# USTCBot vs Substitutes

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: USTCBot at 16.0 against Substitutes's 18. On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

USTCBot ships an update every 4 months, Substitutes every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on August 31, 2026 and September 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | USTCBot | Substitutes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ustcbot/id788570077/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | **71.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 10 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hengyu Zhou](https://appshunter.io/developer/788570080) | [Jan Wittler](https://appshunter.io/developer/805834216) |

## What reviewers say

### USTCBot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ustcbot/id788570077)

This app provides essential tools for University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) students and faculty. It offers real-time school bus schedules with notifications and a comprehensive course table that syncs automatically or can be manually edited. A widget extension allows for quick access to daily course schedules.

**Highlights:** Real-time school bus schedules, Bus time notifications, Automatic course synchronization, Manual course entry, Daily and weekly course views, Widget for today's courses

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Substitutes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/substitutes/id805834213)

Access your school's substitution schedule directly on your iPhone or iPad. Stay updated automatically with timetable changes, even offline. You can also input your personal schedule for a consolidated view of all your classes and substitutions.

**Highlights:** Real-time substitution plan updates, Offline access to schedule, Personal timetable input, Automatic course synchronization, Supports schools across Germany

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is USTCBot free?

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

### Is Substitutes free?

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

### Do USTCBot or Substitutes have ads?

Neither USTCBot nor Substitutes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, USTCBot or Substitutes?

USTCBot ships an update every 4 months, and Substitutes every 3 months. Most recently, USTCBot was updated on August 31, 2026 and Substitutes on September 5, 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.*