Comparison

HeliPlates vs Topo Fire

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

Topo Fire

This app provides wildland firefighters with essential mapping tools and resources for incident response. It offers shared incident maps, various map layers, and navigation aids, all accessible on mobile devices and Apple Watch.

Highlights
  • Shared incident maps with live location
  • Multiple map layers (USGS, Forest Service, etc.)
  • Drawing and waypoint tools
  • Proximity alerts
  • Apple Watch integration
  • Cloud sync across devices
Features
Read full description

Topo Fire is packed with the maps & tools every Wildland Firefighter needs. ‣‣ FREE Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG) ‣ Easily accessible right on your phone. ‣ Change font size. ‣ Change color scheme. ‣‣ SHARED INCIDENT MAP ‣ Create a new map for each incident. ‣ Share that map with your teammates. ‣ Add NWCG & ICS Symbols to the map. ‣ Live location sharing. ‣‣ MAPS ‣ US National Map ‣ USGS Topo Map ‣ US Forest Service ‣ Natural Resource Canada Topo Map ‣ Thunderforest ‣ AccuTerra maps ‣ ESRI Maps ‣‣ MAP OVERLAYS ‣ Elevation ‣ Slope ‣ Grid ‣ Distance Rings ‣ Hill Shading ‣ Private Land (US) ‣ Public Land (US) ‣‣ TOOLS ‣ Import geoPDF© ‣ Add Lines, Waypoints, & Polygons ‣ Share map data ‣ Import & Export Map Data ‣ Proximity Alerts ‣ Print Maps ‣ Guide Me ‣‣ APPLE WATCH ‣ Download maps directly to the watch ‣ Pan and zoom the map just like on the phone ‣ Drop a waypoint ‣ Record a track and see all of your stats ‣‣ CLOUD Sync your lines, polygons, waypoints, incidents, & subscriptions between all of your iOS and Mac devices. SUBSCRIPTION PAYMENT INFORMATION Topo Fire subscriptions will be charged to your Apple ID account at the confirmation of purchase and/or completion of free trial. Subscription automatically renews unless it is canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the free trial or current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your account settings on the App Store after purchase. Privacy Policy: https://topofire.com/privacy Terms of Service: https://topofire.com/tos Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

Screenshots

HeliPlates2 screens
Topo Fire4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: HeliPlates at 5.0 against Topo Fire's 4.5. HeliPlates also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1). Topo Fire's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 17 months) and device support (5 vs 2). On price and ads 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. Topo Fire sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $59.99 per year. HeliPlates asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

HeliPlates holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 11 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HeliPlates ships an update every 17 months, Topo Fire weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 2 level
HeliPlates versus Topo Fire: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHeliPlatesTopo Fire
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better4.5 (11 ratings)
Number of ratings311 — better
Update frequencyEvery 17 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS18.615 — better
Further details — not scored
Size0 MB185 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCalifornia Department of TransportationGlacier Peak Studios LLC

Customer experience

HeliPlates

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

Topo Fire

All ratings11 ratings
Positive81.8%
Neutral9.1%
Negative9.1%

In-app purchases

None

HeliPlates

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Topo Fire

Subscriptions1
  • Topo Fire Pro7 Days trial$59.991 Year

Questions

Is HeliPlates free?
HeliPlates is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Topo Fire free?
Topo Fire is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, HeliPlates or Topo Fire?
HeliPlates is rated higher. HeliPlates averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Topo Fire averages 4.5 from 11 ratings.
Do HeliPlates or Topo Fire have ads?
Neither HeliPlates nor Topo Fire shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HeliPlates or Topo Fire?
HeliPlates ships an update every 17 months, and Topo Fire weekly. Most recently, HeliPlates was updated on October 31, 2026 and Topo Fire on October 24, 2026.

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