Notify NYC vs POPLIGHT
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Notify NYC
Receive official emergency alerts and information about important City services directly from New York City. This app provides location-based updates to keep you informed about emergency events.
- Official emergency communications
- Location-based alerts
- Information on emergency events
- Updates on City services
- Privacy-focused location tracking
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Notify NYC is New York City's official emergency communications program. Get the Notify NYC app to get information about emergency events and important City services, based on your location. New York City will never track or share your precise location with anyone.
POPLIGHT
This app provides a convenient and affordable way to achieve the look of wall lighting without the complexities of traditional installation. It's ideal for renters concerned about damage and homeowners seeking a simpler, less expensive alternative.
- Easy installation
- No mess or expense
- Removable for renters
- Cost-effective for homeowners
- Protects security deposits
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Poplight is the deal wall light for those who want the convenience and look of wall lighting without the hassle, mess, or expense of installing traditional wall sconces. If you rent your space: Poplight won't risk your security deposit and easily removes when it's time to move (plus you can re-install Poplight at your next place). If you own your place: Poplight is easier and less expensive to install than traditional wall sconces.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Notify NYC at 3.3 against POPLIGHT's 1.7. Notify NYC also leads on review sentiment (25% vs 7%). POPLIGHT's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Notify NYC holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 1.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 88 and 113 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 25% of Notify NYC's written reviews are positive against 7% of POPLIGHT's.
Notify NYC ships an update every 2 months, POPLIGHT every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Notify NYC | POPLIGHT |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.3 (88 ratings) — better | 1.7 (113 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 25.5% of reviews — better | 7.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 88 | 113 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13 | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 117 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Department of Information Technology And Telecomm | Poplight LLC |
Customer experience
Notify NYC
POPLIGHT
User reviews
Notify NYC
From 88 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Useful app for emergencies
- 👍 Good for staying informed
- 👍 Replaces email alerts
- 👍 Official emergency notification system
- 👍 Synthesized notifications from multiple agencies
Room to improve
- 🐛 Endless pop-up notifications
- 🐛 Cannot dismiss old alerts
- 🐛 Required missing person alerts
- 🐛 Overwhelms with too many alerts
- 🔋 Drains battery significantly
POPLIGHT
From 113 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 💡 Cute lights concept
- 👍 Easy setup
- ✅ App works sometimes
Room to improve
- 🐛 App is buggy and unreliable
- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🐛 Lights turn off unexpectedly
- 🐛 App is not intuitive
- 🐛 Controls are not easily accessible
Bugs and requests
Notify NYC
Reported bugs
13 issues- Pop-up notifications repeat endlessly and cannot be dismissed
- Notification preferences cannot be saved
- App randomly closes when in use
- Cannot get past the Terms of Use agreement
- No accept button to press on terms of service
Show 8 moreShow fewer
- Repeatedly popping up old notifications
- Alerts keep popping up incessantly
- Parking reform pop up won’t stop popping up
- Old notifications upon opening app
- Ignores notification settings on iPhone
- Cannot navigate app when open
- Required missing person alerts cannot be deactivated
- Missing pictures in missing person alerts
Requested features
13 requests- Allow deactivation of missing person alerts
- Include pictures in missing person alerts
- Add a share button for alerts
- Allow users to choose which alerts they receive (without mandatory ones)
- More granular alert controls
Show 8 moreShow fewer
- Option to receive amber/grey alerts
- Ability to set neighborhood for localized alerts
- Dismiss All button for pop-up notifications
- Eliminate pop-ups and rely on banner notifications
- Fix inability to navigate app when open
- Update the app regularly
- Improve alert detail and specificity
- Allow users to toggle off ALL categories of alerts
POPLIGHT
Reported bugs
74 issues- Lights not turning on/off
- App losing connection frequently
- Lights turning off by themselves
- Timer not working
- Grouping lights not working correctly
Show 69 moreShow fewer
- App not remembering settings
- Battery percentage inaccurate
- Lights unsyncing from app
- Bluetooth connectivity issues
- App crashing or freezing
- Error messages when using app
- Difficulty re-syncing lights
- Light temperature not adjustable
- App prompts to refresh constantly
- Back button inconsistent
- Lights get stuck on previous timer
- App controls only one of two lights
- Lights not responding to app commands
- App doesn't open to control screen
- Physical buttons on lamp are touchy
- Lights randomly unsynced
- Buttons not reactive, require multiple taps
- Cannot remove timer once set
- Cannot adjust hour setting on custom timer
- Grouping lights prevents individual control
- App doesn't show correct light color
- Support offered no solutions
- Lights not working without app
- App not working well
- Lights lose connection to app frequently
- Lights turn off unexpectedly
- Timer set to 30 mins but lights turn off
- Batteries fully charged but lights turn off
- Light temp feature not working
- Issues getting light to respond to connect to apps
- Level included was empty
- App has major problems with design
- Bluetooth got worse when grouped
- App is v1 and feels that way
- Only one person can connect to lights
- Basic bugs need to be fixed
- App is really glitchy
- Light temp is not warm enough
- App is near-impossible to use
- Have to delete and re-add lights every time
- Light not working after charging
- App can't find pop light via Bluetooth
- App is THE WORST
- Have to unsync and re-sync lights every day
- App not user-friendly
- Step after step to turn light on and off
- Main issue is light won't turn on/off outside app
- Takes multiple hits to turn on/off
- Warm setting is still very cool
- App design is more style over substance
- Constantly lose connection with lamp via app
- Have to go into Adjust Settings, re-connect, then turn on/off
- Graphics are not great UI
- App needs redesign
- App has major problems with how it's designed
- Doesn't open with a screen to turn on/off
- Easier to change color of icon than turn on
- Dropdown to select lights is finicky
- Timer function doesn't have good feedback
- Not clear if timer is one-time or recurring
- No product documentation
- Keeps prompting to refresh app
- Grouped lights not linked to physical lamp
- Bluetooth got worse when grouped
- Lights feel and look cheap
- Color tone is limited
- Light occasionally turns off on its own
- App has major problems with how it's designed
- App is rife with bugs
Requested features
13 requests- Apple HomeKit integration
- Widget for quick control
- Remote control accessory
- Darker light temperature option
- Improved timer functionality
Show 8 moreShow fewer
- Ability to control all lights at once
- In-app notifications for low battery
- More intuitive on/off button placement
- Integration with Google/Apple/Alexa
- Automation options for lights
- Ability to customize timers more
- Easier renaming of lights
- Better feedback on timer status
In-app purchases
Notify NYC
No in-app purchases
POPLIGHT
No in-app purchases
