The official USCIS Civics Study app is a free resource from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. But is it enough to prepare you for your citizenship test? In this comparison, we'll examine how Citizenry and the official USCIS app compare.
Quick Verdict
Citizenry wins for comprehensive test preparation. The official USCIS app is a free resource, but it lacks mock interviews and doesn't support the new 2025 civics test. Citizenry provides the practice you need to feel confident on interview day.
Feature Comparison
Key Differences Explained
Mock Interviews: Practice Like the Real Thing
The biggest gap in the official USCIS app is the lack of mock interviews. The citizenship test is an oral interview, not a written exam. You need to practice speaking your answers out loud to a USCIS officer.
Citizenry offers unlimited mock interviews with virtual USCIS agents. These interviews simulate the real experience:
- A virtual agent asks you questions just like in the real interview
- Speech recognition evaluates your spoken answers
- Practice as many times as you want with no judgment
- Build confidence before your real interview
2025 Civics Test Support
If you filed your N-400 on or after October 20, 2025, you'll take the new 2025 civics test with 128 questions. The official USCIS app does not support the 2025 test. Citizenry fully supports both the 2008 (100 questions) and 2025 (128 questions) versions.
What the Official USCIS App Does Well
The official USCIS app is a solid free resource for basic study:
- Complete coverage of the 2008 civics test (100 questions)
- No ads
- Completely free
Who Should Choose Each App?
Choose Citizenry if you:
- Want to practice with mock interviews before the real thing
- Filed your N-400 on or after October 20, 2025 (2025 test)
- Want speech recognition to check your pronunciation
- Need your local representatives automatically looked up
Choose the Official USCIS App if you:
- Filed your N-400 before October 20, 2025 (2008 test only)
- Only need a basic study guide
The Bottom Line
The official USCIS app is a decent starting point, but it's not enough for thorough preparation. It lacks the most important feature: mock interviews that let you practice speaking your answers. It also doesn't support the 2025 civics test, which is a major gap for anyone who filed their N-400 on or after October 20, 2025.
For the best chance of passing your citizenship test on the first try, Citizenry is the better choice.
Ready to Start Practicing?
Download Citizenry and start your path to citizenship today.
