VIC Fires vs The Courier
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
VIC Fires
Stay informed about bushfires in Victoria, Australia. This app uses official data and your location to show the nearest fires, helping you understand your current situation. Requires internet access for up-to-date information.
- Up-to-date bushfire information
- Uses official CFA/Dept. of Sustainability data
- Integrates Bureau of Meteorology wind data
- Shows nearest fires first
- Utilizes iPhone GPS for location
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This application is designed to provide up to date information about bush fire data in Victoria, Australia for iPhone, iPad and iPod users. It utilises data from the Victorian Country Fire Authority/Victorian Department of Sustainability data feeds on fires, wind data from the Bureau of Meteorology with your current location provided by the iPhone GPS. Using this information the application is able to provide a list of fires showing the nearest ones first, helping you to understand your current situation. The information is reliant on both the accuracy of the iPhone GPS and the data recorded on the CFA's website. This application does not cache any data, so Internet access (either Wireless. 3G or GPRS) is required to access the data. We have enabled this application for the iPod Touch as well, but note that the GPS location and therefore distance from the fire may be unreliable. Be aware that while P4G has utilised "best efforts" to provide this information to you, it is not intended to replace other sources of information on the fire situation near you. Also remember that fire and weather can change quickly. All data is provided Copyright from the Victorian Country Fire Authority and the Victorian Department of Sustainability. Follow P4G on twitter at P4G_Apps
The Courier
Access local and national news, sports results, and in-depth analysis from your community's trusted source. Stay informed with breaking news alerts and a digital replica of the daily newspaper. Includes interactive puzzles.
- Breaking news updates 24/7
- Browse articles by topic
- Save articles for later
- Breaking news alerts
- Digital newspaper replica
- Daily interactive puzzles
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The Courier app brings together the best of your daily newspaper and its website to take your local news experience to another level. As Ballarat's trusted voice, we keep you up to date seven days a week with news that’s important to our community. Whether it's the breaking news you need to know from around the region or across the nation, the BFL, CHFL or other sporting results, in-depth analysis explaining the decisions and events affecting our lives, or incisive commentary, you will be the first to know using The Courier app. The app is free to download, but you need to be a Courier digital subscriber to read articles. Features include: - Access to breaking news updates 24 hours-a-day - Browse the latest articles in the topics that interest you most - Save articles to read later - Alerts for breaking news and big stories - Read a digital replica of the day's newspaper - Play our daily interactive puzzles Please note: This app features Nielsen's proprietary measurement software which will allow you to contribute to market research or audience ratings services. Please see http://www.nielsen.com/digitalprivacy for more information.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: The Courier at Free against VIC Fires's $0.99. The Courier also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.4). VIC Fires's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
The Courier is free to download; VIC Fires costs $0.99 up front. The Courier sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. VIC Fires asks for nothing beyond the download.
The Courier holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: VIC Fires has 21 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 66% of VIC Fires's written reviews are positive against 38% of The Courier's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
VIC Fires ships an update every 3 weeks, The Courier every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | VIC Fires | The Courier |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.4 (21 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 65.9% of reviews — better | 38.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 21 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #56 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 34 MB | 59 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | P4G Pty Ltd | Rural Press Pty Ltd |
Customer experience
VIC Fires
The Courier
Bugs and requests
VIC Fires
Reported bugs
35 issues- Main icon needs dark theme support
- Map is not moving smoothly across the state
- Screen keeps freezing
- Continually freezes
- Constantly freezes
Show 30 moreShow fewer
- Map glitches and freeze
- Very laggy
- Cannot delete watch zones
- Watchzones i've previously created cannot be deleted
- App takes a couple of times to get the information up
- Self generating watch zones and will not delete
- Fires listed are often not shown on the map
- Notifications are on but it doesn’t notify me when there’s a fire
- Settings don’t update as requested
- App unable to show Watch & Act details
- Mistake on map (roundabout missing)
- Properties under threat not updated for days
- Crashes when you try and adjust the settings
- Fire Ratings Forecast portion has disappeared
- Crashing problems when clicking town weather icon
- Yellow skin all over victoria makes it hard to see under it
- Tree Down and Building Damage notifications are irrelevant
- App won't open or crashes
- Map doesn't show fire edge like NSW version
- Updates are terrible, not updating for days
- Map doesn't show where the actual fire edge is
- Updates need to be more timely and informative
- Can only set a Watch Zone for current location
- Jumbled and difficult to find a fire in your area
- Flame symbols are distracting and cover too much area
- Hard to see simply where the fire has burnt
- Watch zone function does not work (deletes within minutes)
- Cannot search for a location by entering an address
- Some map notifications missing for specific areas
- Hotspot feature reduced
Requested features
19 requests- Add iOS dark icon theme support
- More information about fires and emergencies
- Add KML/KMZ compatibility for OzRunways
- Include local fire restriction dates
- Allow reporting of intended burning off
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- Show fire edge on map like NSW version
- Add address search function
- Improve map legend and explanation
- Add a help page for new users
- Allow selection of multiple watch zones for friends/family
- Show types of vehicles, helicopters, planes
- Include evacuation center locations
- Live wind direction and speed
- Show fire boundaries more clearly
- Re-add building fire alarm call outs
- Update for FRV
- Filter notifications or allow user control
- Add rain radar
- Add satellite image view option
The Courier
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
VIC Fires
No in-app purchases
The Courier
- Courier Monthly Subcription$12.991 Month
- Courier Annual Subscription$129.991 Year
