# SaferWatch vs Council

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SaferWatch at none against Council's 1. Council's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Council sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $29.99 per year. SaferWatch asks for nothing beyond the download.

SaferWatch ships an update every 3 months, Council every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SaferWatch | Council |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (739 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/saferwatch/id1409514604/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **739** | — |
| Positive reviews | 81.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 240 MB | 115 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [SaferWatch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1409514603) | [Encom Corp](https://appshunter.io/developer/1639959330) |

## What reviewers say

### SaferWatch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/saferwatch/id1409514604)

This app enables users to report crime, suspicious activity, and online threats, enhancing safety for individuals and organizations. It facilitates real-time communication during emergencies and non-emergencies, providing detailed safety instructions and allowing users to contribute information.

**Highlights:** Report crime and suspicious activity, Submit tips anonymously, Real-time two-way communication, Receive detailed safety instructions, Contribute information to alerts, Enhance organizational security

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Able to report crime anonymously
- 🔒 Helps protect community
- 👍 Easy to use and quick
- 🚀 Excellent app for public safety
- 👍 Helps feel safe

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Not visually friendly
- 🐛 Notifications cannot be turned off
- 🐛 Difficult to sign in or create new account
- 🐛 Clunky map feature and alerts not always visible

**Reported bugs**

- Clicking out of app frequently
- Login/account issues

**Requested features**

- Option to increase text size
- Dark mode option
- Ability to get notifications when issues are resolved
- Improved local notifications


### Council

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/council-encrypted-messaging/id1659946397)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Council annual subscription | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SaferWatch free?

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

### Is Council free?

Council is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do SaferWatch or Council have ads?

Neither SaferWatch nor Council shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SaferWatch or Council?

SaferWatch ships an update every 3 months, and Council every 2 months. Most recently, SaferWatch was updated on October 24, 2026 and Council on October 24, 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.*