# SIM vs Safe Excavator

The clearest difference is rating: Safe Excavator at 4.5 against SIM's 4.0. Safe Excavator also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). SIM's advantage is iOS requirement (13.4 vs 15.1). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Safe Excavator holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 6 respectively.

SIM ships an update every 2 months, Safe Excavator every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 21, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SIM | Safe Excavator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sim-works/id1139928238/reviews) | **[4.5 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/safe-excavator/id1323108596/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **6** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 15 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.4** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Safety in Motion Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1139928237) | [National Excavator Initiative](https://appshunter.io/developer/1444765094) |

## What reviewers say

### SIM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sim-works/id1139928238)

Reinforce safety techniques taught in training with remote review and guided conversations. This app provides scripted content and animations to help users apply specific safety methods in any environment or for any task.

**Highlights:** Reinforce safety techniques, Remote review capability, Scripted content for conversations, Animations for technical review, Integrates with safety tools

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Safe Excavator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/safe-excavator/id1323108596)

Access excavation legal requirements by state and topic. Track and report damages or near misses involving underground facilities. Streamline safety and productivity for excavation projects.

**Highlights:** State-specific excavation laws, Damage and near-miss tracking, Reporting to DIRT, 811 notification center links, Safe digging tips and checklist

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SIM free?

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

### Is Safe Excavator free?

Safe Excavator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SIM or Safe Excavator?

Safe Excavator is rated higher. SIM averages 4.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Safe Excavator averages 4.5 from 6 ratings.

### Do SIM or Safe Excavator have ads?

Neither SIM nor Safe Excavator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SIM or Safe Excavator?

SIM ships an update every 2 months, and Safe Excavator every 3 weeks. Most recently, SIM was updated on October 21, 2026 and Safe Excavator on October 21, 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.*