Comparison

AskRail vs IRPG App (2025)

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

AskRail

This app provides hazardous materials safety information for first responders dealing with rail incidents. It allows authorized personnel to query railcar contents and offers critical data for emergency response. Access to advanced features requires verification and railroad sponsorship.

Highlights
  • Hazardous materials safety information
  • Rail incident support
  • Query railcar contents
  • Emergency response data
  • First responder tool
Features
Read full description

The AskRail app is a hazardous materials safety tool for first responders who are first on scene or directly support the first on scene in the event of a rail incident. Access to certain features, including the ability to query railcar contents based on an equipment number, is restricted to authorized personnel. To obtain authorization to use the restricted features, you must assert that you are a first responder, provide information about your emergency response agency, and identify a supervisor who can attest to your first responder duties. You also must obtain sponsorship from a Class I railroad. This process may take up to several weeks. AskRail is a collaborative effort among all North American Class I railroads, the Association of American Railroads, Railinc Corp., and the Transportation Technology Center, Inc. For more information about AskRail please visit: www.askrail.us.

About

IRPG App (2025)

This digital guide provides offline access to critical incident response information for wildland firefighters. It features full-text search, bookmarking, note-taking, and integrated checklists for radio communication and weather reporting. Optimized for speed and safety on the fireline.

Highlights
  • Full-text search
  • Bookmark chapters
  • In-app note-taking
  • Selectable radio checklists
  • GPS-enabled weather reporting
  • Offline capability
Features
Read full description

The IRPG App, sponsored by Twisted Kelp, is a fully digital offline-capable 2025 edition IRPG with advanced features like full-text search and bookmarking to improve safety and efficacy on the fireline. A must-have for any wildland firefighter that carries a physical copy in their back pocket or web gear. Features: - Search. For the first time ever, the IRPG is fully searchable. Not just titles, but the full text of each and every page in the guide is indexed to find what you are looking for faster than ever. - Bookmarks. With one tap, you can bookmark any chapter in the IRPG for quick reference in the Bookmarks tab. No more dog ears, no more hunting to find typing charts or weather tables. - Notes. Take notes inside the IRPG, without needing to carry a pen. Notes are saved with the app so you can come back to them whenever you need. - Checklists. Selectable checklists for common and crucial radio traffic, such as sizeup reports and medical incident reports (8-lines). Check the button next to each topic you hit as you radio in. Remember, it's push to talk, not push to think. - Weather. Use your phone's GPS to send precise lat/long along with your belt weather kit measurements via SMS or iMessage to your STL, DIV, lookout, etc. - Speed. This app is optimized for speed so you can quickly access the info you need faster than whipping out your physical copy. We want this app to be the absolute best it can be. Please don't hesitate to reach out using the Suggestions / Feedback button in the Tools tab. We'd love to hear your thoughts as we work to improve the app and develop new features to keep you safe and maximize the impact you have. Thank you for your service protecting our communities.

Screenshots

AskRail4 screens
IRPG App (2025)4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: AskRail at none against IRPG App (2025)'s 1. IRPG App (2025)'s advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. IRPG App (2025) sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. AskRail asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

IRPG App (2025) holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 37 and 32 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 58% of AskRail's written reviews are positive against 57% of IRPG App (2025)'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AskRail ships an update every 4 months, IRPG App (2025) every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
AskRail versus IRPG App (2025): the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAskRailIRPG App (2025)
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (37 ratings)4.3 (32 ratings) — better
Positive reviews58.3% of reviews — better57.1% of reviews
Number of ratings37 — better32
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.014.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size44 MB44 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperAssociation of American RailroadsTwisted Kelp, LLC

Customer experience

AskRail

All ratings37 ratings
Positive78.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative21.6%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive58.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative41.7%

IRPG App (2025)

All ratings32 ratings
Positive78.1%
Neutral9.4%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral21.4%
Negative21.4%

In-app purchases

None

AskRail

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

IRPG App (2025)

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$1.99

Questions

Is AskRail free?
AskRail is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is IRPG App (2025) free?
IRPG App (2025) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, AskRail or IRPG App (2025)?
IRPG App (2025) is rated higher. AskRail averages 4.1 out of 5 from 37 ratings, while IRPG App (2025) averages 4.3 from 32 ratings.
Do AskRail or IRPG App (2025) have ads?
Neither AskRail nor IRPG App (2025) shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AskRail or IRPG App (2025)?
AskRail ships an update every 4 months, and IRPG App (2025) every 5 weeks. Most recently, AskRail was updated on October 29, 2026 and IRPG App (2025) on October 24, 2026.

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