# First Alert by Dataminr vs samdesk

The clearest difference is update cadence: First Alert by Dataminr at weekly against samdesk's every 5 weeks. First Alert by Dataminr also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

First Alert by Dataminr ships an update weekly, samdesk every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | First Alert by Dataminr | samdesk |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (119 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-alert-by-dataminr/id1370986669/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **119** | — |
| Positive reviews | 45.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 75 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Dataminr, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/927068352) | [SAMDesk](https://appshunter.io/developer/1472284000) |

## 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


### samdesk

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/samdesk/id1472308499)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**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 samdesk free?

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

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

Neither First Alert by Dataminr nor samdesk shows ads.

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

First Alert by Dataminr ships an update weekly, and samdesk every 5 weeks. Most recently, First Alert by Dataminr was updated on October 25, 2026 and samdesk on October 24, 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.*