Comparison

Solve the Outbreak vs Co

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

Head to head
About

Solve the Outbreak

Become a Disease Detective and solve simulated outbreaks by analyzing clues and data. Make critical decisions to contain diseases and save lives, earning badges and climbing ranks. Learn about real-world disease investigation in an engaging, game-like experience.

Highlights
  • Solve simulated outbreaks
  • Analyze clues and data
  • Make critical decisions
  • Earn badges and ranks
  • Learn about diseases
  • Challenge friends
Features
Read full description

Your mission, if you choose to accept, is to get clues and analyze data to solve the outbreak and save lives! In this fun app, you get to be a Disease Detective. Do you quarantine the village? Interview people who are sick? Run more lab tests? The better your answers, the higher your score - and the quicker you’ll climb the ranks to become a decorated Disease Detective. In level 1, you’ll start as a Trainee and earn badges by solving scenarios — with the goal of earning the top rank: Disease Detective. Unlock Level 2 by mastering all the 12 outbreaks of Level 1. Then earn honors by solving new and more challenging scenarios. Earn recognitions like Surveillance and Treatment Honors. New outbreaks happen every day and CDC's Disease Detectives are on the front lines — working 24/7 to save lives and protect people. When a new outbreak occurs, Disease Detectives are sent in to figure out how the outbreak started before it spreads further. In this app, you'll also: • Learn about diseases and outbreaks in an engaging way. • See how CDC's Disease Detectives save lives around the world. • Have the option to post your scores on Facebook or Twitter and challenge your friends to play!

About

Co

This app provides advanced word prediction and spelling support for students. It offers grammar-smart suggestions and access to millions of topic-specific dictionaries to aid in writing. Built-in text-to-speech functionality helps users review their work.

Highlights
  • Grammar-smart word prediction
  • Millions of topic-specific dictionaries
  • Flexspell™ technology for spelling errors
  • Built-in text-to-speech
  • Personalized vocabulary and settings
Features
Read full description

Co:Writer® Universal app and third-party keyboard gives students easy access to word prediction on iPad, iPad Pro, iPhone, and iPod Touch. Students simply sign in to their Co:Writer Universal accounts to write with their personal settings and vocabulary. ABOUT CO:WRITER UNIVERSAL This version is for schools with a Co:Writer Universal license only. Users without a Co:Writer Universal license must purchase the Co:Writer app. HOW DOES CO:WRITER WORK? As letters are typed, Co:Writer predicts the intended word with a selection of word suggestions using powerful grammar-smart word prediction. These suggestions can be read aloud with a swipe. Selecting the intended word places it into the writing document. For feedback while writing (and after writing) built-in text to speech can be used to read letters, words, sentences, and the entire document. 4+ MILLION TOPIC-SPECIFIC DICTIONARIES Co:Writer has access to a main prediction dictionary (that includes core words) and Topic Dictionaries (that includes topic specific words). Co:Writer can access over 4 million topic-specific dictionaries which are activated based on the writing task. A small sampling of the variety of topic dictionaries: - America's Cup - Apple II - Compare and Contrast - Dinosaurs - Grumpy Cat - History of the Peloponnesian War - Mahatma Gandhi - My Dog - Pig Latin - Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost - SpongeBob SquarePants - Tommy (album) - Wonders of the World SPELLING SUPPORT Co:Writer handles the widest range of spelling mistakes through its Flexspell™technology including phonetic spelling and inventive spelling errors (letter omissions, word ending omissions, letter reversals, etc). Examples of how Co:Writer aides with phonetic and/or inventive spelling: Before Co:Writer The blk jargon flu over the bra lfnt. R u hpy to ce me? I no hw to nor the fone. After Co:Writer The black dragon flew over the gray elephant. Are you happy to see me? I know how to answer the phone. GRAMMAR SUPPORT Co:Writer bases its prediction off of proper grammar, and uses its understanding of grammar to accurately predict words within the framework of valid sentence structures. Examples of how Co:Writer aides with grammar: Dogs are furry. (noun, verb, adj.) - When you typed d-o, you get plural noun choices Three very mangy dogs ran down the street. (adj., adv., adj., noun, verb… etc.) - After typing three, very, mangy, you get plural noun choices, then you get plural verb tenses. OTHER FEATURES - Built-in Text to Speech - Export

Screenshots

Co4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Solve the Outbreak at 96% against Co's 8%. Solve the Outbreak also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.6) and ratings volume (61 vs 17). Co's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 12.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Solve the Outbreak holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 61 and 17 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 96% of Solve the Outbreak's written reviews are positive against 8% of Co's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Solve the Outbreak ships an update every 5 months, Co every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Solve the Outbreak versus Co: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSolve the OutbreakCo
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (61 ratings) — better2.6 (17 ratings)
Positive reviews95.7% of reviews — better8.3% of reviews
Number of ratings61 — better17
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 4 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS12.010.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size258 MB45 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperCenters For Disease Control and PreventionDon Johnston Incorporated

Customer experience

Solve the Outbreak

All ratings60 ratings
Positive93.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews141 reviews
Positive95.7%
Neutral0.7%
Negative3.5%

Co

All ratings17 ratings
Positive29.4%
Neutral23.5%
Negative47.1%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive8.3%
Neutral16.7%
Negative75.0%

Bugs and requests

Solve the Outbreak

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes when attempting to reset scores in settings
  • Old scores and progress remain after reset attempt
  • Accidental question selection due to bottom screen placement

Requested features

10 requests
  • Add more outbreak cases and scenarios
  • Create harder difficulty levels for advanced players
  • Include visual aids and images for better understanding
  • Add background music and sound effects
  • Implement branching storylines with different outcomes
Show 5 more
  • Create Level 3 with more complex cases
  • Add ability for users to create custom outbreaks
  • Improve text size and readability on smaller screens
  • Release app on iPhone in addition to iPad
  • Include more historical and special plague scenarios

Co

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Solve the Outbreak

No in-app purchases

None

Co

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Solve the Outbreak free?
Solve the Outbreak is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Co free?
Co is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Solve the Outbreak or Co?
Solve the Outbreak is rated higher. Solve the Outbreak averages 4.6 out of 5 from 61 ratings, while Co averages 2.6 from 17 ratings.
Do Solve the Outbreak or Co have ads?
Neither Solve the Outbreak nor Co shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Solve the Outbreak or Co?
Solve the Outbreak ships an update every 5 months, and Co every 4 months. Most recently, Solve the Outbreak was updated on November 3, 2026 and Co on November 1, 2026.

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