# NCITE® Mobile Detective vs Cognito

The clearest difference is update cadence: Cognito at every 5 weeks against NCITE® Mobile Detective's every 10 months. Cognito also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). NCITE® Mobile Detective's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 4.0). On price, ratings volume, 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.

NCITE® Mobile Detective holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 5 respectively.

NCITE® Mobile Detective ships an update every 10 months, Cognito every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NCITE® Mobile Detective | Cognito |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ncite-mobile-detective/id579863794/reviews)** | [4.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cognito-simple-search-engine/id6443534888/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | — | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 4 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HID Global](https://appshunter.io/developer/657306800) | [Renasnce Studios Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1590291709) |

## What reviewers say

### NCITE® Mobile Detective

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ncite-mobile-detective/id579863794)

This application provides law enforcement officials with secure access to NCIC and NLETS databases. It allows for querying individuals, vehicles, articles, and firearms, while complying with FBI CJIS Security Requirements. DL photos are available for participating states.

**Highlights:** Access NCIC and NLETS databases, Query individuals, vehicles, articles, and guns, Comply with CJIS Security Requirements, FIPS 140-2 compliant encryption, Retrieve DL photos from participating states

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Cognito

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cognito-simple-search-engine/id6443534888)

Access information and knowledge rapidly with this search tool. It also provides a convenient history of your past queries for easy reference.

**Highlights:** Quick information search, Knowledge access, Search history tracking, User-friendly interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NCITE® Mobile Detective free?

NCITE® Mobile Detective is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Cognito free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NCITE® Mobile Detective or Cognito?

NCITE® Mobile Detective is rated higher. NCITE® Mobile Detective averages 4.3 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Cognito averages 4.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do NCITE® Mobile Detective or Cognito have ads?

Neither NCITE® Mobile Detective nor Cognito shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NCITE® Mobile Detective or Cognito?

NCITE® Mobile Detective ships an update every 10 months, and Cognito every 5 weeks. Most recently, NCITE® Mobile Detective was updated on November 5, 2026 and Cognito 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.*