Common App vs Guilford Guard
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Common App
Manage your college applications on the go. This app offers a secure and streamlined way to apply to over 1000 colleges, research financial aid options, and access guidance from counselors, all from your mobile device.
- Apply to 1000+ colleges
- Research financial aid
- Get counselor advice
- Secure application process
- Mobile convenience
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Simplify your college application experience with Common App for mobile. Common App for mobile provides you with the same secure, streamlined application experience you’ve come to expect from Common App online, all from the convenience of your mobile device. The app seamlessly integrates with the first-year desktop experience — allowing you to apply to more than 1000 colleges, research financial aid, and get advice from counselors. Common App for mobile is free and easy to use. Download the app to navigate your entire college application journey.
Guilford Guard
This safety app provides students, faculty, and staff with enhanced security on campus. It offers emergency contacts, real-time location sharing for crises, and tools to report concerns or navigate campus safely. Access emergency plans and support resources even without a connection.
- Emergency Contacts
- Mobile Bluelight (real-time location)
- Friend Walk location sharing
- Tip Reporting
- Virtual WalkHome monitoring
- Safety Toolbox
- Campus Maps
- Emergency Plans (offline access)
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Guilford Guard is the official safety app of Guilford College. It is the only app that integrates with Guilford College's safety and security systems. Public Safety has worked to develop a unique app that provides students, faculty and staff with added safety on the Guilford College campus. The app will send you important safety alerts and provide instant access to campus safety resources. Guilford Guard features include: - Emergency Contacts: Contact the correct services for the Guilford College area in case of an emergency or a non-emergency concern - Mobile Bluelight: Send your location to Guilford College security in real-time in case of a crisis - Friend Walk: Send your location to a friend through email or SMS on your device. Once the friend accepts the Friend Walk request, the user picks their destination and their friend tracks their location in real time; they can keep an eye on them to make sure they make it safely to their destination. - Tip Reporting: Multiple ways to report a safety concern directly to Guilford College Public Safety. - Virtual WalkHome: Allow Campus Security to monitor a user’s walk. If a user feels unsafe when walking on campus, they can request a Virtual WalkHome and a dispatcher on the other end will monitor their journey until they reach their destination. - Safety Toolbox: Enhance your safety with the set of tools provided in one convenient app. - Campus Maps: Navigate around the Guilford College area. - Emergency Plans: Campus emergency documentation that can prepare you for disasters or emergencies. This can be accessed even when users aren’t connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data. - Support Resources: Access support resources in one convenient app to enjoy a successful experience at Guilford College. - Safety Notifications: Receive instant notifications and instructions from Guilford College safety when on-campus emergencies occur. Download today to ensure you’re prepared in the event of an emergency.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Guilford Guard at 5.0 against Common App's 3.0. Guilford Guard also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). Common App's advantage is ratings volume (679 vs 1) and update cadence (every 9 months vs every 40 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Guilford Guard holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Common App has 679 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Common App ships an update every 9 months, Guilford Guard every 40 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Common App | Guilford Guard |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (679 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 22.9% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 679 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months — better | Every 40 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #56 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 16 MB | 23 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | The Common Application | Guilford College |
Customer experience
Common App
Guilford Guard
Bugs and requests
Common App
Reported bugs
3 issues- White screen on login
- App doesn't load past logo
- Redirects transfer students to website
Requested features
3 requests- Keep user logged in for longer
- Increase text box size
- Add back button navigation
Guilford Guard
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Common App
No in-app purchases
Guilford Guard
No in-app purchases
