Comparison

VandySafe vs PhoneIoT

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

VandySafe

This app provides Vanderbilt University students, faculty, and staff with enhanced safety features. It offers real-time location sharing, emergency contact options, tip reporting, and safety alerts. Access campus maps, crime data, and emergency plans for a secure campus experience.

Highlights
  • Mobile Bluelight for real-time location sharing
  • Emergency and non-emergency contact options
  • Direct safety/security tip reporting
  • Instant safety notifications and instructions
  • Emergency preparedness plans
  • Live chat with campus security
  • Campus maps and crime mapping
Features
Read full description

VandySafe is the official safety app of Vanderbilt University. It is the only app that integrates with Vanderbilt University's safety and security systems. Emergency Preparedness has worked to develop a unique app that provides students, faculty and staff with added safety on the Vanderbilt University campus. The app will send you important safety alerts and provide instant access to campus safety resources. VandySafe features include: - Mobile Bluelight: Send your location to Vanderbilt University security in real-time in case of a crisis - Emergency Contacts: Contact the correct services for the Vanderbilt University area in case of an emergency or a non-emergency concern - Tip Reporting: Multiple ways to report a safety/security concern directly to Vanderbilt University security. - Safety notifications: Receive instant notifications and instructions from campus safety when on-campus emergencies occur. - Emergency Plans: Learn what to do in case of an emergency - Chat with Security: Communicate live with safety staff at Vanderbilt University via chat. - Campus Maps and VandyVans - Find your way around campus. - Crime Mapping: View recent crimes that have occurred on and near campus. - Campus safety resources: access all important safety resources in one convenient app. Download today and ensure that you’re prepared in the event of an emergency.

About

PhoneIoT

This app connects to a block-based programming environment, enabling remote access to your device's sensors and display. Students can create interactive projects, like using their device as a remote control for robots.

Highlights
  • Connects to NetsBlox educational programming environment
  • Remotely access iOS device sensors
  • Control device display from code
  • Create engaging programming projects
  • Enable device as robot remote control
Features
Read full description

PhoneIoT allows you to connect to NetsBlox (https://editor.netsblox.org/?), a block-based educational programming environment, and remotely access your iOS device's sensors and display from code. Along with some of the other distributed computing services available through NetsBlox, this allows students to create highly engaging projects, such as turning your iOS device into an accelerometer-enabled remote control driving a virtual or physical robot rolling around on the ground (via the pre-existing RoboScape service on NetsBlox).

Screenshots

VandySafe4 screens
PhoneIoT3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: PhoneIoT at 5.0 against VandySafe's 3.7. PhoneIoT also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 9 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). VandySafe's advantage is ratings volume (20 vs 4). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PhoneIoT holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: VandySafe has 20 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

VandySafe ships an update every 9 months, PhoneIoT every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and July 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
VandySafe versus PhoneIoT: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVandySafePhoneIoT
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (20 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings20 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.613.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size30 MB22 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVanderbilt UniversityDevin Jean

Customer experience

VandySafe

All ratings20 ratings
Positive65.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative25.0%

PhoneIoT

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

VandySafe

No in-app purchases

None

PhoneIoT

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is VandySafe free?
VandySafe is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PhoneIoT free?
PhoneIoT is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, VandySafe or PhoneIoT?
PhoneIoT is rated higher. VandySafe averages 3.7 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while PhoneIoT averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do VandySafe or PhoneIoT have ads?
Neither VandySafe nor PhoneIoT shows ads.
Which is updated more often, VandySafe or PhoneIoT?
VandySafe ships an update every 9 months, and PhoneIoT every 2 weeks. Most recently, VandySafe was updated on September 14, 2026 and PhoneIoT on July 23, 2026.

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