Police Scanner: Fire Radio is a news-category app providing global live emergency radio feeds and public safety alerts on iOS.
Product velocity
Steady
Daily rank 🇺🇸
#13
▲3News · free
Sentiment
4.7
160k reviews
Nemesis
Police Scanner Radio & Fire
The App DNA
What makes this app unique?
Users hire this app to maintain situational awareness of local emergencies, wildfires, and public safety events via real-time audio monitoring.
For Individuals seeking real-time information on local public safety, emergency services, and breaking news events.
What does it look like?
Key features
Access to thousands of live police, fire, and emergency radio feeds categorized by location and popularity
In-app library of police, fire, and emergency codes for interpreting scanner audio without prior training
Push notifications for major events, fire department updates, and breaking news based on user-selected regions
Visual display of feed locations to identify the geographic source of emergency broadcasts
Subscription tier that removes advertisements from the listening experience
How much does it cost?
Freemium model anchored at $9.99/month, utilizing ad-supported access to monetize the free user base.
Velocity
Steady developmentShow more...
5 versions in history. Development pace: steady.
Who built it?
User Sentiment
What do users think recently?
How are ratings & reviews evolving?
Not enough recent reviews to extract reliable themes yet.
Read the full review analysisCompetition
Competitive landscape for Police Scanner: Fire Radio
How's the News market?
The app maintains a strong presence in the News category, currently holding #15 Free in the US. The gap between its high free-tier visibility and the $9.99/month premium price point suggests a need to better convert casual listeners into long-term subscribers.
Read the market outlookThe rivals identified
By GordonEdwards.net LLC
This app is the dominant market leader in the police scanner niche, boasting over 500,000 reviews and a high-frequency release cadence.
- Maintains a massive, long-standing user base that creates a significant barrier to entry for new competitors.
- High release velocity of 14 updates in six months ensures rapid adaptation to platform OS changes.
- Deeply established brand presence in the scanner category makes it the default choice for most users.
Unlock the head-to-head verdict: where this rival wins, and where it loses.
Access the full report for freeThe Analyst's Read
Key takeaways for Police Scanner: Fire Radio
Where is it heading?
The public safety monitoring market is shifting toward high-utility, verified data as users move away from passive radio listening. This app remains exposed due to its reliance on ad-supported audio, so the PM must prioritize mapping and verified alerts to retain the user base.
- Ad-supported listening during critical events creates user frustration, which drives churn toward subscription-first, ad-free emergency information competitors.
- High chart visibility in the US market provides a massive top-of-funnel advantage for testing new high-utility features.
The SWOT
- Integrated map view provides geographic context to audio feeds.
- Emergency code library lowers the barrier for non-expert users.
- Integration of professional-grade wildfire mapping data.
- Partnerships with local dispatch for verified alerts.
Next best moves
Pivot premium pricing to a lower tier because $9.99/month is above category median → increase conversion rate
+ 1 more prioritized moveThe counter-intuitive read
The app's #15 chart rank is a liability…
Read the full takeFeature gaps
Professional-grade wildfire mapping (available in Watch Duty) +1
Since the last report: The app transitioned to a freemium model with a $9.99/month premium tier and added mapping and code reference features to improve competitive utility.
Bottom line
The app maintains a strong category lead through broad feed access, but the high premium price point and ad-friction during emergencies drive users to specialized competitors, so the PM should prioritize mapping integration and pricing adjustments.
Unlock 2 critical frictions, 2 market threats, 1 more prioritized move and the analyst’s take.
Access the full report for freeReport last updated