# USThing vs HKUST Alumni

The clearest difference is rating: HKUST Alumni at 5.0 against USThing's 4.0. HKUST Alumni also leads on iOS requirement (13.4 vs 16.4). USThing's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (44% vs 29%). 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 Alumni holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 44% of USThing's written reviews are positive against 29% of HKUST Alumni's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

USThing ships an update every 3 weeks, HKUST Alumni every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 13, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | USThing | HKUST Alumni |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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-alumni/id1435768421/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **44.4% of reviews** | 28.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 62 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **13.4** |
| 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 Alumni

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hkust-alumni/id1435768421)

Access your Alum eCard for exclusive campus and alumni entrepreneur offers. Apply for library and sports services directly through the app and use your mobile eCard for seamless access.

**Highlights:** Digital Alum eCard, Campus offers access, Alumni entrepreneur deals, Library service application, Sports service application, Mobile eCard for access

**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 Alumni free?

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

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

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

### Do USThing or HKUST Alumni have ads?

Neither USThing nor HKUST Alumni shows ads.

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

USThing ships an update every 3 weeks, and HKUST Alumni every 3 months. Most recently, USThing was updated on September 13, 2026 and HKUST Alumni on June 1, 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.*