Formula SAE vs HackIllinois
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Formula SAE
This app provides essential information for the Formula SAE community, including competition news, schedules, maps, and team details. Stay updated with real-time scoring, results, and important announcements, even without data service.
- Competition news and updates
- Interactive maps and schedules
- Team scoring notifications
- Event results and leaderboards
- Paddock team locator
- Push notifications for announcements
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The Formula SAE app was custom built for the Formula SAE community: competitors, volunteers, spectators, and sponsors. Using the app, you’ll have access to competition news, maps, schedules, paddock list, team list, and more. • Team Scoring Notifications - Follow your favorite teams’ results, achievements, and penalties as they compete during competition. • Event Results – Easily access leaderboards, static results, live dynamic results, and submit problem reports for your team. • Push Notifications & Announcements - Be automatically notified about important competition announcements as well as of weather-related impacts while on-site. • Maps & Schedules - Access the most up to date maps, schedules, and competition guides--available in the app even if you don’t have data service coverage at the competition site. • Paddock List – Use the Team Paddock List to locate your favorite teams in the paddocks while on site at competition.
HackIllinois
This app enhances the hackathon experience by providing event schedules, point-earning opportunities through QR scans and duels, and a shop for redeeming prizes. Users can track their progress, view rankings, and manage check-ins for food and events.
- Event schedule and details
- Point system via QR scans and duels
- Prize redemption in Point Shop
- Personal progress and rank tracking
- Event check-in functionality
- Countdown timer for hacking
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Download the official HackIllinois 2026 app for a complete in-person hackathon experience! With our app, you can: - See how much time you have left to hack! - View the time, location, and other details for all of our events. - Scan QR codes at events to obtain points! - Play duels against other members for points. - Get checked in by staff for food and other events. - Redeem points for merchandise and raffle prizes through our newly improved Point Shop! - View your rank, points, and other personal information. - and more!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: HackIllinois at 4.7 against Formula SAE's 3.3. HackIllinois also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (32 vs 10). Formula SAE's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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.
HackIllinois holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 32 respectively.
Formula SAE ships an update every 5 months, HackIllinois daily. The most recent releases landed on June 19, 2026 and June 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Formula SAE | HackIllinois |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.3 (10 ratings) | 4.7 (32 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 10 | 32 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Daily — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 47 MB | 46 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | SAE International | ACM UIUC |
Customer experience
Formula SAE
HackIllinois
In-app purchases
Formula SAE
No in-app purchases
HackIllinois
No in-app purchases
