# VicEmergency vs The Age

The clearest difference is rating: The Age at 4.7 against VicEmergency's 3.5. The Age also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (31 vs 4). VicEmergency's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Age sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per month. VicEmergency asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Age holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Age has 31 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 23% of VicEmergency's written reviews are positive against 27% of The Age's.

VicEmergency ships an update every 6 months, The Age every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | VicEmergency | The Age |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vicemergency/id356559665/reviews) | **[4.7 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-age/id1411569220/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **31** |
| Positive reviews | 23.1% of reviews | **26.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 15 MB | 134 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [State of Victoria - Department of Justice](https://appshunter.io/developer/688084760) | [Fairfax Digital Australia & New Zealand Pty Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/319908649) |

## What reviewers say

### VicEmergency

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vicemergency/id356559665)

Receive official emergency warnings and information for Victoria, Australia. Set up personalized watch zones to get alerts for areas that matter to you, and view a live incident map with real-time updates.

**Highlights:** Live incident map, Personalized watch zones, Push notifications for warnings, GPS integration for location, Forecast Fire Danger Ratings, Total Fire Ban status

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### The Age

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-age/id1411569220)

Stay informed with breaking news and in-depth stories. Customize your news feed with topics you care about and listen to exclusive podcasts. Access premium content and daily puzzles with a subscription.

**Highlights:** Breaking headlines, Push notifications, Podcast catalogue, Customizable news feed, Today's Paper, Daily crosswords, Daily Sudoku

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starter Digital | $17.99 | per month |
| Premium Digital | $24.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🗞️ Trusted news source
- 📰 Comprehensive news coverage
- 🗺️ Useful local news and information
- 💯 Excellent journalism and reporting

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing issues
- 🤖 Lack of user-friendly features and poor navigation
- 💰 Expensive subscription with diminishing value
- 📦 Frustrating download and offline reading experience
- 🔍 Lack of search functionality and personalization

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between sections
- Issues with downloading and accessing offline content
- Unreliable login and authentication processes

**Requested features**

- Bring back the old iPad app design and functionality
- Improve article saving and bookmarking capabilities
- Add more customization options for content display
- Enhance crossword and puzzle experiences
- Provide better support for offline reading


## Frequently asked questions

### Is VicEmergency free?

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

### Is The Age free?

The Age is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, VicEmergency or The Age?

The Age is rated higher. VicEmergency averages 3.5 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while The Age averages 4.7 from 31 ratings.

### Do VicEmergency or The Age have ads?

Neither VicEmergency nor The Age shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, VicEmergency or The Age?

VicEmergency ships an update every 6 months, and The Age every 3 weeks. Most recently, VicEmergency was updated on September 23, 2026 and The Age on September 25, 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.*