Comparison

Sentinel vs Board Intel

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Read full description

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.

About

Board Intel

This app offers a secure and intuitive platform for reading and annotating digital board papers. It combines familiar paper-like functionality with advanced technology, allowing for easy searching, annotation, and real-time collaboration. Security is a top priority, with robust measures in place to protect sensitive documents.

Highlights
  • Secure document reading
  • Annotation tools
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Note sharing
  • Easy search functionality
  • Familiar interface
Features
Read full description

The easiest and most secure way to read and annotate your board papers. Paper board packs are becoming a thing of the past, but reading important documents electronically can be a struggle. Our board director network and development team joined forces to combine everything you love about paper with the power of technology. The Board Intelligence App feels familiar from the moment you log in. You can easily search, annotate and jump straight to any report in your pack. You can also collaborate in real-time with other users in a secure environment using the note sharing functionality. Security is our number one priority and we are the preferred supplier to some of the world’s most security-conscious firms. We are fully ISO 27001 audited and regularly penetration tested by CREST and CHECK accredited third parties. “This is simple, clever and effective. I have no need to carry a briefcase of papers … brilliant.” ~ Rob Frank, Director, Morgan Sindall “One of the best tools I have ever used to support the Board papers.” ~ Elisa Gomez de Bonilla, General Counsel & Company Secretary, Stocks Spirit Group “I wish every third party handled my security requirements the way Board Intelligence have.“ ~ Serge Baudot, former Head of Information Security, easyJet

Screenshots

Sentinel4 screens
Board Intel3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Board Intel at 75% against Sentinel's 10%. Board Intel also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). Sentinel's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). 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

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

Sentinel ships an update every 4 months, Board Intel every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on June 8, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Sentinel versus Board Intel: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSentinelBoard Intel
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews9.8% of reviews75.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB120 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperReference Point LimitedBoard Intelligence

Customer experience

Sentinel

Written reviews41 reviews
Positive9.8%
Neutral9.8%
Negative80.5%

Board Intel

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

None

Sentinel

No in-app purchases

None

Board Intel

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Sentinel free?
Sentinel is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Board Intel free?
Board Intel is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Sentinel or Board Intel have ads?
Neither Sentinel nor Board Intel shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sentinel or Board Intel?
Sentinel ships an update every 4 months, and Board Intel every 3 weeks. Most recently, Sentinel was updated on June 8, 2026 and Board Intel on September 24, 2026.

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