifically for college students. Simply upload your syllabus (PDF or Word), and our advanced AI instantly detects every deadline, exam, and assignment, building your perfect academic calendar in seconds. Terms and Conditions: https://collegecal.com/terms KEY FEATURES: Instant Syllabus Extraction: No more manual data entry. Upload your documents and let AI do the heavy lifting. Visual Academic Calendar: A beautiful, clutter-free view of your entire semester. AI Study Plans: Get personalized study suggestions based on your upcoming deadlines. Smart Reminders: Never miss a due date with automated notifications tailored to your schedule. Multi-Format Support: Works with PDFs and DOCX files of paper syllabi. WHY COLLEGE STUDENTS LOVE COLLEGECAL: Save Time: What used to take hours of manual entry now takes seconds. Reduce Stress: Seeing your whole semester at a glance helps you prioritize and plan effectively. Stay Organized: Keep all your courses, assignments, and exams in one central hub. Download CollegeCal today and conquer your semester!

About

CST Surgical Tech Prep

Prepare for your Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam with a comprehensive question bank. It offers detailed explanations for each answer, personalized study plans, and progress tracking to build confidence for exam day.

Highlights
  • 2,275 board-style practice questions
  • Detailed explanations for every answer
  • 13 full subjects covering the CST blueprint
  • Daily Plan, Quick 10, Timed Mode, Smart Review
  • Full-Length Mock Exam
  • Progress tracking with pass probability
  • Customizable quizzes
Features
Read full description

Walk into your CST exam ready. Surgical Tech CST Exam Prep gives you 2,275 board-style practice questions with a clear explanation for every single answer, so you don't just memorize the right choice - you understand why it's right and why the others are wrong. Built for surgical technologists preparing for the NBSTSA certification. WHY IT WORKS Passing isn't about cramming. It's about repeated, targeted practice across every domain the exam tests - then reinforcing exactly what you got wrong until it sticks. - 2,275 questions written to match the real exam's style and difficulty - An explanation on every answer, so each question teaches you something - 13 full subjects covering the entire CST blueprint: Sterile Technique & Asepsis - Surgical Instruments - Perioperative Patient Care & Positioning - Anesthesia - Pharmacology & Hemostasis - Counts, Specimens & Documentation - Microbiology & Infection Control - Sterilization & Disinfection - Sutures, Needles & Wound Healing - General & GI Surgery - OB/GYN & Genitourinary - Orthopedic, Neuro, Cardiovascular & Plastic - Professional Roles, Ethics & Safety STUDY YOUR WAY Fit prep into a 12-hour shift or a quiet weekend - your call. - Daily Plan that sizes itself to your exam date and keeps you on pace - Quick 10 for a fast review between cases - Timed Mode to build exam-day speed and stamina - Smart Review using spaced repetition to resurface weak spots before you forget them - Full-Length Mock Exam that simulates the real thing end to end - Missed Questions queue so nothing slips through - Custom Quiz to drill any subject or weak area on demand TRACK YOUR PROGRESS Know exactly where you stand before exam day. - Pass probability that updates as you practice - Accuracy broken down by subject so you study what actually moves the needle - Streaks to keep you consistent - Exam countdown that keeps the date front and center WHO IT'S FOR Surgical technology students, scrub techs, and OR professionals sitting for the NBSTSA certification - whether you're testing for the first time or recertifying and want a confidence check. START TODAY Your exam date isn't moving. Start a free trial, take your first Quick 10 today, and watch your pass probability climb. Thousands of explained questions, one clear goal: walk in ready. --- SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS Full access is available through an auto-renewing subscription: A free trial is available for new subscribers. Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your App Store account settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription. Terms of Use: https://hermesdigitalbr.github.io/surgicaltech-legal/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://hermesdigitalbr.github.io/surgicaltech-legal/privacy.html

Screenshots

CollegeCal4 screens
CST Surgical Tech Prep3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: CST Surgical Tech Prep at 5.0 against CollegeCal's 3.0. CST Surgical Tech Prep also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 75%). CollegeCal's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (10 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. CollegeCal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and CST Surgical Tech Prep sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

CST Surgical Tech Prep holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CollegeCal has 10 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of CollegeCal's written reviews are positive against 100% of CST Surgical Tech Prep's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CollegeCal ships an update every 3 days, CST Surgical Tech Prep every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
CollegeCal versus CST Surgical Tech Prep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCollegeCalCST Surgical Tech Prep
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (10 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings10 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size42 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDomini MontroseHermes Inteligencia Digital Ltda

Customer experience

CollegeCal

All ratings10 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

CST Surgical Tech Prep

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

CollegeCal

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Pro$3.991 Month
  • Premium$8.991 Month
3 purchases

CST Surgical Tech Prep

Subscriptions3
  • CST Prep Pro Weekly3 Days trial$5.997 Days
  • CST Prep Pro Monthly3 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • Quarterly3 Days trial$29.993 Months

Questions

Is CollegeCal free?
CollegeCal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CST Surgical Tech Prep free?
CST Surgical Tech Prep is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, CollegeCal or CST Surgical Tech Prep?
CST Surgical Tech Prep is rated higher. CollegeCal averages 3.0 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while CST Surgical Tech Prep averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do CollegeCal or CST Surgical Tech Prep have ads?
Neither CollegeCal nor CST Surgical Tech Prep shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CollegeCal or CST Surgical Tech Prep?
CollegeCal ships an update every 3 days, and CST Surgical Tech Prep every 2 months. Most recently, CollegeCal was updated on October 31, 2026 and CST Surgical Tech Prep on November 5, 2026.

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