# Spectrum SD vs NCCPA

The clearest difference is rating: NCCPA at 4.3 against Spectrum SD's 1.7. NCCPA also leads on review sentiment (38% vs 22%) and ratings volume (307 vs 43). Spectrum SD's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

NCCPA holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 1.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NCCPA has 307 ratings behind it against 43, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 22% of Spectrum SD's written reviews are positive against 38% of NCCPA's.

Spectrum SD ships an update every 2 months, NCCPA every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Spectrum SD | NCCPA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.7 (43 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spectrum-sd/id719782523/reviews) | **[4.3 (307 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nccpa/id971358217/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 43 | **307** |
| Positive reviews | 22.2% of reviews | **37.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 69 MB | 99 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Amtelco](https://appshunter.io/developer/362337074) | [National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/971358216) |

## What reviewers say

### Spectrum SD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spectrum-sd/id719782523)

This app offers secure messaging and paging for businesses, ensuring HIPAA and HITECH compliance. It allows for encrypted communication of protected health information and provides features like message filtering, custom replies, and adjustable security settings.

**Highlights:** Secure messaging and paging, HIPAA and HITECH compliant, Encrypted data transmission, Configurable passcode protection, Message filtering and history, Pre-set custom replies and notes, Adjustable auto-logoff settings

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### NCCPA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nccpa/id971358217)

Manage your physician assistant certification maintenance requirements on the go. Track outstanding and completed requirements, view CME details, and log new activities. Easily attach CME certificates directly from your iOS device.

**Highlights:** Review certification dashboard, View CME details, Log CME activities, Edit and delete CME entries, Photograph and attach CME certificates

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Spectrum SD free?

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

### Is NCCPA free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Spectrum SD or NCCPA?

NCCPA is rated higher. Spectrum SD averages 1.7 out of 5 from 43 ratings, while NCCPA averages 4.3 from 307 ratings.

### Do Spectrum SD or NCCPA have ads?

Neither Spectrum SD nor NCCPA shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Spectrum SD or NCCPA?

Spectrum SD ships an update every 2 months, and NCCPA every 4 months. Most recently, Spectrum SD was updated on September 27, 2026 and NCCPA on September 30, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*