# First Alert by Dataminr vs NFCA

The clearest difference is rating: NFCA at 5.0 against First Alert by Dataminr's 4.3. First Alert by Dataminr's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (119 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

NFCA holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: First Alert by Dataminr has 119 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

First Alert by Dataminr ships an update weekly, NFCA every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | First Alert by Dataminr | NFCA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (119 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-alert-by-dataminr/id1370986669/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfca/id1440048392/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **119** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 45.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 75 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dataminr, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/927068352) | [National Fusion Center Association, INC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1440048391) |

## What reviewers say

### First Alert by Dataminr

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-alert-by-dataminr/id1370986669)

This app delivers real-time breaking news alerts derived from public data. It identifies the most relevant information for first responders, proactively sending actionable alerts without requiring constant monitoring.

**Highlights:** Real-time breaking news alerts, Actionable information identification, Proactive alert delivery, Public data transformation, Relevant information surfacing

**In-app purchases:** none


### NFCA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfca/id1440048392)

This app serves as the official guide for the National Fusion Center Association's annual training event. It provides essential information for attendees of the conference held in the Washington, DC area.

**Highlights:** Official event guide, Training event information, Annual conference details, Washington, DC event access

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is First Alert by Dataminr free?

First Alert by Dataminr is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is NFCA free?

NFCA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, First Alert by Dataminr or NFCA?

NFCA is rated higher. First Alert by Dataminr averages 4.3 out of 5 from 119 ratings, while NFCA averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do First Alert by Dataminr or NFCA have ads?

Neither First Alert by Dataminr nor NFCA shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, First Alert by Dataminr or NFCA?

First Alert by Dataminr ships an update weekly, and NFCA every 3 months. Most recently, First Alert by Dataminr was updated on October 25, 2026 and NFCA on October 14, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*