# ASCA School Counselor vs DSM

The clearest difference is rating: DSM at 4.7 against ASCA School Counselor's 1.0. DSM also leads on review sentiment (33% vs 0%) and ratings volume (308 vs 1). ASCA School Counselor's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (10.2 vs 13.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DSM sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per month. ASCA School Counselor asks for nothing beyond the download.

DSM holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DSM has 308 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of ASCA School Counselor's written reviews are positive against 33% of DSM's.

ASCA School Counselor ships an update every 14 months, DSM every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ASCA School Counselor | DSM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/asca-school-counselor/id934064424/reviews) | **[4.7 (308 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dsm-5/id1576503453/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **308** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **33.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Every 4 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 9 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.2** | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [American School Counselor Association (ASCA)](https://appshunter.io/developer/540821421) | [MastrAPI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1618627725) |

## What reviewers say

### ASCA School Counselor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/asca-school-counselor/id934064424)

This digital magazine provides school counseling professionals with insights into current trends and best practices. It offers a convenient way to enhance knowledge and learn from the experiences of other schools.

**Highlights:** Stay updated on school counseling trends, Enhance professional knowledge, Learn from other schools' experiences, Digital magazine format, Published by ASCA

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### DSM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dsm-5/id1576503453)

Prepare for the DSM-5 exam with a comprehensive mobile study guide. It offers practice questions, personalized study plans, and detailed performance tracking to boost your confidence and improve diagnostic skills.

**Highlights:** Personalized study plan, 500+ practice questions, Strength and weakness tracking, Detailed test statistics, Community score comparison, Updated for DSM-5-TR

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly with Trial | $24.99 | per month |
| Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ASCA School Counselor free?

ASCA School Counselor is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is DSM free?

DSM is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, ASCA School Counselor or DSM?

DSM is rated higher. ASCA School Counselor averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while DSM averages 4.7 from 308 ratings.

### Do ASCA School Counselor or DSM have ads?

Neither ASCA School Counselor nor DSM shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ASCA School Counselor or DSM?

ASCA School Counselor ships an update every 14 months, and DSM every 4 months. Most recently, ASCA School Counselor was updated on November 1, 2026 and DSM on November 3, 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.*