# Common App vs Guilford Guard

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Common App | Guilford Guard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (679 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/common-app/id1533688509/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guilford-guard/id1557937360/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **679** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 22.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 months** | Every 40 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#60** | — |
| Size | 16 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The Common Application](https://appshunter.io/developer/1030434052) | [Guilford College](https://appshunter.io/developer/1557937362) |

## What reviewers say

### Common App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/common-app/id1533688509)

**Currently charting:** #60 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** Apply to 1000+ colleges, Research financial aid, Get counselor advice, Secure application process, Mobile convenience

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient mobile app
- 👍 Same functionality as website
- 🎉 Finally available as an app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🔑 Requires re-login every time
- 🚫 Doesn't work for transfer students

**Reported bugs**

- White screen on login
- App doesn't load past logo
- Redirects transfer students to website

**Requested features**

- Keep user logged in for longer
- Increase text box size
- Add back button navigation


### Guilford Guard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guilford-guard/id1557937360)

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.

**Highlights:** Emergency Contacts, Mobile Bluelight (real-time location), Friend Walk location sharing, Tip Reporting, Virtual WalkHome monitoring, Safety Toolbox, Campus Maps, Emergency Plans (offline access)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Common App free?

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

### Is Guilford Guard free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Common App or Guilford Guard?

Guilford Guard is rated higher. Common App averages 3.0 out of 5 from 679 ratings, while Guilford Guard averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Common App or Guilford Guard have ads?

Neither Common App nor Guilford Guard shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Common App or Guilford Guard?

Common App ships an update every 9 months, and Guilford Guard every 40 months. Most recently, Common App was updated on November 7, 2026 and Guilford Guard 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.*