Aktiv Learning vs Colby Safe
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Aktiv Learning
This platform offers dynamic problems and interactive tools for college-level chemistry and math. It helps students visualize abstract STEM concepts and provides instructors with real-time insights into class understanding. Features include a mobile-friendly Lewis structure drawing tool and over 250 practice questions.
- Interactive Lewis structure drawing tool
- Dynamic STEM problems
- Real-time class results
- Over 250 built-in practice questions
- Create in-class or homework assignments
- Isoform recognition for answers
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Aktiv Learning is an active learning platform built specifically for college-level chemistry and mathematics. Say goodbye to static content and generic multiple choice questions and hello to dynamic problems that are designed to help students learn and visualize abstract concepts in STEM. Aktiv Learning allows chemistry instructors to ask students engaging questions, such as drawing Lewis structures, and receive real-time information on what structures the class is drawing. The app features a custom-built tool that allows students and instructors to quickly and intuitively draw Lewis structures on mobile devices. Additionally, both students and instructors have access to over 250 built-in questions related to Lewis structures, resonance, molecular geometries, VSEPR, hybridization, sigma and pi bonding, and molecular polarity. Features: • Intuitive Lewis structures drawing tool built specifically for mobile devices - Use as engaging demonstration for your students to show example Lewis structures and reinforce concepts such as the octet rule, formal charge, and VSEPR. Students can take advantage of the drawing tool to visualize the relationship between Lewis structures and molecular shapes. • Create in-class or homework assignments - Perfect for clicker, recitation, or review problems. Students receive push notifications to alert and remind them of pending assignments. • Assign or practice with over 250 built-in questions related to Lewis structures, resonance, molecular geometries, VSEPR, hybridization, sigma and pi bonding, and molecular polarity. • Real-time class results - Quickly find common incorrect structures to address student misunderstanding before exams. • Isoform recognition - Aktiv’s technology recognizes correct answers independent of the drawn structure orientation. • Export student activity - Student participation and performance exported in a tap of a button. • Easy sign-up - Students and instructors can create accounts and join courses all within the app in a few steps. • School IT and device independent - Assign, work, and review from any mobile device and over any network connection. More content and features coming soon!
Colby Safe
This app provides students, faculty, and staff with enhanced safety on campus. It delivers critical safety alerts and offers direct access to campus security resources, including emergency contacts and real-time location sharing for assistance.
- Emergency Contacts
- Mobile Bluelight
- Walk a Friend location sharing
- Safety Toolbox
- Tip Reporting
- Virtual WalkHome monitoring
- Campus Map
- Emergency Plans
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Colby Safe is the official safety app of Colby College. It is the only app that integrates with Colby College’s safety and security systems. The Department of Security has worked to develop a unique app that provides students, faculty and staff with added safety on the Colby College campus. The app will send you important safety alerts and provide instant access to campus safety resources. Colby Safe features include: - Emergency Contacts: Contact the correct services for the Colby College area in case of an emergency or a non-emergency concern - Mobile Bluelight: Send your location to Colby College security in real-time in case of a crisis - Walk a Friend: 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. - 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. - Share Map with your Location: Send your location to a friend by sending them a map of your position. - I’m OK!: Send your location and a message indicating that “You’re OK” to a recipient of your choosing. - Tip Reporting: Multiple ways to report a safety/security concern directly to Colby College 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. - Campus Map: Navigate around the Colby College area. - Emergency Plans: Campus emergency documentation that can prepare you for disasters or emergencies. This can be accessed even when users aren’t connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data. - Support Resources: Access support resources in one convenient app to enjoy a successful experience at Colby College. - Safety Notifications: Receive instant notifications and instructions from Colby College safety when on-campus emergencies occur. Download today to ensure you’re prepared in the event of an emergency.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Colby Safe at 4.5 against Aktiv Learning's 3.1. Colby Safe also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (100% vs 73%). Aktiv Learning's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 28 months) and ratings volume (185 vs 2). On price, ads 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
Both are free to download. Aktiv Learning sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Colby Safe asks for nothing beyond the download.
Colby Safe holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Aktiv Learning has 185 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Aktiv Learning's written reviews are positive against 100% of Colby Safe's.
Aktiv Learning ships an update every 3 weeks, Colby Safe every 28 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Aktiv Learning | Colby Safe |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.1 (185 ratings) | 4.5 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 72.5% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 185 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 28 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 112 MB | 23 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Top Hat Monocle | Colby College |
Customer experience
Aktiv Learning
Colby Safe
Bugs and requests
Aktiv Learning
Reported bugs
10 issues- Pop-up warnings flicker and disappear too quickly
- Drag-and-drop fails 70% of the time on iOS
- App crashes on specific problems with no recovery
- Login errors and password reset failures
- Users locked out of questions permanently
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- Window resizing issues on iPad 12.9in
- Questions don't load properly or display incompletely
- Subscripts/superscripts not displaying on Mac
- Split-screen functionality disabled
- Inconsistent performance between app and web versions
Requested features
10 requests- In-app notification system for assignment reminders
- Ability to sign up for courses on mobile app
- Split-screen functionality on iPad
- Zoom capability for periodic table
- Reset button for Lewis structure questions
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- Full solutions displayed after using all attempts
- Better hints and guidance for dimensional analysis
- School login integration on mobile app
- Improved question clarity and directions
- Subscript and superscript display on web version
Colby Safe
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Aktiv Learning
- Chem101 Course Activation$29.99
Colby Safe
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Aktiv Learning free?
Is Colby Safe free?
Which has better reviews, Aktiv Learning or Colby Safe?
Do Aktiv Learning or Colby Safe have ads?
Which is updated more often, Aktiv Learning or Colby Safe?
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