The Commons vs Squid Academy
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The Commons
This app helps students minimize distractions during school hours by automatically pausing access to non-academic apps. It ensures essential communication and educational tools remain available, promoting better focus and learning without requiring physical phone locks.
- Automatic activation at school
- Restricts distracting apps
- Keeps approved apps accessible
- Automatic deactivation after school
- Privacy-focused design
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The Commons™ – Airplane Mode For Schools Let’s be real phones are amazing. But at School? They can be a total distraction. The Commons helps students stay focused during the school day without giving up their phones. No pouches. No locks. Just fewer distractions. Built with privacy first, The Commons automatically pauses access to distracting apps like social media, games, and other non-academic content during school hours while keeping school-approved, medical, and essential communication apps available. The result? More focus. Better learning. Stronger habits. Features • Automatically activates when you arrive at school • Restricts distracting apps during school hours • Keeps approved educational and essential apps available per your school's phone policy • Automatically turns off when the school day ends Privacy First Your privacy matters. The Commons never accesses your messages, browsing history, photos, social media content, or location history. Learn more about our privacy commitment: the-commons.app/privacy-policy
Squid Academy
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Structured esports learning platform for schools and universities. Students access lessons, assignments, and tournaments, while teachers manage classrooms, track progress, and deliver curriculum - all in one system.
Screenshots
Verdict
The Commons and Squid Academy are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
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.
The Commons ships an update every 3 weeks, Squid Academy every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | The Commons | Squid Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.3 (360 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 12.6% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 360 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 55 MB | 50 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | The Commons, Inc. | Squid Academy Ltd. |
Bugs and requests
The Commons
Reported bugs
2 issues- VPN doesn't work properly when traveling
- Slows down messaging and other apps
Requested features
3 requests- Allow access to certain apps during school hours
- Improve VPN functionality when traveling
- Provide more transparency on data collection and usage
Squid Academy
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
The Commons
No in-app purchases
Squid Academy
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is The Commons free?
Is Squid Academy free?
Do The Commons or Squid Academy have ads?
Which is updated more often, The Commons or Squid Academy?
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