Comparison

HeliPlates vs IGNIS | Wildfire Operations

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

Head to head
About

HeliPlates

This app provides detailed information on hospital heliports across California, including navigation coordinates, dimensions, and facility details. Users can view heliports on an interactive map or by hospital name, with aerial photos and approach paths included. Data can be saved for offline access.

Highlights
  • Interactive map of California hospital heliports
  • Detailed heliport information
  • Navigational coordinates
  • Aerial photos with approach paths
  • Offline data saving
  • Search by region, county, or hospital name
Features
Read full description

Caltrans has developed informational dataplates, or "HeliPlates," that provide permitted approach paths and other information for all the permitted Hospital Heliports in California. We hope this information will be helpful to emergency planners, helicopter operators, and other users. The Caltrans HeliPlates app displays a map of Hospital Heliports in California that you can view by Geographic Region or County. You can select a HeliPlate for a specific Hospital Heliport using either the interactive map or by directly choosing the Hospital Name. The HeliPlates include: - Hospital Name - Hospital Heliport Geographic “Nav” Coordinates - Heliport Info and Dimensions - Hospital Facility and FAA Information - Regional Map showing the location of the heliport - Aerial Photo showing the heliport and Permitted Approach Paths Additionally, HeliPlates can be saved for offline use.

About

IGNIS | Wildfire Operations

This app provides essential fireline intelligence and mapping tools for wildland firefighters. It centralizes critical information, allowing users to overlay maps, access weather forecasts, and utilize fire-specific symbology. Offline collaboration features are also available for team coordination.

Highlights
  • Overlay GeoPDF maps on dynamic base maps
  • Access wildland fire layers and weather forecasts
  • Offline base map downloads
  • Fire-specific symbology and reference documents
  • Offline team collaboration via Bluetooth mesh
  • Record tracks, draw lines, and calculate areas
Features
Read full description

**Fireline Mapping Transformed with IGNIS** IGNIS redefines situational awareness, by centralizing essential fireline intelligence, offering unmatched capabilities: overlay GeoPDF maps on dynamic base maps, access curated wildland fire layers, utilize the Fire Weather Dashboard for detailed forecasts, and tap into fire-specific symbology and reference documents. Say goodbye to endless tabs and apps—IGNIS streamlines workflows, saving time and effort in the field. Step into the future of firefighting safety today. **IGNIS Core: FREE for Firefighters—Because the Right Tools Make a Difference** Access powerful fire intelligence tools right at your fingertips, so you can focus on what matters most: the task at hand. Key Features: - Store unlimited GeoPDF maps and layer them on dynamic base maps with 3D views. - Download sections of the base map for offline access. - Access fire-specific weather, including zone forecasts and location-based weather reports. - Build custom incident maps with fire-specific symbology. - Record tracks, draw lines, drop points, and calculate areas in acres. - Access essential reference documents directly in the app. - Curated map layers designed for wildland fire, including: - Severe Fire Danger Index - Fire Weather Advisories - Ground Medevac Transport Times - Current Incidents - Current & Historical Fire Perimeters - NOAA Weather Radar - ALERTCalifornia Cameras - Satellite Heat Detection - Wind Speed & Direction - And more! IGNIS CONNECT: OFFLINE TEAM COLLABORATION Take fireline coordination to the next level with IGNIS Connect. Everything in IGNIS Core, plus: - Team coordination through offline Bluetooth mesh networking. Share points, lines, and polygons—even without cell service. - A web app for centralized organization management, document and map sharing, and interactive mapping. - Unified coordination for field crews and office teams, keeping everyone aligned. Visit http://www.ignistech.io to learn more! Terms of Use: https://www.ignistech.io/terms-of-use Privacy Policy: https://www.ignistech.io/privacy-policy Get Help or Leave Feedback: https://help.ignistech.io/ Or email contact@ignistech.io

Screenshots

HeliPlates2 screens
IGNIS | Wildfire Operations4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: IGNIS | Wildfire Operations at every 2 weeks against HeliPlates's every 17 months. IGNIS | Wildfire Operations also leads on ratings volume (55 vs 3). HeliPlates's advantage is monetization model (free vs freemium) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

HeliPlates holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: IGNIS | Wildfire Operations has 55 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HeliPlates ships an update every 17 months, IGNIS | Wildfire Operations every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
HeliPlates versus IGNIS | Wildfire Operations: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHeliPlatesIGNIS | Wildfire Operations
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better4.8 (55 ratings)
Positive reviews—91.7% of reviews
Number of ratings355 — better
Update frequencyEvery 17 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size0 MB182 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperCalifornia Department of TransportationIgnis Technologies, Inc

Customer experience

HeliPlates

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

IGNIS | Wildfire Operations

All ratings55 ratings
Positive94.5%
Neutral1.8%
Negative3.6%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive91.7%
Neutral8.3%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

HeliPlates

No in-app purchases

None

IGNIS | Wildfire Operations

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HeliPlates free?
HeliPlates is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is IGNIS | Wildfire Operations free?
IGNIS | Wildfire Operations is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, HeliPlates or IGNIS | Wildfire Operations?
HeliPlates is rated higher. HeliPlates averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while IGNIS | Wildfire Operations averages 4.8 from 55 ratings.
Do HeliPlates or IGNIS | Wildfire Operations have ads?
Neither HeliPlates nor IGNIS | Wildfire Operations shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HeliPlates or IGNIS | Wildfire Operations?
HeliPlates ships an update every 17 months, and IGNIS | Wildfire Operations every 2 weeks. Most recently, HeliPlates was updated on October 20, 2026 and IGNIS | Wildfire Operations on October 30, 2026.

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