Comparison

Penji vs Bowdoin Safe

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Penji

Connect with campus support services like tutoring, advising, and mentoring. Schedule appointments, join drop-in hours, and find study groups to enhance your academic journey. This app provides a modern, mobile-first experience for accessing university resources.

Highlights
  • Schedule tutors and mentors
  • Attend drop-in hours
  • Register for group sessions
  • Find study groups
  • Access advising resources
  • Remote-friendly support
Features
Read full description

Penji is the central hub for tutoring, advising, and other support resources on campus. We partner with support centers at your university, allowing them to provide a modern, mobile-first, and remote-friendly experience for scheduling tutors, mentors, and coaches. Book appointments, attend drop-in hours, register for large-group sessions, meet study groups, and more, all from the app. As recent students ourselves, we know how important friends, tutors, and mentors can be in developing your interest and confidence in different subjects. We hope Penji encourages you to take advantage of these resources more frequently. Each university is different, so sign up to see what your university offers in Penji. Enjoy!

About

Bowdoin Safe

Features
Read full description

Bowdoin Safe is the official safety app of Bowdoin College. It is the only app that integrates with Bowdoin College's safety and security systems. The Office of Safety and Security has worked to develop a unique app that provides students, faculty and staff with added safety on the Bowdoin College campus. The app will send you important safety alerts and provide instant access to campus safety resources. Bowdoin Safe features include: - Emergency Contacts: Contact the correct services for the Bowdoin College area in case of an emergency or a non-emergency concern - Mobile Bluelight: Send your location to Bowdoin College security in real-time in case of a crisis - Friend Walk: Send your location to a friend through email or SMS on your device. Once the friend accepts the Friend Walk request, the user picks their destination and their friend tracks their location in real time; they can keep an eye on them to make sure they make it safely to their destination. - Report a Crime or Incident: Multiple ways to report a safety/security concern directly to the Office of Safety and Security. - Virtual WalkHome: Allow Campus Security to monitor a user’s walk. If a user feels unsafe when walking on campus, they can request a Virtual WalkHome and a dispatcher on the other end will monitor their journey until they reach their destination. - Safety Toolbox: Enhance your safety with the set of tools provided in one convenient app.      - Notification History: Find previous Push Notifications for this app with the date and time.       - I’m OK!: Send your location and a message indicating that “You’re OK” to a recipient of your choosing. - Campus Map: Navigate around the Bowdoin College area.     - Support Resources: Access support resources in one convenient app to enjoy a successful experience at Bowdoin College. - Safety Notifications: Receive instant notifications and instructions from Bowdoin College safety when on-campus emergencies occur. Download today to ensure you’re prepared in the event of an emergency.

Screenshots

Penji4 screens
Bowdoin Safe4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Penji at every 9 days against Bowdoin Safe's every 27 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Penji ships an update every 9 days, Bowdoin Safe every 27 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Penji versus Bowdoin Safe: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPenjiBowdoin Safe
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (1.2K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews92.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings1.2K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 27 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.1 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size34 MB28 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPenji, Inc.Bowdoin College

Bugs and requests

Penji

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Unusable on iPad
  • Tutors not showing as available

Requested features

2 requests
  • Add voice/call features
  • Improve messaging and notifications

Bowdoin Safe

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Penji

No in-app purchases

None

Bowdoin Safe

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Penji free?
Penji is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Bowdoin Safe free?
Bowdoin Safe is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Penji or Bowdoin Safe have ads?
Neither Penji nor Bowdoin Safe shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Penji or Bowdoin Safe?
Penji ships an update every 9 days, and Bowdoin Safe every 27 months. Most recently, Penji was updated on November 1, 2026 and Bowdoin Safe on October 27, 2026.

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