# Nova Safe vs Wilkes Shield

The clearest difference is rating: Wilkes Shield at 4.7 against Nova Safe's 3.5. Wilkes Shield also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Wilkes Shield holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 7 respectively.

Nova Safe ships an update every 5 months, Wilkes Shield every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nova Safe | Wilkes Shield |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-safe/id954789077/reviews) | **[4.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wilkes-shield/id1267845461/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **7** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 43 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.2 | 13.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Villanova University](https://appshunter.io/developer/357150335) | [Wilkes University- Teaching Commons](https://appshunter.io/developer/521782301) |

## What reviewers say

### Nova Safe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-safe/id954789077)

This safety app connects users to university safety forces for quick assistance. It allows sending crime tips with media, requesting safety escorts, and tracking friends' locations. Users can also access campus resources, shuttle schedules, and view a crime map.

**Highlights:** Contact university safety forces, Send crime tips with photos/videos, Request safety escorts, Friend Watch location tracking, View real-time shuttle locations, Access campus resources, View campus crime map

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Wilkes Shield

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wilkes-shield/id1267845461)

This official university safety app allows users to quickly contact campus security in emergencies. It also enables sending crime tips with photos/videos, sharing location with friends, accessing campus resources, and viewing incident maps.

**Highlights:** Emergency contact with university safety, Send crime tips with photos/videos, Friend location tracking (FriendWatch), Access campus resources and handbook, View incident maps and safe locations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Nova Safe free?

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

### Is Wilkes Shield free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Nova Safe or Wilkes Shield?

Wilkes Shield is rated higher. Nova Safe averages 3.5 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Wilkes Shield averages 4.7 from 7 ratings.

### Do Nova Safe or Wilkes Shield have ads?

Neither Nova Safe nor Wilkes Shield shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Nova Safe or Wilkes Shield?

Nova Safe ships an update every 5 months, and Wilkes Shield every 2 months. Most recently, Nova Safe was updated on June 1, 2026 and Wilkes Shield on September 12, 2026.

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