# TERC EarthLabs vs SmartPass Mobile

The clearest difference is rating: TERC EarthLabs at 5.0 against SmartPass Mobile's 2.9. TERC EarthLabs also leads on review sentiment (40% vs 27%) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). SmartPass Mobile's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 53 months) and ratings volume (1.5K vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

TERC EarthLabs holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SmartPass Mobile has 1.5K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of TERC EarthLabs's written reviews are positive against 27% of SmartPass Mobile's.

TERC EarthLabs ships an update every 53 months, SmartPass Mobile fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TERC EarthLabs | SmartPass Mobile |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/terc-earthlabs/id929008909/reviews)** | [2.9 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartpass-mobile/id1387337686/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **1.5K** |
| Positive reviews | **40.0% of reviews** | 26.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 53 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 40 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TERC, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/663250154) | [SmartPass, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1742462448) |

## What reviewers say

### TERC EarthLabs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/terc-earthlabs/id929008909)

This app offers free high school Earth science curriculum units with interactive visualizations, videos, and hands-on labs. It allows users to run Flash-based videos and interactives on their iPad for engaging science education.

**Highlights:** Interactive visualizations, Video content, Hands-on labs, Flash-based interactives, Curriculum units

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### SmartPass Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartpass-mobile/id1387337686)

This app allows educators and school staff to manage digital hall passes in real-time. It enables the creation, approval, and tracking of student passes, with features like Hall Monitor and Kiosk Mode for efficient school management.

**Highlights:** Create and schedule digital hall passes, Approve or deny pass requests, Real-time student tracking with photos, Kiosk Mode for device-limited rooms, Access staff ID cards, Manage school account settings

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🔒 Helps track student activity
- 👍 Useful for school administrators

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Constant log-out issues
- 🕰️ Restrictive time limits
- 🚫 Invades student privacy
- 💤 Disrupts class time
- 🤕 Causes student stress and anxiety

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and glitches
- Unreliable pass tracking
- Syncing issues between devices

**Requested features**

- More flexible time limits
- Customizable settings for each school
- Better integration with school systems
- Ability to provide feedback/explanations for time limit overruns


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TERC EarthLabs free?

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

### Is SmartPass Mobile free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TERC EarthLabs or SmartPass Mobile?

TERC EarthLabs is rated higher. TERC EarthLabs averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while SmartPass Mobile averages 2.9 from 1.5K ratings.

### Do TERC EarthLabs or SmartPass Mobile have ads?

Neither TERC EarthLabs nor SmartPass Mobile shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TERC EarthLabs or SmartPass Mobile?

TERC EarthLabs ships an update every 53 months, and SmartPass Mobile fortnightly. Most recently, TERC EarthLabs was updated on October 4, 2026 and SmartPass Mobile on October 29, 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.*