# USThing vs smartUST

The clearest difference is rating: USThing at 4.0 against smartUST's 1.0. USThing also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly) and ratings volume (4 vs 1). smartUST's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 16.4). 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.

USThing holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

USThing ships an update fortnightly, smartUST monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | USThing | smartUST |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/usthing/id965883733/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartust/id1361574826/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 44.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 63 MB | 77 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zachary Lo](https://appshunter.io/developer/905197936) | [CardApp Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/539151439) |

## 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


### smartUST

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartust/id1361574826)

This app enhances the university experience by connecting students to campus life. Discover activities, events, facilities, housing, and special offers for a seamless integration into the university community.

**Highlights:** Campus activities and events, Facility information, Housing services, University services, Special offers, Seamless campus connection

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is USThing free?

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

### Is smartUST free?

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

### Which has better reviews, USThing or smartUST?

USThing is rated higher. USThing averages 4.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while smartUST averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do USThing or smartUST have ads?

Neither USThing nor smartUST shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, USThing or smartUST?

USThing ships an update fortnightly, and smartUST monthly. Most recently, USThing was updated on October 9, 2026 and smartUST on October 4, 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.*