Comparison

BadgerSAFE vs Illini

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

Head to head
About

BadgerSAFE

This official safety application provides University of Wisconsin-Madison students and staff with critical safety alerts and instant access to campus security resources. It offers features like emergency contacts, real-time location sharing with friends, and direct tip reporting to campus security.

Highlights
  • Emergency Contacts
  • Friend Walk location sharing
  • Tip Reporting to security
  • Safety Toolbox
  • Campus Maps
  • Offline Emergency Procedures
  • Support Resources access
  • Safety Notifications
Features
Read full description

BadgerSAFE is the official safety app of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It is the only app that integrates with the University of Wisconsin-Madison's safety and security systems. The app will send you important safety alerts and provide instant access to campus safety resources. BadgerSAFE features include: - Emergency Contacts: Contact the correct services for the University of Wisconsin-Madison area in case of an emergency or a non-emergency concern - 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 University of Wisconsin-Madison security. - Safety Toolbox: Enhance your safety with the set of tools provided in one convenient app. - Campus Maps: Navigate around the University of Wisconsin-Madison area. - Emergency Procedures: 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 University of Wisconsin-Madison. - Safety Notifications: Receive instant notifications and instructions from University of Wisconsin-Madison safety when on-campus emergencies occur. Download today to ensure you’re prepared in the event of an emergency.

About

Illini

Read full description

Illini-Alert+ features: • Emergency Notifications: Receive Illini-Alerts on your phone. • Call and text 911. • Take Emergency Action (TEA) guides for general emergency actions. • Emergency Action Plans (EAP) for building-specific emergency actions. • Friend Walk: Send your location to a friend through email or text. Once your friend accepts the Friend Walk request you pick your destination and your friend can track your location in real time until you arrive safely. • University emergency plans. Download today to best ensure you're prepared for emergencies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Screenshots

BadgerSAFE4 screens
Illini4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Illini at daily against BadgerSAFE's every 14 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BadgerSAFE ships an update every 14 months, Illini daily. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
BadgerSAFE versus Illini: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBadgerSAFEIllini
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.6 (14 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings14 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 14 monthsDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.6
Further details — not scored
Size34 MB29 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUniversity of Wisconsin-MadisonUniversity of Illinois

In-app purchases

None

BadgerSAFE

No in-app purchases

None

Illini

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is BadgerSAFE free?
BadgerSAFE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Illini free?
Illini is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do BadgerSAFE or Illini have ads?
Neither BadgerSAFE nor Illini shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BadgerSAFE or Illini?
BadgerSAFE ships an update every 14 months, and Illini daily. Most recently, BadgerSAFE was updated on October 12, 2026 and Illini on October 17, 2026.

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