Police Scanner: Fire Radio vs its rivals

Side-by-side comparison against Police Scanner: Fire Radio's closest competitors — identity, store metrics, ratings & sentiment, and strategic intel.

	Police Scanner: Fire Radio This App	Police Scanner Radio & Fire Nemesis	Police Scanner + Contender	5-0 Radio Pro Police Scanner Contender	NewsBreak: Local News & Alerts Peer	PulsePoint Respond Peer	Watch Duty: Wildfire Maps Peer
Core Identity
Developer	Guru Network Limited Inc.	GordonEdwards.net LLC	Rego Apps	Smartest Apps LLC	Particle Media Inc.	PulsePoint Foundation	Sherwood Forestry Service, Inc.
Category	News	News	News	News	News	Medical	News
Platform	iOS	Android, iOS	iOS	iOS	iOS, Android	iOS, Android	Android, iOS
Store Metrics
Rating	4.7 / 5	4.6 / 5	4.5 / 5	4.6 / 5	4.8 / 5	4.8 / 5	4.9 / 5
Ratings Count	159,949	518,591	99,639	82,308	1,353,959	258,534	37,197
Price	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free
Release Date	Sep 12, 2019	Feb 5, 2012	Feb 2, 2012	Dec 4, 2009	Jul 15, 2016	Feb 13, 2012	Aug 10, 2021
Last Updated	Nov 28, 2025	May 4, 2026	Apr 13, 2026	Apr 15, 2026	Apr 30, 2026	Apr 7, 2026	Apr 13, 2026
Sentiment & Reviews
Sentiment	-	mixed	positive	-	negative	-	excellent
Score	-	45/100	85/100	-	35/100	-	88/100
Praises	-	Clear and informative audio streams provide valuable local news and emergency awareness for listeners	Vast station collection	-	Comprehensive news coverage across local and national headlines keeps users informed on daily events	-	Life-Saving Utility Accurate and Timely Information
Complaints	-	Intrusive and persistent advertising patterns disrupt the listening experience and block core app functionality	Ad frequency	-	Aggressive monetization and pay-to-read barriers frustrate users attempting to access standard news content	-	Sync and Update Issues UI/UX Interaction Bugs
Requests	-	Silent ad implementation would prevent the disruption of vital public safety information during broadcasts	Improved stream stability	-	Improved filtering and blocking controls to remove unwanted publishers and topics from the feed	-	-
Strategic Intel
Strengths	Integrated map view provides geographic context to audio feeds. Emergency code library lowers the barrier for non-expert users.	Breaking news alerts drive session frequency during high-interest events Audio clipping loop functions as a viral acquisition lever CarPlay integration extends usage to commute windows	Lightweight interface reduces session friction Custom station addition enables niche content curation	-	Zip-code-mapped content delivery sustains daily utility 10,000-source aggregation provides comprehensive coverage	-	Human-in-the-loop verification model Non-profit status builds high community trust Unique air tanker tracking capabilities
Weaknesses	Premium tier at $9.99/month exceeds category median. Ad-supported free tier disrupts high-stakes emergency listening.	Ad-interruption of audio feeds causes high churn Unreliable feed availability erodes trust in safety utility Subscription conversion processes lack transparency	Ad-supported revenue model drives user frustration Premium tier lacks clear value-add for casuals	-	0.16★ Android-iOS rating gap indicates platform-specific usability issues Aggressive pay-to-read gates drive high churn	-	Occasional data synchronization delays Map interaction UI bugs Potential scalability limits of human vetting
Pricing	freemium	freemium	freemium	free	free	free	freemium
Momentum	Steady	Active	Intense	Intense	Active	Intense	-
Update Cadence	5 versions	5 versions, 4 majors/6mo, ~13d avg	5 versions	5 versions	5 versions, ~5d avg	5 versions	-

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