Must-haves. Per-school document lists, because requirements differ by program and a single global checklist lies to you. Status per document with at least four states: not started, in progress, uploaded, confirmed received. Deadline dates attached to documents, not floating somewhere else. Offline access, because you will update this on planes and in bad campus wifi.
Should-haves. Reminder nudges for stale items, like the document you marked "in progress" three weeks ago. File naming help, or at least attachment links per document. A completeness percentage per school, for the satisfying march to 100.
Red flags. An app that cannot name where its requirement checklists come from. Document lists are only as good as their source, and "our database" with no further detail is a shrug. Another red flag: no export. If you cannot get your data out as a spreadsheet, you do not own your application plan.
The honest alternative is to build it from parts. Google Drive or Apple Files for the documents, a checklist app for the status, the application document requirements database at applicationreview.fyi for the actual documents required for university application abroad per program. Less elegant than one app. More trustworthy than a black box. An application checklist app for iOS or Android plus real requirement data covers nearly everything a paid tracker promises.
Whatever you choose, the weekly review is non-negotiable. Open the app, open each portal, confirm received. The app tracks your work. The portal is the truth.
When every document shows confirmed, get your application audited at applicationreview.fyi before you submit.