# Spireworks vs AlertAware

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Spireworks at 135 against AlertAware's 8. Spireworks also leads on review sentiment (58% vs 50%). AlertAware's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.6 for Spireworks against 3.5 for AlertAware. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spireworks has 135 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 58% of Spireworks's written reviews are positive against 50% of AlertAware's.

Spireworks ships an update every 2 months, AlertAware every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Spireworks | AlertAware |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.6 (135 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spireworks/id1372884614/reviews)** | [3.5 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alertaware/id1635823148/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **135** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | **58.3% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 96 MB | 110 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Spireworks LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1372884613) | [Jason Volk](https://appshunter.io/developer/1635823153) |

## What reviewers say

### Spireworks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spireworks/id1372884614)

Control iconic building spire lights from your phone, choosing colors and special effects. Request an invite to participate in this unique experience and support charitable causes.

**Highlights:** Sign in and control spire lights, Select colors and special effects, View real-time light changes, Support charities and special events, Request an invite

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Changing building lights is cool
- 🤩 Amazing concept/idea
- 👍 App updates are awesome
- 🔥 Allows changing colors of One Bryant Park

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Expensive usage fee ($10 for 2 mins)
- 🚫 Invite-only access is frustrating
- 🤔 Users question if it works
- ⏳ Long wait for access requests
- 💰 Per-session donation model disliked

**Reported bugs**

- App doesn't work
- No difference in building lights
- App requires donation every time
- App didn't work after donation
- App shows only yellow, doesn't change spire

**Requested features**

- Subscription all-access fee
- Fundraiser events
- Access to all buildings
- One-time donation option
- Unlimited access option


### AlertAware

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alertaware/id1635823148)

This app provides emergency communication and safety solutions for organizations to protect their members. It allows administrators to manage incidents and recipients to receive alerts, respond, and access safety features.

**Highlights:** Emergency communication, Incident management, Role-based features (admin/recipient), Receive and respond to messages, Safety reporting, Assistance options

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Spireworks free?

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

### Is AlertAware free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Spireworks or AlertAware?

Spireworks is rated higher. Spireworks averages 3.6 out of 5 from 135 ratings, while AlertAware averages 3.5 from 8 ratings.

### Do Spireworks or AlertAware have ads?

Neither Spireworks nor AlertAware shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Spireworks or AlertAware?

Spireworks ships an update every 2 months, and AlertAware every 3 weeks. Most recently, Spireworks was updated on October 19, 2026 and AlertAware on October 13, 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.*