# Alert SA vs NIOA

The clearest difference is update cadence: Alert SA at every 3 months against NIOA's every 23 months. NIOA's advantage is iOS requirement (13.4 vs 16.0). 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.

Alert SA ships an update every 3 months, NIOA every 23 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Alert SA | NIOA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alert-sa/id1487904728/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **15** | — |
| Positive reviews | 53.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 23 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 45 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Government of South Australia – South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission](https://appshunter.io/developer/998243396) | [NIOA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1600422572) |

## What reviewers say

### Alert SA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alert-sa/id1487904728)

Receive timely alerts and warnings for various hazards like fires, heatwaves, severe weather, and floods. Customize notifications for up to 10 specific areas and stay informed about fire danger ratings and total fire bans. This official government app ensures you have critical public safety information.

**Highlights:** Multi-hazard alerts, Customizable watch zones, Fire danger ratings, Total fire ban information, Cross-border notifications, Accessibility features

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🗺️ Customizable watch zones for personalized alerts
- 📍 Real-time incident mapping and location visibility
- 🔔 Reliable notifications for critical emergencies
- 👍 User-friendly interface and easy navigation
- 💾 Comprehensive incident information and details

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔊 Notification sound is intrusive and cannot be customized
- 📢 Alert fatigue from excessive non-critical notifications
- 🐛 Notifications fail to arrive despite enabled settings
- ❌ Frozen app after recent updates (iOS)
- 📍 Insufficient location details in notifications (missing suburb/street address)

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes on welcome screen after update (version 3.3.0+)
- Fire hazard rating button causes app crash
- Notifications not received despite enabled settings and watch zones configured
- Push notifications fail after iPhone OS updates
- App stuck in portrait mode on iPad in landscape orientation

**Requested features**

- Customizable notification sounds with multiple options
- Ability to filter alert types (fires only vs. all incidents)
- Watch zones smaller than 5km for suburban areas
- Wind direction and speed information for fire events
- Dynamic watch zones that adjust based on fire danger levels


### NIOA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nioa/id1600422570)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Alert SA free?

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

### Is NIOA free?

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

### Do Alert SA or NIOA have ads?

Neither Alert SA nor NIOA shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Alert SA or NIOA?

Alert SA ships an update every 3 months, and NIOA every 23 months. Most recently, Alert SA was updated on October 25, 2026 and NIOA on October 15, 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.*