# Lion Safe vs The Commons

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Lion Safe at 100% against The Commons's 13%. Lion Safe also leads on rating (4.0 vs 1.3). The Commons's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 41 months) and ratings volume (230 vs 4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Lion Safe holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 1.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Commons has 230 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Lion Safe's written reviews are positive against 13% of The Commons's.

Lion Safe ships an update every 41 months, The Commons fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lion Safe | The Commons |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lion-safe/id1434558723/reviews)** | [1.3 (230 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-commons-students/id6746174591/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **230** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 13.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 41 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 30 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TAMUC Official](https://appshunter.io/developer/1434558722) | [The Commons, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1815629327) |

## What reviewers say

### Lion Safe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lion-safe/id1434558723)

This official university safety app provides students, faculty, and staff with enhanced campus security. It offers real-time location sharing, emergency alerts, and direct communication with campus police.

**Highlights:** Mobile Bluelight location sharing, Friend Walk real-time location tracking, Direct emergency contact access, Anonymous tip reporting, Instant safety notifications, Emergency preparedness plans, Live chat with campus police

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### The Commons

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-commons-students/id6746174591)

This app helps students stay focused during school hours by pausing access to distracting apps like social media and games. It automatically activates at school and deactivates when the day ends, ensuring essential academic and communication apps remain accessible. It prioritizes privacy with no tracking or data collection.

**Highlights:** Automatic focus activation at school, Blocks distracting apps during school hours, Keeps essential academic apps accessible, Privacy-first with no tracking, Builds stronger tech habits

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Helps students focus on school work

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Blocks access to social media and communication apps
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with VPN and data tracking
- 🐛 Causes issues with phone functionality
- 🤬 Perceived as an unnecessary and intrusive app

**Reported bugs**

- VPN doesn't work properly when traveling
- Slows down messaging and other apps

**Requested features**

- Allow access to certain apps during school hours
- Improve VPN functionality when traveling
- Provide more transparency on data collection and usage


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lion Safe free?

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

### Is The Commons free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Lion Safe or The Commons?

Lion Safe is rated higher. Lion Safe averages 4.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while The Commons averages 1.3 from 230 ratings.

### Do Lion Safe or The Commons have ads?

Neither Lion Safe nor The Commons shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lion Safe or The Commons?

Lion Safe ships an update every 41 months, and The Commons fortnightly. Most recently, Lion Safe was updated on June 1, 2026 and The Commons on September 23, 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.*