# HackIllinois vs UIC SAFE

The clearest difference is review sentiment: HackIllinois at 100% against UIC SAFE's 36%. HackIllinois also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.6) and update cadence (daily vs every 4 months). UIC SAFE's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

HackIllinois holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 32 and 24 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of HackIllinois's written reviews are positive against 36% of UIC SAFE's.

HackIllinois ships an update daily, UIC SAFE every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on June 5, 2026 and June 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HackIllinois | UIC SAFE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackillinois/id1451755268/reviews)** | [3.6 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uic-safe/id1454417093/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **32** | 24 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 36.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 46 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ACM UIUC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1200368579) | [University of Illinois at Chicago](https://appshunter.io/developer/903164824) |

## What reviewers say

### HackIllinois

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackillinois/id1451755268)

This app enhances the hackathon experience by providing event schedules, point-earning opportunities through QR scans and duels, and a shop for redeeming prizes. Users can track their progress, view rankings, and manage check-ins for food and events.

**Highlights:** Event schedule and details, Point system via QR scans and duels, Prize redemption in Point Shop, Personal progress and rank tracking, Event check-in functionality, Countdown timer for hacking

**In-app purchases:** none


### UIC SAFE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uic-safe/id1454417093)

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

**Highlights:** Emergency call button, Real-time location sharing with friends, Instant safety notifications and alerts, Live chat with campus police, Anonymous tip reporting, Emergency preparedness guidance

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HackIllinois free?

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

### Is UIC SAFE free?

UIC SAFE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, HackIllinois or UIC SAFE?

HackIllinois is rated higher. HackIllinois averages 4.7 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while UIC SAFE averages 3.6 from 24 ratings.

### Do HackIllinois or UIC SAFE have ads?

Neither HackIllinois nor UIC SAFE shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HackIllinois or UIC SAFE?

HackIllinois ships an update daily, and UIC SAFE every 4 months. Most recently, HackIllinois was updated on June 5, 2026 and UIC SAFE on June 3, 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.*