# CrimeSpotter vs Explain Communities

The clearest difference is update cadence: Explain Communities at every 5 months against CrimeSpotter's every 24 months. CrimeSpotter's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 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.

CrimeSpotter ships an update every 24 months, Explain Communities every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CrimeSpotter | Explain Communities |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[1.4 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crimespotter/id1518453242/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **9** | — |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 24 months | **Every 5 months** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 80 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [In-Detail Advertising](https://appshunter.io/developer/552898081) | [Explain Market Research Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1621032278) |

## What reviewers say

### CrimeSpotter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crimespotter/id1518453242)

This app allows users to report and receive real-time alerts about local crime incidents. It creates a centralized, searchable database of reported crimes, mapped to their locations, to enhance community awareness and safety.

**Highlights:** Real-time crime incident reporting, Local alert system, Centralized searchable crime database, Location-based crime mapping, Community awareness and safety enhancement

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Explain Communities

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explain-communities/id1621032276)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CrimeSpotter free?

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

### Is Explain Communities free?

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

### Do CrimeSpotter or Explain Communities have ads?

Neither CrimeSpotter nor Explain Communities shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CrimeSpotter or Explain Communities?

CrimeSpotter ships an update every 24 months, and Explain Communities every 5 months. Most recently, CrimeSpotter was updated on October 1, 2026 and Explain Communities on October 4, 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.*