Comparison

HazMat Reference vs Chemdata

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

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
Currently charting
Read full description

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

About

Chemdata

Access a comprehensive chemical hazard database offline for incident management. Provides detailed information on over 62,000 chemicals, including safety, transport, and emergency response guidance. Offers multilingual support and regular updates.

Highlights
  • Offline chemical database access
  • Hazardous chemical identification
  • Incident command support
  • Transport classification
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) guidance
  • Multilingual support (EN, NL, FR, DE, ES)
Features
Read full description

If your organisation handles chemicals and you need to know how to manage their risks, Pocket Chemdata® is simply a 'must have'. Pocket Chemdata is a reliable, interactive database subscription service providing access to over 62,000 documents and more than 186,000 different chemical names including pure and trade-name chemicals. Pocket Chemdata provides clear information including how to manage their hazardous affects. PRODUCT BENEFITS: •Simple and easy-to-use chemical and chemical hazard identification •Incident commanders can access chemical information from anywhere in the world (no internet connection required) •Helps to mitigate the consequences of incidents •Regularly updated database, so users always have the latest information •Information is installed on the device, so an internet connection is not required to access data •Provides the same clear concise advice as the standard Chemdata® FEATURES: •Powerful search functionality for efficient chemical identification •UN number, ADR HIN, EAC codes •Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements •Physical form information •Transport classification •Chemical hazard information (only available to subscribers) •Reactivity guidance (only available to subscribers) •Fire, decontamination and first aid advice (only available to subscribers) •Precautions information including large and small spill advice (only available to subscribers) •Environmental data (only available to subscribers) •Physical properties (only available to subscribers) •Add private notes and comments against chemical records (only available to subscribers) •Sync private notes and comments with your organisation’s central Chemdata solution (only available to subscribers) Designed and continuously maintained by emergency responders from Ricardo's NCEC, one of the world's leading chemical emergency centres, Pocket Chemdata is one of the most trusted sources of chemical information available. Data is updated approximately twice a year to ensure responders have access to up-to-date information. Pocket Chemdata is used globally by organisations, including fire and other emergency services, to provide invaluable and timely advice in the event of chemical spillages, fires and contamination incidents. Trust Pocket Chemdata for clear and concise information on more than 62,000 substances, at your fingertips. The free app provides access to one full record, to demonstrate the full capabilities of the system, this can be found by searching for the ‘Chlorine’ record or document number 5. LANGUAGES As well as English, Pocket Chemdata includes Dutch, French, German and Spanish translations - all in the one app. SUPPORT We would really like to know what you think about Pocket Chemdata, so please visit www.chemdata.co.uk to provide feedback or ask questions. Alternatively, you can email us at chemdata@ricardo.com. Chemdata® and Pocket Chemdata® have been developed for NCEC by Ark Software Ltd and Payot Ltd.

Screenshots

HazMat Reference4 screens
Chemdata3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Chemdata at Free against HazMat Reference's $4.99. HazMat Reference's advantage is review sentiment (96% vs 67%) and update cadence (every 4 months vs every 19 months). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Chemdata is free to download; HazMat Reference costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HazMat Reference ships an update every 4 months, Chemdata every 19 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and June 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
HazMat Reference versus Chemdata: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHazMat ReferenceChemdata
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (1.7K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews95.9% of reviews — better66.7% of reviews
Number of ratings1.7K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 months — betterEvery 19 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#37 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.014.0
Further details — not scored
Size75 MB49 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperThatsMyStapler Inc.Ricardo-AEA ltd

Customer experience

HazMat Reference

All ratings1,723 ratings
Positive96.4%
Neutral1.7%
Negative1.9%
Written reviews170 reviews
Positive95.9%
Neutral2.4%
Negative1.8%

Chemdata

Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

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

Chemdata

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

HazMat Reference

No in-app purchases

None

Chemdata

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HazMat Reference free?
HazMat Reference costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Chemdata free?
Chemdata is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do HazMat Reference or Chemdata have ads?
Neither HazMat Reference nor Chemdata shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HazMat Reference or Chemdata?
HazMat Reference ships an update every 4 months, and Chemdata every 19 months. Most recently, HazMat Reference was updated on September 28, 2026 and Chemdata on June 5, 2026.

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