ParentSquare vs SchoolTool Mobile
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ParentSquare
This app connects schools and families, providing a central hub for communication and information. Families can receive important alerts, view school news, and message teachers directly. It aims to keep everyone informed and engaged to support student success.
- Centralized school and family communication
- Receive school news, alerts, and messages
- Direct messaging with teachers and staff
- View classroom updates and photos
- Respond to absences or tardies
- Pay school fees and invoices
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What is ParentSquare? ParentSquare helps schools and families stay connected and informed—all in one easy place. Whether it’s a quick message from a teacher, an important alert from the district, or a reminder about tomorrow’s field trip, ParentSquare makes sure families never miss a thing. Why families and teachers love ParentSquare: • Simple, easy-to-use app and website • Messages are automatically translated into 190+ languages • Best-in-class safety and security practices • One place for all school updates, alerts, and messages With ParentSquare, families and staff save time and stay connected—so everyone can focus on helping students succeed. ParentSquare for iOS The ParentSquare app makes it easy for families to stay in the loop and engage with their child’s school community. With the app, parents and guardians can: • See school news, classroom updates, and photos • Receive important notices like attendance alerts and cafeteria balances • Message teachers and staff directly • Join group conversations • Sign up for wishlist items, volunteering, and conferences • Respond to absences or tardies* • Pay school-related fees and invoices* * If included with your school's implementation
SchoolTool Mobile
Access student assignments, grades, schedules, and attendance in real-time. Receive instant notifications about academic progress. This app is designed for parents and students within districts utilizing the SchoolTool platform.
- View assignments
- Check grades
- Access schedules
- Monitor attendance
- Receive real-time notifications
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The SchoolTool mobile application allows parents and students to quickly and easily view information about students’ assignments, grades, schedules, and attendance. You can also receive real-time notifications. This app runs on iOS 16.1 and higher, and is exclusively for districts using SchoolTool. Contact your school district for connection information.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: ParentSquare at 4.6 against SchoolTool Mobile's 1.7. ParentSquare also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 16%) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months). 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
ParentSquare holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 1.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ParentSquare has 78K ratings behind it against 142, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of ParentSquare's written reviews are positive against 16% of SchoolTool Mobile's.
ParentSquare ships an update weekly, SchoolTool Mobile every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ParentSquare | SchoolTool Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (78K ratings) — better | 1.7 (142 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 49.5% of reviews — better | 16.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 78K — better | 142 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #4 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 154 MB | 60 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ParentSquare | Mindex Technologies Inc. |
Customer experience
ParentSquare
SchoolTool Mobile
User reviews
ParentSquare
From 78K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 💬 Helpful communication tool
- 🗓️ Keeps parents informed
- 🤝 Facilitates parent-teacher interaction
- 📤 Streamlines notifications and updates
- 🧭 Centralizes school information
Room to improve
- 🤯 Overwhelming notifications
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find information
- 🔒 Login and access issues
- 🐌 Slow performance and glitches
- 🤖 Lacks customization and user control
SchoolTool Mobile
From 142 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy access to grades and assignments
- 📱 Convenient mobile app for quick grade checks
- 🔔 Useful notifications for grade updates
- 📊 Helpful for tracking attendance and schedule
- ⚡ Fast performance when working properly
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent login failures and session timeouts
- 🔐 Persistent logout issues despite 'stay logged in' option
- 📝 Inaccurate or missing grade information
- 🔗 URL validation problems and errors
- ⚠️ Inconsistent data between app and website
Bugs and requests
ParentSquare
Reported bugs
5 issues- Notification issues and delays
- Inconsistent app behavior across devices
- Login problems and lost user sessions
- Attachment and media viewing difficulties
- Syncing and data display errors
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to filter and customize notifications
- Improved search and organization of content
- Integration with other school/student platforms
- Enhanced mobile app functionality
- Parent-teacher group messaging capabilities
SchoolTool Mobile
Reported bugs
16 issues- Login credentials rejected despite being correct
- School URL marked invalid when correct
- Session expires immediately after login
- App logs out user despite 'stay logged in' selection
- Grades not updating in app while website shows updates
Show 11 moreShow fewer
- Multiple login screens appearing sequentially
- App won't open on certain iPhone models
- Notification spam for single assignments (200+ notifications)
- Text cut off on screen in portrait mode
- App forgets school URL after updates
- Google Sign-in not working properly
- Notifications continue despite being logged out
- App crashes when switching between sections
- Missing assignment indicators not displaying
- Glitchy browser redirect login flow
- App incompatible after iOS updates
Requested features
12 requests- Add 'Sign in with Microsoft' authentication option
- Implement dropdown list of school districts instead of manual URL entry
- Display current quarter grades prominently
- Show progress report grades
- Display overall GPA/class averages
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- Improve text visibility (fix blue text on black background)
- Add dark mode option
- Enable persistent login across sessions
- Sync app data consistently with website
- Add staff-specific features for teachers
- Implement single login screen instead of multiple
- Add ability to opt out of notifications
In-app purchases
ParentSquare
No in-app purchases
SchoolTool Mobile
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is ParentSquare free?
Is SchoolTool Mobile free?
Which has better reviews, ParentSquare or SchoolTool Mobile?
Do ParentSquare or SchoolTool Mobile have ads?
Which is updated more often, ParentSquare or SchoolTool Mobile?
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