# Aula vs Beacon

The clearest difference is rating: Beacon at 4.5 against Aula's 2.7. Beacon also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (21% vs 13%). Aula's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Beacon holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 2 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 13% of Aula's written reviews are positive against 21% of Beacon's.

Aula ships an update every 2 months, Beacon every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Aula | Beacon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aula-classroom-communication/id909131134/reviews) | **[4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beacon-digital-guide/id1435526583/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 13.2% of reviews | **21.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 47 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Ublend](https://appshunter.io/developer/1090534959) | [University of Staffordshire](https://appshunter.io/developer/1157433122) |

## What reviewers say

### Aula

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aula-classroom-communication/id909131134)

This platform connects students and educators for interactive learning. It facilitates discussions, collaboration, and engagement with class materials, transforming education into a two-way street.

**Highlights:** Digital campus platform, Student-educator communication, Classroom discussions, Collaborative learning, Engagement with class materials

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Engaging design for educators
- 👍 Good for catching up and learning
- 👍 Great for studying on the go

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Constant logouts
- 🐛 Difficult navigation
- 🐛 UI is awful/cumbersome
- 🐛 Cannot access assignments on mobile
- 🐛 Inconsistent login experience

**Reported bugs**

- Logs out frequently
- Cannot access assignments on phone
- Pop-up prevents access to content
- Assignments feedback disappears
- Cannot log in

**Requested features**

- Option to keep session logged in
- Autofill for username and password
- FaceID or fingerprint support
- Dark mode option
- Advanced analytics dashboard


### Beacon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beacon-digital-guide/id1435526583)

This app serves as a comprehensive digital guide for student life, offering features like timetable viewing, campus navigation, and access to university services. It helps students find contact information, check resource availability, and stay updated on news and events.

**Highlights:** View timetable, Campus maps and points of interest, Staff and service contact details, PC availability checks, News and events browsing, Societies and clubs search, Answers to common service questions

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Aula free?

Aula is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Beacon free?

Beacon is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Aula or Beacon?

Beacon is rated higher. Aula averages 2.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Beacon averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do Aula or Beacon have ads?

Beacon shows ads; Aula does not.

### Which is updated more often, Aula or Beacon?

Aula ships an update every 2 months, and Beacon every 3 weeks. Most recently, Aula was updated on October 21, 2026 and Beacon on October 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*