# Paku - Air Quality & AQI Map — PurpleAir & Wildfire Smoke

> Real-time air quality monitoring and alerts from PurpleAir sensors. (iPhone/iPad app by Pitou Technologies, LLC.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paku-air-quality-and-aqi-map/id1534130193 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Pitou Technologies, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/990789831)
- Category: Weather, Health & Fitness
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.70/5 from 10,899 App Store ratings · 199 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 26.0 · 79 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2020-10-02
- Data updated: 2026-08-27
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paku-air-quality-and-aqi-map/id1534130193/reviews.md

## What is Paku?

See the air you’re breathing. Paku shows you live readings from tens of thousands of PurpleAir sensors, so you know when it’s safe to open the windows, go for a run, or let the dog out.

→ A map of live sensors
Every public PurpleAir sensor on a fast, beautiful map, indoors and out, with AQI, temperature, humidity, and how they’re trending. Turn on AirNow to see official government stations too. Smart Select picks the most reliable sensor near you, not just the closest one.

→ Widgets for every screen
Put the nearest sensor, a favorite spot, or your own private sensor on your Home Screen, Lock Screen, Apple Watch, or Mac desktop. Glance, then get on with your day.

→ Alerts that beat the smoke
Set a threshold on any sensor and Paku will notify you the moment it’s crossed, then again when the air clears. Nearby alerts can even follow you, watching the closest sensor as you move, entirely on your device. Perfect for wildfire smoke or winter inversions.

→ Live Activities
Keep the AQI and its trend in the Dynamic Island or on your Lock Screen while smoke moves through. Live Activities can even start automatically when the AQI crosses a threshold.

→ Your own sensors
Own a PurpleAir sensor? Add your private sensors and use them everywhere: on the map, in widgets, and with alerts.

→ Siri, Spotlight, and Shortcuts
Ask Siri for the air quality nearby, or use the AQI in automations, like turning on the air purifier when the number starts climbing.

→ On every device, in sync
iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac, with a live reading in your menu bar. Favorites and settings sync over iCloud.

→ Private by design
Your location never leaves your device.

A few things reviewers have said:

“Does one job, does it very well, and keeps getting better... I wish all software was like this.”

“Seriously impressed by this app. It’s the perfect companion to my PurpleAir outdoor sensor.”

“Ten stars.”

Paku is made by one person, not a company. No growth team, no engagement tricks, just an app I use every day and keep making better. Alerts, Live Activities, private sensors, and a few of the fancier widgets are part of Paku Pro, a small subscription or one-time lifetime unlock that keeps everything running. The map, the standard widgets, and the rest are free.

## Key features

- Real-time AQI, temperature, and humidity monitoring
- PurpleAir sensor support
- Optional AirNow station integration
- Customizable home screen and lock screen widgets
- Real-time push notifications for AQI thresholds
- Live Activities for Dynamic Island and Lock Screen
- Private sensor support

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual Subscription | $13.99 | per year |
| Monthly Subscription | $1.99 | per month |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime Unlock | $89.99 | one-time |
| Coffee-sized tip | $3.99 | one-time |
| Pizza-sized tip | $24.99 | one-time |
| Burrito-sized tip | $8.99 | one-time |


## Chart rankings

- #91 in Top Free · Weather (US App Store)
- #123 in Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

## What do users think of Paku?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 👍 Good app for tracking air quality
- 🚀 Accurate and precise data
- 🔍 Helpful for planning outdoor activities
- 💡 Useful for monitoring smoke and wildfire conditions
- 🌟 Great app design and user experience

**Cons**

- 🐛 Occasional inaccuracies in AQI readings
- 🔍 Limited sensor coverage in some areas
- 🔒 Concerns about privacy and data usage
- 🔧 Bugs and glitches in the app

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Widgets not working as expected
- App freezing or crashing on certain devices
- Inconsistent data display between map and detail views
- Location detection and sensor selection issues

**Most requested features**

- Add support for more air quality metrics (e.g., PM1, PM10)
- Provide option to view average of nearby sensors
- Implement automatic data refresh and push notifications
- Add ability to save and switch between favorite locations
- Develop an Apple Watch app with complication support

## Recent user reviews (10 of 199)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paku-air-quality-and-aqi-map/id1534130193/reviews.md

### 5/5 — An easier way to check local air quality sensors

*2026-08-24*

Paku is much easier to read and use than the Purple Air website. You can localize it wherever you are. You can create favorites and save them. With the purple Air website, every time you use it, you have to change the setting for a conversion to US AQI. With Paku. As a default is US AQI. You can also view the temperature reading from any sensor on the same screen as the AQI. All this is with the free version.

### 5/5 — Health App

*2026-08-23*

Live data is a major resource to knowing when to put on an N95 mask to stay healthy. Wish there were sensors and live displays showing air quality in every park so this information was available to everyone. Until that happens this app is the next best thing!

### 5/5 — App iuse

*2026-08-22*

It’s fantastic to see where the open windows are to know where I can go cycling!

### 5/5 — Totally lifesaver!

*2026-08-18, version 7.0.4*

Having live local air quality updates right on my lock screen makes it so easy to know exactly when it’s safe to head outside.

### 5/5 — Allergy Help

*2026-08-18, version 7.0.4*

I have allergies and this site is invaluable got finding out when it is safe for me to go outside and exercise.

### 5/5 — Fantastic!!

*2026-08-18, version 7.0.4*

Great app

### 5/5 — Great during smoke season

*2026-08-17, version 7.0.4*

Since we now have a 5th season, smoke, it is very handy to have.

