Sentinel vs Guild Gateway
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.
Guild Gateway
This app digitizes subcontractor registrations, eliminating paper processes. It allows for secure, real-time access to pay statements and leverages over 25 years of status compliance expertise. Trusted by over 1000 businesses, it aims to streamline efficiency and productivity.
- Digital subcontractor registration
- Secure pay statement access
- Real-time statement viewing
- Status compliance expertise
- Streamlined efficiency
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No More Paper: Say goodbye to paper registrations. The quickest and easiest way to register is to download the app direct to your mobile. Securely download and view your pay statements in real time. As the developer, The Guild has been at the vanguard of status compliance for more than 25 years and stands between clients and HMRC. We have been trusted by over 1000+ businesses and counting. We will be implementing phases and updates from liaising with our clients and workers to ensure efficiency and productivity is streamlined and maintained to the highest standards.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Guild Gateway at 75% against Sentinel's 10%. Guild Gateway also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 4 months). 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, Guild Gateway every 8 days. Both last shipped on June 8, 2026.
| Parameter | Sentinel | Guild Gateway |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 9.8% of reviews | 75.0% of reviews — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 8 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 12.2 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 85 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Reference Point Limited | THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS GUILD LIMITED |
Customer experience
Sentinel
Guild Gateway
In-app purchases
Sentinel
No in-app purchases
Guild Gateway
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Sentinel free?
Is Guild Gateway free?
Do Sentinel or Guild Gateway have ads?
Which is updated more often, Sentinel or Guild Gateway?
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