Comparison

MIT Atlas vs COLM

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

MIT Atlas

This app serves the MIT community by acting as a digital key to the Institute. It enables your MIT ID, grants access to campus spaces, and connects you with essential systems and support for your work.

Highlights
  • Digital MIT ID
  • Campus space access
  • System and support interaction
  • Navigate MIT world
Features
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For the MIT community. Navigate your MIT world. The MIT Atlas app is your digital key to the Institute. Enable your MIT ID. Access campus spaces. Interact with the systems and support you need to accomplish your work.

About

COLM

Features
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The official app of the Conference on Language Modeling

Screenshots

MIT Atlas4 screens
COLM3 screens

Verdict

The call

MIT Atlas and COLM are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MIT Atlas ships an update every 2 weeks, COLM fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 14, 2026.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
MIT Atlas versus COLM: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMIT AtlasCOLM
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.1 (203 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews28.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings203 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size303 MB47 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyAnthony Manzo

Bugs and requests

MIT Atlas

Reported bugs

12 issues
  • App requires frequent updating to work
  • Features appear and disappear randomly
  • App fails repeatedly when trying to get alumni ID
  • App doesn't work on PC
  • Multi-factor authentication screens don't handle autocomplete correctly
Show 7 more
  • Password setup screen doesn't recognize dashes or periods
  • Commencement requires app update loop
  • App doesn't show COVID test results clearly (positive/negative same notification)
  • Update server frequently cannot be reached
  • Flashes during screen transitions
  • Travel section doesn't seem to send info
  • App only available on newer iPhones

Requested features

12 requests
  • Provide better info to users
  • Look into app issues
  • Allow attestation even if not updated
  • Less frequent cumulative updates
  • Accompanying Apple Watch app
Show 7 more
  • Bring back original lean version
  • Put widgets back
  • Allow users to use the app and update when convenient
  • Have a 30 min warning and/or notification that covid pass has expired
  • Adopt a regular, predictable schedule for updates
  • Give users control over notifications
  • Remind users to get tested with more notice

COLM

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

MIT Atlas

No in-app purchases

None

COLM

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MIT Atlas free?
MIT Atlas is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is COLM free?
COLM is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do MIT Atlas or COLM have ads?
Neither MIT Atlas nor COLM shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MIT Atlas or COLM?
MIT Atlas ships an update every 2 weeks, and COLM fortnightly. Most recently, MIT Atlas was updated on October 14, 2026 and COLM on October 14, 2026.

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