# Forces Connect vs Below The Surface

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Forces Connect at none against Below The Surface's 2. Below The Surface's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 9 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Below The Surface sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Forces Connect asks for nothing beyond the download.

Forces Connect ships an update every 9 months, Below The Surface every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Forces Connect | Below The Surface |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 31 MB | 138 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Surrey County Council](https://appshunter.io/developer/1375535615) | [Tazmin Kirk](https://appshunter.io/developer/1878229175) |

## What reviewers say

### Forces Connect

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forces-connect/id1447381839)

This app provides a directory of contacts and information for the Armed Forces Community in the South East of England. It covers areas like Hampshire, Kent & Medway, Surrey, and Sussex, offering support for crisis, employment, family, health, and housing needs.

**Highlights:** Directory of valuable contacts, Information for Armed Forces Community, Crisis Support, Employment, Education & Training resources, Family Support, Care & Benefits, Health & Wellbeing resources, Housing & Homelessness assistance

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Below The Surface

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/below-the-surface/id6758065156)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Below the Surface Premium – Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Below the Surface Premium – Yearly | $24.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Forces Connect free?

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

### Is Below The Surface free?

Below The Surface is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Forces Connect or Below The Surface have ads?

Neither Forces Connect nor Below The Surface shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Forces Connect or Below The Surface?

Forces Connect ships an update every 9 months, and Below The Surface every 3 weeks. Most recently, Forces Connect was updated on October 3, 2026 and Below The Surface on September 26, 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.*