# Citizen: Safety & Live Video — user reviews > 982 indexed App Store user reviews of Citizen by sp0n, Inc., rated 4.70/5 from 514,726 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/citizen-safety-and-live-video/id1039889567/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/citizen-safety-and-live-video/id1039889567.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 445,448 · 4★ 34,422 · 3★ 13,212 · 2★ 5,400 · 1★ 16,244 ## What do users think of Citizen? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 🚀 Convenient real-time alerts - 🗺️ Helpful for staying informed about local incidents - 👍 Useful community-based safety tool - 📹 Ability to view user-generated videos **Cons** - 💰 Excessive paywalls and subscription requirements - 🔔 Too many irrelevant notifications - 🗣️ Lack of moderation for toxic comments - 🗺️ Inaccurate location data and incident reporting - 🔒 Privacy concerns around location tracking **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes and bugs after recent updates - Issues with accepting user phone numbers - Inconsistent and unreliable incident mapping **Most requested features** - Customizable notification radius and settings - Chronological sorting and timestamps for incident reports - Better moderation tools for user comments - Option to report incidents without video - Integration with other emergency services ## Newest reviews (16 of 982) ### 3/5 — You will learn about the bloat of calls to 911 thats for sure *2026-08-26* update: Citizen replied to my review to let me know that it is possible to tune your notifications but forgot to mention that feature is not available in the free version. Notifications didn’t used to be so bloated in the free version. This is not a helpful safety tool since it teaches you to go numb to the notifications. App does what its supposed to I guess— notify you of emergency response and calls to 911. The app is really bad at filtering out what needs to be a PSA and so you will get a bloat of unnecessary notifications for every 911 under the sun made by your neighbors. Like “person bit by bug” or “man watering plants outside.” You cant get the full context of the call without the premium subscription so what youre left with is just a ridiculous amount of notifications of events you don’t care about. Another example, around 4th of July you will get an increase of notifications for “shots fired” or “gunshots reported” and its just fireworks…If anything you will learn that a population of your neighbors are really paranoid and will report others for simply existing outside. **Developer response:** Thank you for sharing this feedback. You can tune which incidents you are alerted to in your notification and radius settings. If you would like help dialing it in, email support@citizen.com. ### 2/5 — Why an account/phone ? *2026-08-23, version 0.1306.0* :( ### 3/5 — Good but *2026-08-22, version 0.1305.1* To many vital blocked features. ### 2/5 — So annoying *2026-08-22, version 0.1305.1* Hate hate hate the new update to send a morning update every day at 8 AM. Who wants to wake up to ‘Morning Briefing: 10 shot dead, 14 critically injured, 3,000 people missing in earthquake’. Dumping the app until this gets fixed. ### 3/5 — Good idea Bad execution *2026-08-21, version 0.1305.1* Annoyingly this app used to alert you to things in your neighborhood. Now it’s just trying to sell you upgrades. It is really no longer worth it. ### 2/5 — Right idea wrong execution *2026-08-20, version 0.1305.1* It’s a horrible app in my opinion because it hides information that should be public like why is it that if there’s a sexual defend and just moved in and down the street from me his information is hidden, but I can access it publicly anywhere else, and then on top of that I have to pay to access it on the app not only that but you have to pay to see a lot of things on this app you have to pay to see reports you have to pay to hear the radio over the and so on and so forth don’t get me wrong. The app is good but the execution about it I just don’t like the fact that I have to pay to see why there’s a sex offender living right down the street from me ### 2/5 — The app *2026-08-20, version 0.1305.1* I love the thought of the idea of the app but I’m sorry I’m not paying for my safety ### 3/5 — Alerts *2026-08-20, version 0.1305.1* Keeps telling me I have 50 alerts I check it and either have a few are none but keep saying I have 50 please fix this issue ### 1/5 — App only works with precise location *2026-08-18, version 0.1305.1* Don’t allow apps my location ### 2/5 — Ignores user preferences *2026-08-18, version 0.1305.1* Just deleted this app. It sends an insane number of incidents per day (rather delayed from incident start) from remote locations and, although I have spent weeks trying different settings to reduce notifications, the app continues to ignore my preferences. I can effectively get the same result by just reading the national news. ### 3/5 — You will learn about the bloat of calls to 911 thats for sure *2026-08-16, version 0.1305.0* App does what its supposed to I guess— notify you of emergency response and calls to 911. The app is really bad at filtering out what needs to be a PSA and so you will get a bloat of unnecessary notifications for every 911 under the sun made by your neighbors. Like “person bit by bug” or “man watering plants outside.” You cant get the full context of the call without the premium subscription so what youre left with is just a ridiculous amount of notifications of events you don’t care about. Another example, around 4th of July you will get an increase of notifications for “shots fired” or “gunshots reported” and its just fireworks…If anything you will learn that a population of your neighbors are really paranoid and will report others for simply existing outside. ### 3/5 — $ *2026-08-16, version 0.1305.0* Sucks it costs money to do bait anything in here ### 1/5 — Another monthly subscription *2026-08-16, version 0.1305.0* Why would I pay for something I can get for free on a Baofeng radio from Amazon? This will do nothing to protect citizens because they have to pay to use it. Don't waste your money. ### 1/5 — Notifications *2026-08-15, version 0.1305.0* I’ve had this app for years and suddenly this week it started spamming me with notifications. I’ve checked the notification settings at least 5 times and it’s sending notifications that I’m not subscribed to. If it doesn’t stop in the next few days I’m deleting the app. ### 1/5 — Location Data Hound *2026-08-15, version 0.1305.0* You should be able to put a zipcode in to see the area, not have it track your precise location 24/7 if you just use the app casually. Not interested in having my battery drained or location tracked even if privacy policy claims they take it seriously. These days, you just can’t trust that. ### 1/5 — Uninstalled within minutes *2026-08-15, version 0.1305.0* App is useless without a paid subscription and it does not let you try without signing up for an auto renewing subscription, so bye bye. