# Newsela Student vs NWEA Secure Testing

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Newsela Student at 76% against NWEA Secure Testing's 18%. Newsela Student also leads on rating (4.7 vs 1.5) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 8 months). 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.

Newsela Student holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Newsela Student has 29K ratings behind it against 1.4K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Newsela Student's written reviews are positive against 18% of NWEA Secure Testing's.

Newsela Student ships an update every 2 months, NWEA Secure Testing every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Newsela Student | NWEA Secure Testing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (29K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/newsela-student/id966371321/reviews)** | [1.5 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nwea-secure-testing/id1087546325/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **29K** | 1.4K |
| Positive reviews | **75.6% of reviews** | 18.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 38 MB | 0 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Newsela](https://appshunter.io/developer/966370935) | [NWEA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1087546324) |

## What reviewers say

### Newsela Student

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/newsela-student/id966371321)

This app offers engaging articles on diverse topics, each presented at five different reading levels. It includes activities and quizzes to deepen understanding, automatically adjusting difficulty to keep learners challenged and motivated. Students can track their progress and practice vocabulary.

**Highlights:** Leveled articles on any topic, Adjustable reading levels, Integrated activities and quizzes, Offline annotation and submission, Real-time progress tracking, Vocabulary practice (Power Words), Curated and custom learning sets

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good app for different reading levels
- 📚 Variety of informative articles
- 🎓 Useful for education and learning
- 🤓 Helps improve reading and vocabulary
- 🙌 Great resource for teachers and students

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🔍 Lack of specific search options
- 💤 Boring or one-sided content
- 🤔 Grading system needs improvement
- 📱 Mobile app issues (login, navigation)

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues on iOS 12
- Binder page frequently freezes or glitches
- Inability to see all available article sets
- Replying and submitting work takes too long

**Requested features**

- Add word definitions or translations
- Implement auto-save for writing assignments
- Introduce a teacher-specific version of the app
- Expand content to include more global news
- Improve multitasking and split-screen support


### NWEA Secure Testing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nwea-secure-testing/id1087546325)

This application allows K-12 students to take standardized assessments on an iPad. It supports various NWEA tests, including MAP Growth and state summative assessments, ensuring a secure testing environment.

**Highlights:** K-12 assessment delivery, iPad compatibility, MAP Growth support, MAP Growth K-2 support, State summative assessments

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📊 Accurate assessment of student progress
- ⏱️ Efficient testing experience
- 💻 Works well on computers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Overly difficult and stressful questions
- 🔒 Restrictive app lock feature
- 🕰️ Inconsistent test duration
- 🤢 Caused health issues for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Compatibility issues with certain devices
- Inconsistent test results

**Requested features**

- Allow going back to previous questions
- Provide more detailed feedback on performance
- Adjust question difficulty to grade level


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Newsela Student free?

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

### Is NWEA Secure Testing free?

NWEA Secure Testing is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Newsela Student or NWEA Secure Testing?

Newsela Student is rated higher. Newsela Student averages 4.7 out of 5 from 29K ratings, while NWEA Secure Testing averages 1.5 from 1.4K ratings.

### Do Newsela Student or NWEA Secure Testing have ads?

Neither Newsela Student nor NWEA Secure Testing shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Newsela Student or NWEA Secure Testing?

Newsela Student ships an update every 2 months, and NWEA Secure Testing every 8 months. Most recently, Newsela Student was updated on November 7, 2026 and NWEA Secure Testing on November 6, 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.*