Comparison

Columbia Protocol vs Bells

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

Head to head
About

Columbia Protocol

This application provides a standardized tool for assessing suicide risk through a series of questions. It is designed for widespread use to aid in suicide prevention, offering guidance for low or moderate risk responses.

Highlights
  • Suicide risk assessment
  • Evidence-supported tool
  • Simple question series
  • Global usability
  • Mental health referral guidance
Features
Read full description

The Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), the most evidence-supported tool of its kind, is a simple series of questions that anyone can use anywhere in the world to help prevent suicide. Disclaimer: If you are high risk, a further evaluation is indicated. For Low or Moderate answers, a mental health referral may be helpful or is provided. Thank you to the sponsors that helped make this a possibility: Blair County Department of Social Services Community Care Behavioral Health UPMC Healthy Blair County Coalition UPMC Altoona Foundation

About

Bells

This AI-powered tool streamlines documentation for service providers, automating data capture and syncing it to client EHRs. It optimizes note quality with clinically relevant language, saving time for QA teams and improving reimbursement processes.

Highlights
  • AI-assisted note optimization
  • Automatic EHR data syncing
  • Clinically relevant language training
  • Grammar and spelling assistance
  • Client event reminders
  • Scribbles for quick notes
Features
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AI-assisted features allow the service provider more time to focus on their client, whether in the community or in the office. Data capture in Bells seamlessly and automatically syncs to the clients' chart in the EHR. This creates a very efficient information flow and provides the agency with a holistic, up-to-the-moment view of the client. Our AI engine is trained with clinically relevant language and phrases from behavioral health and human service care paradigms. This enables Bells to review, flag and recommend changes that will optimize the note's overall quality based on the program and type of care. The result is significant savings of time and effort for internal QA teams, a reduction in the time it takes to submit a progress note for reimbursement, and an overall improvement in your audit results. Bells assists with grammar, spelling, key phrase preferences, ensuring the documentation is for the intended client. Data capture in Bells provides users with reminders of upcoming and past due client focused events, and even offers shorthand efficiencies in the progress note and within Scribbles via Bells Commands. Scribbles is the fastest way to jot something down, attach it to a client or progress note, or simply leave it as an unassigned scribble for future reference. Bells is accessible via a mobile application designed specifically for use in the community or via a desktop experience offering flexibility for service providers. Bells gives the service provider a unique tool to help them enhance their documentation in an efficient and effective manner based on the agency's preferences.

Screenshots

Columbia Protocol4 screens
Bells4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Bells at 4.8 against Columbia Protocol's 4.4. Bells also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 weeks). Columbia Protocol's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

Bells holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 11 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Columbia Protocol ships an update every 6 weeks, Bells every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Columbia Protocol versus Bells: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterColumbia ProtocolBells
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (12 ratings)4.8 (11 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings12 — better11
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS14.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB53 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperPSS Chute SoftwareRemarkable Health, LLC.

Customer experience

Columbia Protocol

All ratings12 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral8.3%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%

Bells

All ratings11 ratings
Positive90.9%
Neutral9.1%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Columbia Protocol

No in-app purchases

None

Bells

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Columbia Protocol free?
Columbia Protocol is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Bells free?
Bells is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Columbia Protocol or Bells?
Bells is rated higher. Columbia Protocol averages 4.4 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Bells averages 4.8 from 11 ratings.
Do Columbia Protocol or Bells have ads?
Neither Columbia Protocol nor Bells shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Columbia Protocol or Bells?
Columbia Protocol ships an update every 6 weeks, and Bells every 3 weeks. Most recently, Columbia Protocol was updated on September 15, 2026 and Bells on September 18, 2026.

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