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — App doesn’t actually about safety *2026-08-26, version 0.1307.0* Good luck trying to see anything unless you’re ready to pay ### 1/5 — HORRIBLE UPDATES *2026-08-26, version 0.1306.0* What is with the ANNOYING Confirmed Capture and all these numbers?? Who cares about that??!! Also get rid of the Morning Briefing. The alerts that pop up don’t even have much info to them. I would never pay for this app or at least not the ridiculous price they ask for it. Megan’s Law is a FREE search for sx offenders btw!! ### 1/5 — Make it make sense *2026-08-25, version 0.1306.0* Pay for life saving alerts??? Cmon ### 1/5 — Please not the commodifying harm and sexual assault in order to upgrade for more news *2026-08-24, version 0.1306.0* What kind of sick person asks for more money to get further bad info? Absolutely not ### 1/5 — too many paywalls now *2026-08-24, version 0.1300.0* seems like you need the subscription to use most features ### 1/5 — Search function useless *2026-08-22, version 0.1305.1* This app used to have full functionality. One of the most powerful features that used to work was the search field, using keywords to return results that are current and from the past. Now it is useless, populating searches with irrelevant results from thousands of miles away, meanwhile if I scan around the map I find a multitude of reports that obviously should have been included in search results. On going for over a year now. I’ve been a paid subscriber for years, I’ve since cancelled my subscription. ### 1/5 — Used to be better *2026-08-21, version 0.1305.1* Before their focus was on how to monetize the app (charging for FREE Megan’s law info on nearby sex offenders, really?) it was far more useful. The comments back then were related to the reports and not just bigoted comments, politics, etc. I sometimes get minor reports from nowhere near me but don’t get reports on serious things near me. It does occasionally let us know of things we do want/need to know. I find myself wanting to delete it more and more. Wish there was a better alternative. *edit* I did delete it, the bigotry was too much and the app became less and less useful. Haven’t found a good alternative, but this app is so gross now. ### 1/5 — Their AI gets it wrong A LOT *2026-08-21, version 0.1305.1* Very often this app gets it wrong wrong wrong. Locations, details, etc. I utilize the local scanner for a safety project or my own in my city and the number of times I see Citizen just completely report on WRONG facts is insane. This service is not at all trustworthy. Garbage AI masquerading as “public safety”. ### 1/5 — Charge for everything *2026-08-20, version 0.1305.1* Will not let me close account ### 1/5 — Sensationalistic trash *2026-08-19, version 0.1305.1* This is like a carnival barker for crime and public safety events to saturate your senses and get you to buy their “premium subscription.” It’s so indescribably trashy and intentionally disorganized to bring you everything all at once. Lame and sleazy. Throw it away. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Notice *2026-08-23, version 0.1305.1* I notice the app no longer has the Live Helicopter live view. I wonder why. Is it maybe because cops do more that they shouldn’t be doing? Lawsuits are always open here in USA!!!!!!!! USA!!!!USA!!!! ### 5/5 — Very good *2026-08-20, version 0.1305.1* I am citizen cafe ### 5/5 — The Bronx is burning we have to help us stop. *2026-08-15, version 0.1305.0* We have to be careful with the E bikes get them at the house. They’re bomb ready to explode. ### 5/5 — Citizen *2026-08-14, version 0.1305.0* Keeps me updated on what I need to know and what safe routes to take day by day. ### 5/5 — Really amazing app *2026-08-06, version 0.1303.0* I haven’t used it a lot yet but my fiancés has been telling me to get it for a long time and I finally did and it’s probably one of the most important apps you can have for your safety. There’s an entire community of people that are there to help you if you’re in need of it or in danger. It gives your exact location and anyone nearby that can help will come because I think we all know, the police just don’t show up to help anymore. ### 5/5 — the awareness gives me clarity *2026-08-04, version 0.1303.0* love how you can see how many incidents happened in the past good real info for when i want to move to a new area ### 5/5 — You make me feel safer *2026-08-04, version 0.1303.0* This app is a hidden gem because it’s like your own guardian angel with you in your pocket everywhere anywhere all at once 📲☀️🌈 ### 5/5 — TOP-RATED APP 🎖️⚡️ *2026-08-04, version 0.1303.0* I love this app and it's tech-savvy modern features, videos, live-streaming capabilities, sex offender maps, police presence maps! Awesome! (Not all sex-offenders are listed, however, MegansLaw.gov has more offenders and accurate offenders maps) ### 5/5 — Notifications tab doesn’t work *2026-07-31, version 0.1303.0* Notification tab always tells me unable to load notification. And settings says error. Had to reinstall app ### 5/5 — Cash out options *2026-07-31, version 0.1303.0* It’s a great app to alert ppl but they to change the cash out location on the app like as in a cash out button to easier to spot it’s hard to find on the app --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-29.*