# VicEmergency vs Alert SA

The clearest difference is rating: Alert SA at 4.9 against VicEmergency's 3.5. Alert SA also leads on review sentiment (53% vs 23%) and ratings volume (15 vs 4). On price, update cadence, 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.

Alert SA holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 15 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 23% of VicEmergency's written reviews are positive against 53% of Alert SA's.

VicEmergency ships an update every 6 months, Alert SA every 3 months. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | VicEmergency | Alert SA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vicemergency/id356559665/reviews) | **[4.9 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alert-sa/id1487904728/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **15** |
| Positive reviews | 23.1% of reviews | **53.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 15 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [State of Victoria - Department of Justice](https://appshunter.io/developer/688084760) | [Government of South Australia – South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission](https://appshunter.io/developer/998243396) |

## 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


### 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is VicEmergency free?

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

### Is Alert SA free?

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

### Which has better reviews, VicEmergency or Alert SA?

Alert SA is rated higher. VicEmergency averages 3.5 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Alert SA averages 4.9 from 15 ratings.

### Do VicEmergency or Alert SA have ads?

Neither VicEmergency nor Alert SA shows ads.

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

VicEmergency ships an update every 6 months, and Alert SA every 3 months. Most recently, VicEmergency was updated on September 23, 2026 and Alert SA on September 23, 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.*