# Shovel Study Planner vs Iowa State Safe

The clearest difference is rating: Iowa State Safe at 5.0 against Shovel Study Planner's 4.3. Iowa State Safe also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.5). Shovel Study Planner's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 14 months) and ratings volume (249 vs 1). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Shovel Study Planner sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Iowa State Safe asks for nothing beyond the download.

Iowa State Safe holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shovel Study Planner has 249 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Shovel Study Planner ships an update every 5 weeks, Iowa State Safe every 14 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shovel Study Planner | Iowa State Safe |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (249 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shovel-study-planner/id1467742357/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iowa-state-safe/id1660274301/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **249** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 52.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 14 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 28 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.5 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [How To Study Smart, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1467742356) | [Iowa State University of Science and Technology](https://appshunter.io/developer/433925044) |

## What reviewers say

### Shovel Study Planner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shovel-study-planner/id1467742357)

This app helps students manage their academic workload through time-blocking and executive functioning skills. It predicts if tasks can be completed on time and allows for flexible schedule adjustments. It requires initial setup on a web platform.

**Highlights:** Time-blocking for tasks, Real-time time cushion estimates, Consolidated task management, Ideal schedule building, Rotating class schedule support, Detailed task progress tracking, Weighted grade calculation

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime plan | $13.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime plan | $46.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 Excellent for student organization and time management
- ⏱️ Unique time-blocking and scheduling features
- 🎓 Course and assignment-focused organization system
- 💻 Desktop/web version works reliably and comprehensively
- 🎨 Clean, minimalist, and aesthetically pleasing interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Mobile app frequently crashes and becomes unresponsive
- 📱 Mobile app significantly less functional than web version
- ⚠️ App shows blank screens and fails to load content
- 🔌 Requires constant internet connection, no offline access
- 🛠️ Appears to be abandoned with no recent updates

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when attempting to edit task times
- Blank white screen on app launch
- Touch input not responding on iPad with Apple Pencil
- Tasks and calendar items disappear after login
- Tasks fail to save when entered

**Requested features**

- Push notifications for tasks and assignments
- Dark mode for mobile app
- Widget functionality that works reliably
- Offline access and offline storage
- Landscape mode for iPad


### Iowa State Safe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iowa-state-safe/id1660274301)

This official university safety application provides students, faculty, and staff with enhanced campus security. It offers direct access to emergency services, real-time location sharing for personal safety, and a comprehensive suite of tools for reporting concerns and receiving critical alerts.

**Highlights:** Emergency Contacts, Mobile Bluelight with real-time location, Friend Walk location sharing, Report safety concerns, Virtual WalkHome monitoring, Live chat with campus security, Emergency response documentation

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shovel Study Planner free?

Shovel Study Planner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Iowa State Safe free?

Iowa State Safe is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Shovel Study Planner or Iowa State Safe?

Iowa State Safe is rated higher. Shovel Study Planner averages 4.3 out of 5 from 249 ratings, while Iowa State Safe averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Shovel Study Planner or Iowa State Safe have ads?

Neither Shovel Study Planner nor Iowa State Safe shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shovel Study Planner or Iowa State Safe?

Shovel Study Planner ships an update every 5 weeks, and Iowa State Safe every 14 months. Most recently, Shovel Study Planner was updated on November 6, 2026 and Iowa State Safe on November 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.*