SchoolBase vs The New Beacon
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SchoolBase
This app provides a secure platform for schools to communicate with parents and pupils. It offers features like timetabling, event notifications, and a notice board. Staff can also manage registers, pupil information, and send messages.
- Timetabling access
- Event notifications
- Notice board updates
- Register taking
- Pupil and group finder
- Message sending
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Furlong's SchoolBase enables fast, simple and secure access to important school information. Parents and pupils have access to key areas including: - Timetabling - Events - Notice Board SchoolBase helps improve communication between schools, parents and pupils. Staff can: - Take registers - Find pupils and groups - Access timetables - See events - Manage cover requests - Send messages to parents and pupils Even more features are in development and will be available soon!
The New Beacon
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This app is The New Beacon School's own parent engagement and communication app and it is designed to enhance communication between the school and parents of our students. Benefits of this app for parents of students at the New Beacon School include: - Receive push notifications and in-app messages from the School. - Keep important School information available away from the clutter of email. - View the school calendar and noticeboard, with information relevant to you and your child. - Access important School information via The Hub. - Keep up to date with your children's activities via the Newsfeed. - Clear and visible Notice updates for important School events. - Paperless communication. Registration: To use the New Beacon School app, you will need an account which will be provided by your child's school.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: SchoolBase at every 3 weeks against The New Beacon's every 2 months. SchoolBase also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
SchoolBase ships an update every 3 weeks, The New Beacon every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SchoolBase | The New Beacon |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.7 (3 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 3 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 12 MB | 138 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Furlong Solutions | Weduc UK Ltd |
In-app purchases
SchoolBase
No in-app purchases
The New Beacon
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is SchoolBase free?
Is The New Beacon free?
Do SchoolBase or The New Beacon have ads?
Which is updated more often, SchoolBase or The New Beacon?
Other comparisons
