# Yale Access vs RipGuard

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Yale Access at none against RipGuard's 3. Yale Access also leads on ratings volume (77K vs 3) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). RipGuard's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. RipGuard sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Yale Access asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Yale Access against 5.0 for RipGuard. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Yale Access has 77K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Yale Access ships an update fortnightly, RipGuard every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Yale Access | RipGuard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (77K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/yale-access/id1450980221/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ripguard-rip-current-detector/id6741720064/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **77K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 40.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 308 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6.1 | **17.5** |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [August Home, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/648730595) | [Exsolia Labs LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1790554248) |

## What reviewers say

### Yale Access

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/yale-access/id1450980221)

Control and secure your home with smart lock technology. Manage access for family and guests, receive activity alerts, and enjoy peace of mind knowing your property is protected. This app is compatible with specific Yale and August smart lock models in the US and Canada.

**Highlights:** Smart lock control, Home security management, Access for family and guests, Activity alerts, Peace of mind, Compatible with Yale and August locks

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient keyless entry
- 🔒 Secure lock with fingerprint scanner
- 👍 Easy to set up and use
- 👍 Great for short-term rentals
- 👍 Responsive and reliable

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes and bugs
- 🔋 No battery level indicator
- 🔒 Cannot remove self as guest on others' locks
- 👎 Unreliable auto-lock/unlock feature
- 👎 Poor customer support

**Reported bugs**

- App shows incorrect lock status
- Issues with adding/deleting users
- Connectivity problems between lock and app
- Firmware updates causing functionality issues
- Incompatibility with certain devices/networks

**Requested features**

- Add battery level indicator
- Allow users to remove themselves as guests
- Improve auto-lock/unlock functionality
- Provide better integration with smart home platforms
- Enhance app UI and UX


### RipGuard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ripguard-rip-current-detector/id6741720064)

This app uses AI to detect dangerous rip currents at the beach in real-time using your device's camera. It provides a live map of reported currents and allows users to contribute their own findings, offering peace of mind for beachgoers.

**Highlights:** AI-powered rip current detection, Real-time camera scanning, Offline detection capability, Live rip current map, Crowdsourced alerts, User-submitted reports

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Yale Access free?

Yale Access is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is RipGuard free?

RipGuard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Yale Access or RipGuard?

RipGuard is rated higher. Yale Access averages 4.9 out of 5 from 77K ratings, while RipGuard averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Yale Access or RipGuard have ads?

Yale Access shows ads; RipGuard does not.

### Which is updated more often, Yale Access or RipGuard?

Yale Access ships an update fortnightly, and RipGuard every 2 months. Most recently, Yale Access was updated on October 27, 2026 and RipGuard on October 19, 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.*