Pharos Print vs Votebud
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Pharos Print
Submit documents from your iOS device to a secure print queue. Edit finishing options, preview, and manage print jobs. Requires a Pharos MobilePrint solution within your organization.
- Submit content to secure print queue
- Edit finishing options
- Preview documents
- Delete print jobs
- View print queue
- Release print jobs
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The Pharos Print app, part of the Pharos MobilePrint solution, allows you to easily submit content from your iOS device to a Pharos secure print queue. To use this app, Pharos MobilePrint and a Pharos secure print solution must be in place within your organization. Features • Easily submit content from your phone or tablet into a Pharos secure print queue. • Edit your finishing options before you print. • Preview your document(s) before you print. • Delete a print job from your Pharos secure print queue. • View all documents in your Pharos secure print queue. • View your Available Funds and job cost (when applicable). • Release print jobs to the printer (if configured). • Select printers for release by scanning QR code (if configured). Operating Environment • Supports iOS 14.0 and newer iPhone and iPad models. • Supports Pharos MobilePrint 2.0+ with Pharos Uniprint 9.0+ • Supports Pharos MobilePrint 2.0+ with Pharos Blueprint 5.2+ • QR Print Release requires MobilePrint 2.4 and Uniprint 9.1 SP3 Supported Files (Important) Uploading or opening files from other apps via “Open In” and "Sharing", or via the "Upload" button in the app supports the following file formats: Microsoft Office® documents, Microsoft Outlook®, PDF, images (JPG, GIF, PNG, BMP), text files (CSV, RTF & TXT), and OpenOffice documents. How to use the features of Pharos Print app [Note: some features or settings may be disabled by your organization, as noted] A. Download and install the Pharos Print app to your iOS device. B. Connect Pharos Print to your organization’s Pharos MobilePrint server. a. Open the Pharos Print app. b. Contact your organization’s IT administrator to obtain the Pharos MobilePrint server information (URL). c. Enter the Pharos Server Name and Server Port (both are required). d. Select Connect e. The Pharos Print app will connect to the Pharos server and display a User Authentication Screen. C. Authenticate to the Pharos Server. a. Enter the credentials that you normally use to print (your username and password). b. Select Log On to enter the Pharos Print app. D. Files can be submitted either via the Upload icon in the app or by using the native iOS “Open In” or the "Sharing" command to submit your print job. a. To upload supported documents from the app, simply log in and use the "Upload" button. Sources for files on your device, or cloud, will be presented. b. To upload supported documents using “Open In" or "Sharing" i. Select content in any app that supports “Open In" or "Sharing". ii. Select Open In/Share. iii. Select the Open/Share in Pharos Print icon. E. You may set finishing options, preview, or delete a document a. Select a print job in your job list. b. Apply your desired finishing options via the "Print Options" tab at the bottom of the app: i. 1 sided or 2 sided ii. Color or Black & White iii. Pages per side iv. Number of copies v. Page range to print c. To preview documents, select a document and use the "Preview" button. d. To delete documents, select a document and use the "Delete" button. F. To print documents, this option must be allowed by your organization a. Select document(s) to print b. Then either use the tab at the bottom of the app to select a printer (if available) c. Or use the “QR Code” icon at the top right of the app (if available) to enable the camera and point it at the QR code on the printer you want to print to. G. To view available funds you have for printing, use the “Payment method” tab at the bottom of the app. a. If made available by your organization, the app may offer the ability to “Add Funds” via the link on this tab. H. Logging out a. To log out of the Pharos Print app, select the gear icon in the upper left corner and select Log out.
Votebud
This app simplifies engagement with democracy by providing tools to vote confidently, express opinions, and stay informed about political news and legislation. It helps users understand their ballot, align with candidates, and connect with elected officials.
- View personalized ballots
- Match with candidates based on issues
- One-touch polling on news and bills
- Direct contact with elected officials
- Curated, ad-free political news feed
- AI-powered bill summaries
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Votebud: Politics Made Simple Votebud is the all-in-one app that puts political power back in your hands. Our mission is to make it easier than ever to engage with democracy — helping you vote confidently, be heard, and stay informed. Whether you're new to politics or a seasoned voter, Votebud is here to help every step of the way. VOTE CONFIDENTLY Know who and what you're voting for with tools designed to cut through the noise: - My Ballot. Share your address and see your ballot. It's that easy. - Candidate Matching. Pick issues that matter to you, answer a few questions, and see how you align with candidates across the ballot. Votebud uses AI to compare your views with publicly available stances and statements from candidates. Candidates may also claim their profiles to update their stances at any time. BE HEARD Your voice matters. Votebud makes it easier than ever to express yourself and reach your representatives: - One-Touch Polling. Share your opinion on the latest news and bills with just a tap. - My Reps. Email or call your elected officials directly from the app. STAY INFORMED Cut through the clutter with news and legislative updates that are accessible, relevant, and transparent: - News Feed. Stay up to date with a curated, ad-free feed of political news. - AI Bill Summaries. Votebud tracks legislation and executive orders, using AI to break them down into simple, plain language. Together, these tools empower voters not just to participate, but to shape the conversation. At Votebud, we believe democracy should reflect the will of the people - not just in theory, but in practice. Yet too often, voters feel unheard, and leaders act without knowing what their constituents truly want. We’re here to change that. By capturing and organizing public opinion at scale, Votebud makes it easy for everyday people to be seen, heard, and represented. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “Democracy is government of the people, by the people, for the people.” Votebud exists to help make that promise real. Join Votebud and help bring democracy into the 21st century.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Votebud at 5.0 against Pharos Print's 1.3. Votebud also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 9 months). Pharos Print's advantage is ratings volume (227 vs 8) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Votebud holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pharos Print has 227 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Pharos Print ships an update every 9 months, Votebud fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and August 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Pharos Print | Votebud |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.3 (227 ratings) | 5.0 (8 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 7.6% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 227 — better | 8 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 70 MB | 48 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Pharos Systems International | Sovtech (Pty) Ltd |
Customer experience
Pharos Print
Votebud
Bugs and requests
Pharos Print
Reported bugs
24 issues- App won't open/load
- App crashes
- Constant disconnections
- Files disappearing
- Network issues
Show 19 moreShow fewer
- App freezes
- Login issues
- Server connection issues
- Printing fails
- Blurry prints
- Double-sided printing
- QR code won't scan
- Laggy UX
- Complicated to use
- Incompatible with iOS versions
- Keyboard covers login button
- Cannot add funds
- Doesn't recognize files
- Poor UI testing
- Limited app options
- Doesn't print from other apps
- Slow loading times
- Print button cut off
- No print button
Requested features
8 requests- Add a progress bar for loading
- Fix keyboard blocking login button
- Add an upload feature
- Allow printing from other apps
- Add page range option for printing
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- Update app to look more native to iOS
- Fix print button being cut off
- Add a print button
Votebud
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Pharos Print
No in-app purchases
Votebud
No in-app purchases








