# HazMat Reference vs AskRail

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | HazMat Reference | AskRail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hazmat-reference/id385775821/reviews)** | [4.1 (37 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/askrail/id1142325064/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | 37 |
| Positive reviews | **95.9% of reviews** | 58.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#37** | — |
| Size | 75 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [ThatsMyStapler Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/337472637) | [Association of American Railroads](https://appshunter.io/developer/1142325063) |

## What reviewers say

### HazMat Reference

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hazmat-reference/id385775821)

**Currently charting:** #37 Top Paid · Reference (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Excellent tool
- 🚀 Saves time
- 👍 Handy app
- 👍 User-friendly
- 👍 Great resource

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Closed unexpectedly
- 🐛 Outdated information
- 👎 Color of distance pages makes it unreadable
- 👎 User interface not great

**Reported bugs**

- Bulk packaging information part of CFR 49 won't load

**Requested features**

- Format for larger phones
- Ability to print guide or reference material


### AskRail

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/askrail/id1142325064)

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.

**Highlights:** Hazardous materials safety information, Rail incident support, Query railcar contents, Emergency response data, First responder tool

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HazMat Reference free?

HazMat Reference costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is AskRail free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HazMat Reference or AskRail?

HazMat Reference is rated higher. HazMat Reference averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while AskRail averages 4.1 from 37 ratings.

### Do HazMat Reference or AskRail have ads?

Neither HazMat Reference nor AskRail shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HazMat Reference or AskRail?

HazMat Reference ships an update every 4 months, and AskRail every 4 months. Most recently, HazMat Reference was updated on September 25, 2026 and AskRail on July 21, 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.*