# HackIllinois vs HexLabs

The clearest difference is update cadence: HackIllinois at daily against HexLabs's weekly. HackIllinois also leads on ratings volume (32 vs 8). HexLabs's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.1). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

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

HexLabs holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 32 and 8 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

HackIllinois ships an update daily, HexLabs weekly. The most recent releases landed on June 5, 2026 and June 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HackIllinois | HexLabs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackillinois/id1451755268/reviews) | **[4.9 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hexlabs/id1478268737/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **32** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 46 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **11.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ACM UIUC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1200368579) | [HackGT, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1591143703) |

## 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


### HexLabs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hexlabs/id1478268737)

This app helps students discover and manage events for collegiate and high school competitions. It provides a centralized platform to view event schedules, access important information, and plan participation. The goal is to foster an inspiring environment for students to bring their ideas to life.

**Highlights:** Event discovery, Personalized schedule, Access important information, View current and upcoming events, Resource-rich environment

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HackIllinois free?

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

### Is HexLabs free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HackIllinois or HexLabs?

HexLabs is rated higher. HackIllinois averages 4.7 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while HexLabs averages 4.9 from 8 ratings.

### Do HackIllinois or HexLabs have ads?

Neither HackIllinois nor HexLabs shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HackIllinois or HexLabs?

HackIllinois ships an update daily, and HexLabs weekly. Most recently, HackIllinois was updated on June 5, 2026 and HexLabs on June 9, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*