AppCan XP vs SkillGuard 5
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
AppCan XP
This app empowers field-based professionals to collect data, access crucial documentation, and receive important updates directly on their mobile devices. It offers customizable forms, secure data storage, and efficient communication tools for businesses.
- Customizable data collection forms
- Secure document access in the field
- Broadcast alerts with read receipts
- Data interrogation and export
- Secure, banking-grade encryption
- Web-based configuration
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AppCan – everything your company needs for field working. AppCan for iPhone and iPad is the perfect tool for field-based staff such as engineers, data audit collectors or inspectors. You can use it to collect data, distribute safety-related documentation, and even send alerts to your people in the field. What’s more, it’s secure, and you can easily customise it to suit your company’s needs. APPCAN – THE TOOL FOR BUSINESS FIELD WORK AppCan gives you the power and flexibility you need in fieldwork software, without the expensive development costs. And it’s all wrapped up in the convenience of a mobile app. You can configure AppCan to suit your business using our clean, simple and intuitive web interface. TAILOR YOUR FIELD DATA COLLECTION Using AppCan’s web interface, you can create data collection forms, tailor-made for your business. Your employees can then collect the data your business needs in the format you prefer. MAKE DATA COLLECTION EASIER BY DESIGNING YOUR OWN REPORTS ‘Report Builder’ is a simple web interface that lets you create bespoke report templates for presenting data collected using AppCan. Soft copies of these reports can be printed to PDF and re-distributed via AppCan to users as key safety-related material. ACCESS IMPORTANT DOCUMENTATION – IN THE FIELD No need to carry hard copies or search online, AppCan lets your field workers access craft manuals, safety product sheets, technical specifications or other important information directly from their iPad or iPhone. AppCan’s web interface lets you build your own folder structure for storing documents, before deciding which documents are pushed to AppCan on your users’ devices. KEEP EVERYONE UP-TO-DATE AppCan’s ‘Alerts’ function lets you broadcast messages to selected employees. Far more efficient than text messages or email, even offering a ‘read’ function, to let you know which of your recipients have seen your message. INTERROGATE YOUR DATA ANY WHICH WAY What’s the point in gathering data if you can’t slice and dice it the way you like? Our exceptional data grids let you edit, sort, filter, group, print and export your mobile records to your heart’s content. KEEP ALL YOUR INFORMATION SECURE AppCan uses security of the same standard you’d find on a banking app, with high security encryption on the web backend too. Speaking of your data, it’s worth mentioning here that we guarantee your data is always yours. If you choose, you can even exclude AppCan staff from having access to the data held within your part of our cloud storage solution.
SkillGuard 5
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The app can be used by approved access controllers, spot checkers and lone workers. Navigation controls and features are shown depending on the role. Location Search • Search for nearby sites (if geo services are enabled on the mobile device), search for a site using a site name or code or select from recent sites. • Get directions to the selected site. • For sites containing zones, the site or zone can be selected as the location. Team features • Start a team to optionally swipe in the access controller, then check and confirm/deny access to workers and visitors. • System rules determine a worker’s eligibility to work on a site – the app checks these in real time when a card is swiped and highlights if any are not met. Relevant worker record can then be reviewed along with upcoming competency and other expiries. • Access controllers can then confirm (if system rules are met) or deny access. Card Reading • The app supports reading of supported cards via both NFC (where supported by the device) and QR code. • Virtual cards stored in Vircarda are also supported. If located on the same mobile device as the SkillGuard app, the virtual card can be used to identify the user (e.g. an access controller). Please refer to the app store listing for Vircarda for more information. • Use “forgotten card” functionality to swipe in workers who have forgotten their card by entering details provided by the worker. To read physical smartcards via NFC, for example when swiping in a worker: • When prompted, hold the card in contact with the NFC area on the rear of your device until the card has been read successfully and any required card updates have completed. • NFC functionality must be enabled on the device. Swipe Out Swipe out workers from site when their card is presented, even if they are not part of your team. Competency and Briefing Award • Search for and award competencies and briefings to workers. • Review and award competencies and briefings that have been scheduled for award. • Attach files stored on the device or use photos as evidence. • Use the same group evidence for awarding the same competency to multiple workers. Muster List Review workers currently on site, even if they have been swiped in by other access controllers. Other Features • View requirements to swipe into the current location. • Change location when moving to a new site. • Travel information captured in the app is recorded centrally in SkillGuard, providing a basis for environmental and carbon emission reporting. • Swipe history shows a history of recent swipes performed on the device. These can be cleared locally from the device if desired (swipes will always be retained centrally in SkillGuard). • Navigation controls are readily available within the app to allow fast switching between features. • Application security via two-factor authentication during login (email or SMS). • Online help can be viewed to learn more about using the app. • Internet access is not required to read smartcards using NFC – the last details stored in the smartcard’s microchip will be read if the app is offline. If internet access is available when an NFC card is read, any offline updates for that smartcard from the SkillGuard database are transferred automatically to it. • Offline smartcard checks recorded in the app are uploaded automatically to SkillGuard when an internet connection is available. Access controllers can access all of these features. Spot checkers can spot check cards, view the muster list and change location. Lone workers can swipe themselves in and out of a site, change location and check their card details.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: AppCan XP at monthly against SkillGuard 5's every 7 months. 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.
AppCan XP ships an update monthly, SkillGuard 5 every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | AppCan XP | SkillGuard 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 7 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 176 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | AppCan Ltd | Reference Point Limited |
In-app purchases
AppCan XP
No in-app purchases
SkillGuard 5
No in-app purchases








