HazMat Reference vs AskRail
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
HazMat Reference
Quickly access critical information on hazardous materials for handling, storage, and incident response. Features include advanced search, sorting, and filtering of materials from key regulatory tables and guides. Offline access ensures availability in any situation.
- ERG 2024 data
- NIOSH, CFR/HMT, NFPA, GHS information
- Advanced search, sort, and filter
- Offline access
- NFPA Fire Diamond
- Physical descriptions and CAS#
- DOT incident data filter
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Your best quick reference for hazardous materials. Includes: NIOSH, CFR/HMT, NFPA, GHS, CAMEO information. This app serves as a quick reference and educational tool for employees that are involved with the regular handling and storage or incident response of Hazardous Materials. Materials from the Hazardous Material Table (HMT) and Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) are listed in easy to review form with advanced search, sort, and filter capabilities. Pertinent information from the HMT, ERG, NIOSH and other sources are listed with the proper placard and hazard class for each material. The Hazardous Materials Table (HMT) 49 CFR §172.101 is a list of hazardous materials by proper shipping name that governs the transportation, marking and labeling by all modes: air, water, rail, and highway. Understanding and knowing how to use information in the HMT is the first step toward compliance. The Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) is primarily a guide to aid first responders in quickly identifying the specific or generic hazards of the material(s) involved in the incident, and protecting themselves and the general public during the initial response phase of the incident. The ERG is updated and released every 4 years by the D.O.T. No internet connection required. Find materials by name or UN Identifier. Includes information from all tables and reference pages in the ERG. Additional Features: * Filter/Sort Materials with DOT Reported Incidents in the last 12 months * History of materials - most recent or most viewed * NFPA Fire Diamond: quick visual ref for Health, Fire, Reactivity, and other hazards * Physical descriptions for most chemicals * CAS#, RTECS# with NIOSH IDLH and exposure information * Quicksort by UN ID#, guide #, name or number of incidents
AskRail
This app provides hazardous materials safety information for first responders dealing with rail incidents. It allows authorized personnel to query railcar contents and offers critical data for emergency response. Access to advanced features requires verification and railroad sponsorship.
- Hazardous materials safety information
- Rail incident support
- Query railcar contents
- Emergency response data
- First responder tool
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The AskRail app is a hazardous materials safety tool for first responders who are first on scene or directly support the first on scene in the event of a rail incident. Access to certain features, including the ability to query railcar contents based on an equipment number, is restricted to authorized personnel. To obtain authorization to use the restricted features, you must assert that you are a first responder, provide information about your emergency response agency, and identify a supervisor who can attest to your first responder duties. You also must obtain sponsorship from a Class I railroad. This process may take up to several weeks. AskRail is a collaborative effort among all North American Class I railroads, the Association of American Railroads, Railinc Corp., and the Transportation Technology Center, Inc. For more information about AskRail please visit: www.askrail.us.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: AskRail at Free against HazMat Reference's $4.99. HazMat Reference's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.1) and review sentiment (96% vs 58%). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and 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
AskRail is free to download; HazMat Reference costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
HazMat Reference holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HazMat Reference has 1.7K ratings behind it against 37, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 96% of HazMat Reference's written reviews are positive against 58% of AskRail's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and July 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | HazMat Reference | AskRail |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.8 (1.7K ratings) — better | 4.1 (37 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 95.9% of reviews — better | 58.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1.7K — better | 37 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #89 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 75 MB | 44 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | ThatsMyStapler Inc. | Association of American Railroads |
Customer experience
HazMat Reference
AskRail
Bugs and requests
HazMat Reference
Reported bugs
1 issue- Bulk packaging information part of CFR 49 won't load
Requested features
2 requests- Format for larger phones
- Ability to print guide or reference material
AskRail
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
HazMat Reference
No in-app purchases
AskRail
No in-app purchases








