# Katy ISD vs SMART tag™ Parent App

The clearest difference is rating: Katy ISD at 2.7 against SMART tag™ Parent App's 2.1. Katy ISD also leads on review sentiment (52% vs 10%). SMART tag™ Parent App's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 7 months). On price, ratings volume, 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.

Katy ISD holds the better App Store score, 2.7 against 2.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 97 and 146 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of Katy ISD's written reviews are positive against 10% of SMART tag™ Parent App's.

Katy ISD ships an update every 7 months, SMART tag™ Parent App every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Katy ISD | SMART tag™ Parent App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.7 (97 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/katy-isd/id732915531/reviews)** | [2.1 (146 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-tag-parent-app/id6469307680/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 97 | **146** |
| Positive reviews | **52.3% of reviews** | 10.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 37 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Katy ISD](https://appshunter.io/developer/932962456) | [Secured Mobility LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1449285817) |

## What reviewers say

### Katy ISD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/katy-isd/id732915531)

Stay informed about your local school district and individual schools. Access news, directories, and receive personalized notifications. Get involved with district and school updates.

**Highlights:** District and school news, District tip line, Personalized notifications, District directory, Interest-based information, Contact information management

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Shows grades
- 👍 Shows lunch menu
- 👍 Shows bus route
- 👍 Can log into any account
- 👍 Can change profile picture

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Grades load slowly
- 🐛 Grades don't update quickly
- 🐛 Grades disappear sometimes
- 🐛 App redirects to Safari for calendar
- 🐛 App freezes and closes

**Reported bugs**

- App takes you to website
- App doesn't take you anywhere after sign-in
- Calendar redirects to Safari
- App freezes and closes
- Does not show all schools for setup

**Requested features**

- Add support for Apple Watch
- Integrate MealPay app instead of web page
- Add teacher comments/messages


### SMART tag™ Parent App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-tag-parent-app/id6469307680)

Stay informed about your child's school bus activity and receive important transportation updates. Get real-time alerts for pick-ups, drop-offs, and any route changes or emergencies, ensuring peace of mind.

**Highlights:** Real-time bus alerts, Student pick-up/drop-off notifications, Delay and route alteration updates, Emergency notifications, Intuitive parent interface, District contact information

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app!
- 🔒 Helpful when it works
- 👍 Useful when it works

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Freezes constantly
- 🐛 Buggy
- 🐛 Poor response from developers
- 🐛 Please fix!
- 🐛 Terrible app

**Reported bugs**

- Notifications are off by 1/2
- Notifications not accurate
- Notifications not working
- Map not working
- Constantly logging out

**Requested features**

- Add bus tracking back to the app
- Turn the map back on!!!
- Add the real time map please
- Bring back live bus location


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Katy ISD free?

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

### Is SMART tag™ Parent App free?

SMART tag™ Parent App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Katy ISD or SMART tag™ Parent App?

Katy ISD is rated higher. Katy ISD averages 2.7 out of 5 from 97 ratings, while SMART tag™ Parent App averages 2.1 from 146 ratings.

### Do Katy ISD or SMART tag™ Parent App have ads?

Neither Katy ISD nor SMART tag™ Parent App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Katy ISD or SMART tag™ Parent App?

Katy ISD ships an update every 7 months, and SMART tag™ Parent App every 3 weeks. Most recently, Katy ISD was updated on October 23, 2026 and SMART tag™ Parent App on October 30, 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.*