Comparison

The Commons vs Squid Academy

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

Head to head
About

The Commons

This app helps students stay focused during school hours by pausing access to distracting apps like social media and games. It automatically activates at school and deactivates when the day ends, ensuring essential academic and communication apps remain accessible. It prioritizes privacy with no tracking or data collection.

Highlights
  • Automatic focus activation at school
  • Blocks distracting apps during school hours
  • Keeps essential academic apps accessible
  • Privacy-first with no tracking
  • Builds stronger tech habits
Features
Read full description

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

About

Squid Academy

Features
Read full description

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

The Commons3 screens
Squid Academy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: The Commons at every 3 weeks against Squid Academy's every 6 weeks. 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

The Commons ships an update every 3 weeks, Squid Academy every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
The Commons versus Squid Academy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe CommonsSquid Academy
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.3 (327 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews12.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings327 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB50 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThe 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

None

The Commons

No in-app purchases

None

Squid Academy

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is The Commons free?
The Commons is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Squid Academy free?
Squid Academy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do The Commons or Squid Academy have ads?
Neither The Commons nor Squid Academy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, The Commons or Squid Academy?
The Commons ships an update every 3 weeks, and Squid Academy every 6 weeks. Most recently, The Commons was updated on October 13, 2026 and Squid Academy on October 3, 2026.

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