# USThing vs HKUST Student

The clearest difference is review sentiment: USThing at 44% against HKUST Student's 0%. USThing also leads on rating (4.0 vs 1.3) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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 1.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 3 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of USThing's written reviews are positive against 0% of HKUST Student's.

USThing ships an update every 3 weeks, HKUST Student every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 13, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | USThing | HKUST Student |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/usthing/id965883733/reviews)** | [1.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hkust-student/id1512718498/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **44.4% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 62 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, 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 Student

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hkust-student/id1512718498)

This app provides students with convenient access to academic and non-academic university resources. Students can view news, manage their academic information, check schedules, book facilities, and access student services.

**Highlights:** Latest news and announcements, Student e-Card, Academic information access, Course catalog browsing, Class and exam schedules, Facility booking

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is USThing free?

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

### Is HKUST Student free?

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

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

USThing is rated higher. USThing averages 4.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while HKUST Student averages 1.3 from 3 ratings.

### Do USThing or HKUST Student have ads?

Neither USThing nor HKUST Student shows ads.

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

USThing ships an update every 3 weeks, and HKUST Student every 2 months. Most recently, USThing was updated on September 13, 2026 and HKUST Student on September 24, 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.*