Sentinel vs LiquidFriday
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sentinel
Access and verify Network Rail Sentinel smartcards. Check your own card details or authenticate team members and conduct spot checks. Works online for real-time data or offline for card access and stored check history.
- Read Sentinel smartcards via NFC
- Scan QR codes for card data
- Verify cardholder information
- Authenticate team members
- Perform spot checks
- Check TVPs (Track Vacancy Permits)
- Offline access to card data
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This app is designed specifically to read Sentinel smartcards for Network Rail’s Sentinel system. It allows anyone to check their own Sentinel card and allows authorised card checkers to authenticate their team as well as undertake spot checks and check TVPs. When online, the app shows the most up to date information for each cardholder either by scanning the card’s QR code or by reading the details stored in the smartcard using NFC. Even without mobile internet access, the information stored on the card can still be accessed, any recently scanned card details can also be reviewed, and all checks will be stored and uploaded to the database when back online.
LiquidFriday
Manage your contractor finances and assignments with this app. Request advances, view payslips, book time off, and access healthcare. Stay connected with your agency about availability for new roles.
- Manage assignment finances
- Request advances
- View payslips
- Book time off
- Access private GP healthcare
- Indicate availability for new assignments
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Work your temporary recruitment assignments with Liquid Friday and get paid swiftly, securely and with a shed load of benefits. The Liquid Friday App is an awesome tool for contractors that allows you control and manage your assignment finances when working with Liquid Friday. From requesting advances and viewing your latest payslips to booking time off and accessing private GP healthcare the Liquid Friday App does is all from your mobile phone, you can even use it to let us and your agency know when you are available for your next assignment.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: LiquidFriday at 50% against Sentinel's 10%. LiquidFriday also leads on update cadence (every 11 days vs every 4 months). Sentinel's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). 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.
Sentinel ships an update every 4 months, LiquidFriday every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on June 8, 2026 and August 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Sentinel | LiquidFriday |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 9.8% of reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 11 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 40 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Reference Point Limited | Liquid Friday |
Customer experience
Sentinel
LiquidFriday
In-app purchases
Sentinel
No in-app purchases
LiquidFriday
No in-app purchases
