# USThing vs HKUST Research

The clearest difference is rating: HKUST Research at 5.0 against USThing's 4.0. HKUST Research also leads on iOS requirement (12.4 vs 16.4). USThing's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (4 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.

HKUST Research holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

USThing ships an update every 3 weeks, HKUST Research every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 13, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | USThing | HKUST Research |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/usthing/id965883733/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hkust-research/id1360149546/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 44.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 62 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **12.4** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zachary Lo](https://appshunter.io/developer/905197936) | [The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology](https://appshunter.io/developer/332536363) |

## What reviewers say

### USThing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/usthing/id965883733)

This campus app consolidates various Hong Kong University of Science and Technology IT services into a single platform. It offers features like facility booking, grade viewing, timetable access, and event information, all accessible with encrypted local storage of credentials.

**Highlights:** Facility booking (Library, FBS), View grades and timetables, Course waitlist positions, Next lesson notifications, TimeMatch for finding free time, Campus info and directory, News and events

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### HKUST Research

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hkust-research/id1360149546)

This app serves as a platform for researchers to find and receive reminders about research-related information. It aims to streamline access to important academic data and updates.

**Highlights:** Research information search, Research-related reminders, Platform for researchers, Access academic data

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is USThing free?

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

### Is HKUST Research free?

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

### Which has better reviews, USThing or HKUST Research?

HKUST Research is rated higher. USThing averages 4.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while HKUST Research averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do USThing or HKUST Research have ads?

Neither USThing nor HKUST Research shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, USThing or HKUST Research?

USThing ships an update every 3 weeks, and HKUST Research every 2 months. Most recently, USThing was updated on September 13, 2026 and HKUST Research on September 20, 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.*