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Police Scanner Radio & Fire vs its rivals

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

Police Scanner Radio & Fire
This App
Police Scanner: Fire Radio
Nemesis
Watch Duty: Wildfire Maps
Contender
Police Scanner +
Contender
5-0 Radio Pro Police Scanner
Contender
CNN: Live & Breaking News
Peer
NewsBreak: Local News & Alerts
Peer
Spotify for Creators
New Kid
Core Identity
DeveloperGordonEdwards.net LLCGuru Network Limited Inc.Sherwood Forestry Service, Inc.Rego AppsSmartest Apps LLCCNN Interactive Group, Inc.Particle Media Inc.Spotify
CategoryNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNewsNews
PlatformiOS, AndroidiOSAndroid, iOSiOSiOSAndroid, iOSiOS, AndroidiOS, Android
Store Metrics
Rating4.6 / 54.7 / 54.9 / 54.5 / 54.6 / 54.8 / 54.8 / 54.8 / 5
Ratings Count518,591159,94937,19799,63982,3081,664,8751,353,959117,595
PriceFreeFreeFreeFreeFreeFreeFreeFree
Release DateFeb 5, 2012Sep 12, 2019Aug 10, 2021Feb 2, 2012Dec 4, 2009Sep 29, 2009Jul 15, 2016Dec 21, 2015
Last UpdatedMay 4, 2026Nov 28, 2025Apr 13, 2026Apr 13, 2026Apr 15, 2026Apr 28, 2026Apr 30, 2026Apr 7, 2026
Sentiment & Reviews
Sentimentmixed-excellentpositive-terriblenegative-
Score45/100-88/10085/100-15/10035/100-
Praises
  • Clear and informative audio streams provide valuable local news and emergency awareness for listeners
-
  • Life-Saving Utility
  • Accurate and Timely Information
  • Vast station collection
-
  • Global news coverage provides reliable and timely information for daily readers
  • Clean interface design allows for quick navigation of breaking news alerts
  • Comprehensive news coverage across local and national headlines keeps users informed on daily events
-
Complaints
  • Intrusive and persistent advertising patterns disrupt the listening experience and block core app functionality
-
  • Sync and Update Issues
  • UI/UX Interaction Bugs
  • Ad frequency
-
  • Aggressive paywall implementation restricts access to news content for long-term users
  • Technical instability and frequent crashes disrupt the live streaming experience
  • Aggressive monetization and pay-to-read barriers frustrate users attempting to access standard news content
-
Requests
  • Silent ad implementation would prevent the disruption of vital public safety information during broadcasts
--
  • Improved stream stability
-
  • Unified subscription access across cable providers and mobile platforms
  • Improved filtering and blocking controls to remove unwanted publishers and topics from the feed
-
Strategic Intel
Strengths
  • 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
  • Integrated map view provides geographic context to audio feeds.
  • Emergency code library lowers the barrier for non-expert users.
  • Human-in-the-loop verification model
  • Non-profit status builds high community trust
  • Unique air tanker tracking capabilities
  • Lightweight interface reduces session friction
  • Custom station addition enables niche content curation
-
  • Global correspondent network provides real-time reporting speed
  • Live-first video infrastructure enables immediate breaking news coverage
  • Cross-platform streaming access via TV provider authentication
  • Zip-code-mapped content delivery sustains daily utility
  • 10,000-source aggregation provides comprehensive coverage
-
Weaknesses
  • Ad-interruption of audio feeds causes high churn
  • Unreliable feed availability erodes trust in safety utility
  • Subscription conversion processes lack transparency
  • Premium tier at $9.99/month exceeds category median.
  • Ad-supported free tier disrupts high-stakes emergency listening.
  • Occasional data synchronization delays
  • Map interaction UI bugs
  • Potential scalability limits of human vetting
  • Ad-supported revenue model drives user frustration
  • Premium tier lacks clear value-add for casuals
-
  • Restrictive paywall alienates long-term loyal users
  • Technical instability and login persistence issues post-update
  • Excessive ad frequency during live streams
  • 0.16★ Android-iOS rating gap indicates platform-specific usability issues
  • Aggressive pay-to-read gates drive high churn
-
Pricingfreemiumfreemiumfreemiumfreemiumfreefreemiumfreefree
MomentumActiveSteady-IntenseIntenseActiveActiveIntense
Update Cadence5 versions, 4 majors/6mo, ~13d avg5 versions-5 versions5 versions5 versions, ~7d avg5 versions, ~5d avg5 versions

Compare Police Scanner Radio & Fire head-to-head

Disclosure: Independent intel to help mobile builders succeed.

AI-powered analysis with editorial review, built from publicly available sources. Marlvel.ai is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Police Scanner Radio & Fire, its developer, the app publisher, Apple, or Google Play. All trademarks, logos, and screenshots referenced remain the property of their respective owners.

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