### 5/5 — Great App

*2026-08-16, version 7.0.4*

Easy to use, great design, updates promptly. Used the discount code to buy a Purple Air, and the savings to buy a subscription.

### 5/5 — Handy App

*2026-08-16*

I use this currently to watch cities where my loved ones reside

### 5/5 — Heat Map Change

*2026-08-16, version 7.0.4*

The new dense heat map makes it quite hard to read the names of cities.

The old blur on zoom out didn’t have this problem.

Disabling the heat map entirely + disabling declutter looks closer to what I remember but declutter is nice when zoomed in.

In any case, still a great app.

## Frequently asked questions about Paku

### What does Paku do?

Paku provides instant, real-time air quality monitoring and alerts. It allows you to track the Air Quality Index (AQI), temperature, and humidity using data from PurpleAir sensors, with an option to include AirNow stations for more comprehensive information.

### What are the key features of Paku?

Key features include real-time air quality monitoring, customizable widgets for various Apple devices, instant push notifications for AQI changes, Live Activities for dynamic display, and support for private sensors. It also integrates with Siri and the Shortcuts app.

### Is Paku free to use?

The app is free to download and use, offering core air quality monitoring and alert features. Additional functionalities and customization options may be available through in-app purchases.

### What devices is Paku compatible with?

Paku is designed for seamless monitoring across multiple Apple devices. It is available on iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac, with settings and favorites syncing via iCloud.

### Who would benefit from using Paku?

Paku is ideal for anyone concerned about air quality, including residents in areas affected by wildfires or pollution, individuals with respiratory sensitivities, and users who already utilize PurpleAir sensors for personal monitoring.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 7.0.5 — 2026-08-20

- Your private sensors are now picked up by nearby alerts and live activities.
- Private sensors show up in search results.

### 7.0.4 — 2026-08-14

- Adds support for nicknaming sensors.

### 7.0.3 — 2026-08-11

- Sharing a sensor now sends a link to the sensor with a live AQI reading instead of a screenshot.
- Sharing from the favorites sheet sends a link to your nearby sensor instead of a screenshot.
- Air quality alerts are now delivered as time-sensitive notifications, so alerts arrive even while a Focus is on.
- Sensor and nearby alerts now always follow the app-wide correction setting; the per-alert correction option in alert settings has been removed.
- If a subscription is still active alongside a lifetime unlock, the membership screen now lists it with a reminder to cancel so you aren’t charged again.
- Returning to the app no longer briefly shows sensors as offline.

### 7.0.2 — 2026-08-10

→ Nearby air quality alerts: enable location-based alerts and Paku will monitor your surroundings, picking the closest sensor on-device and notifying you when it exceeds your threshold. Your location never leaves your device.
→ AirNow sensors now report all supported pollutants, and display the highest one.
→ Improvements to Smart Select for more accurate readings.
→ Various bug fixes and improvements.

### 6.2.1 — 2026-07-18

→ Nearby air quality alerts: enable location-based alerts and Paku will monitor your surroundings, picking the closest sensor on-device and notifying you when it exceeds your threshold. Your location never leaves your device.
→ AirNow sensors now report all supported pollutants, and display the highest one.
→ Improvements to Smart Select for more accurate readings.
→ Various bug fixes and improvements.

## Apps similar to Paku

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Clime: NOAA Weather Radar Live](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clime-noaa-weather-radar-live/id749133753) | 4.5 (1,048,141) | Free | Weather |
| [Weather Live° - Local Forecast](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/weather-live-local-forecast/id749083919) | 4.6 (399,440) | Free | Weather |
| [Weather & Radar](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/weather-and-radar/id545993260) | 4.7 (304,106) | Free | Weather |
| [Weather](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/weather/id1069513131) | 4.8 (1,568,576) | Free | Weather |
| [Weather Radar - NOAA Channel](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/weather-radar-noaa-channel/id649264704) | 4.6 (251,092) | Free | Weather |
| [CARROT Weather: Alerts & Radar](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/carrot-weather-alerts-and-radar/id961390574) | 4.7 (86,721) | Free | Weather |

## More apps by Pitou Technologies, LLC

- [Dodger — Dodge For Your Life!](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dodger-dodge-for-your-life/id1050023116)
- [Cypher – Covert Word Game](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cypher-covert-word-game/id1450912146)
- [Hako - Credit Card Points](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hako-credit-card-points/id6478120997)
- [Luka – Blood Glucose Readings](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/luka-blood-glucose-readings/id6499279663)

All apps by Pitou Technologies, LLC: https://appshunter.io/developer/990789831

## Related topics

[purple air quality](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/purple-air-quality) · [purple air](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/purple-air) · [paku purple air](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/paku-purple-air) · [air quality app alert](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/air-quality-app-alert) · [paku](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/paku) · [my purpleair](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/my-purpleair) · [air quality](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/air-quality) · [air quality app](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/air-quality-app) · [air quality app widget](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/air-quality-app-widget) · [acog smi](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/acog-smi) · [aqi index](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/aqi-index) · [freshair sensor](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/freshair-sensor) · [aqi](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/aqi) · [aqi widget](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/aqi-widget) · [butterfly air](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/butterfly-air) · [air quality index monitoring app](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/air-quality-index-monitoring-app) · [air free](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/air-free) · [vsensors](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/vsensors) · [air density & rad meter pro](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/air-density-rad-meter-pro) · [my aqi air quality & pollution](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/my-aqi-air-quality-pollution)

---

*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 2026-08-27.*