# PolyAlerte vs Ali the Virtual Assistant

The clearest difference is update cadence: Ali the Virtual Assistant at every 3 weeks against PolyAlerte's every 39 months. PolyAlerte's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, review sentiment, 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.

PolyAlerte ships an update every 39 months, Ali the Virtual Assistant every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PolyAlerte | Ali the Virtual Assistant |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 39 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 29 MB | 95 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Corporation de l'Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1488647545) | [Ellipse Synergie Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1521284666) |

## What reviewers say

### PolyAlerte

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polyalerte/id1488647546)

This official campus safety app provides students, faculty, and staff with essential safety alerts and direct access to security resources. Features include emergency contacts, location sharing for friends, reporting suspicious activity, and offline access to emergency procedures and campus maps.

**Highlights:** Emergency Contacts, Friend Walk location sharing, Report suspicious activity, Campus and building maps, Offline emergency procedures, Safety notifications

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Ali the Virtual Assistant

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ali-the-virtual-assistant/id1527263069)

This app assists college students by answering questions about their institution and connecting them with support services. It offers tailored advice from professionals for concerns and ensures confidential conversations.

**Highlights:** College-specific information, Connect to support services, Tailored advice from professionals, Confidential and secure conversations, Guidance to the right service

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PolyAlerte free?

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

### Is Ali the Virtual Assistant free?

Ali the Virtual Assistant is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do PolyAlerte or Ali the Virtual Assistant have ads?

Neither PolyAlerte nor Ali the Virtual Assistant shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PolyAlerte or Ali the Virtual Assistant?

PolyAlerte ships an update every 39 months, and Ali the Virtual Assistant every 3 weeks. Most recently, PolyAlerte was updated on September 23, 2026 and Ali the Virtual Assistant on October 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.*