Comparison

FloodWatch vs RiverAware

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

Head to head
About

FloodWatch

Monitor real-time river and flood data across the United States. Track river height, discharge, precipitation, and water temperature with data from USGS and NWS. Ideal for property owners, outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone needing flood awareness.

Highlights
  • Real-time river data
  • Historical trends and graphs
  • Favorites list for gauges
  • Nationwide US coverage
  • Flood awareness alerts
  • Recreation water condition checks
Features
Read full description

Whether you live near a river, enjoy kayaking or fishing, or simply want to stay informed about potential flooding, FloodWatch keeps you connected to the latest conditions across the United States. Powered by data from the US Geological Survey (USGS) and National Weather Service (NWS), FloodWatch helps you monitor rivers and streams with precision and confidence. Key Features • Real-Time River Data – Track current river height, discharge, precipitation, and water temperature from thousands of USGS gauges nationwide. • Historical Trends & Graphs – Visualize how river levels, streamflow, rainfall, and temperature change over time. • Favorites List – Save your most important gauges for instant access to the latest readings. • Nationwide Coverage – Explore data for rivers and streams throughout the U.S., including flood-stage information from NWS. • Flood Awareness – Keep watch on flood-prone areas and monitor rising waters before they become a threat. • Great for Recreation – Check water conditions before heading out to fish, paddle, or swim. Only USGS gauges with real-time data capabilities are included, so you’ll always get the most accurate and up-to-date information available. Whether you’re safeguarding your property, planning your next river trip, or simply fascinated by hydrology, FloodWatch gives you the insight to stay prepared when water levels change.

About

RiverAware

Access real-time river levels, flood alerts, and accurate forecasts from over 13,000 stations nationwide. Monitor your favorite rivers, receive custom notifications, and stay informed with severe weather news.

Highlights
  • Real-time river and coastal station data
  • Interactive map with color-coded pins
  • Up to 3 months of water-level history
  • Customizable river alerts
  • National Weather Service flood forecasts
  • Official weather alerts and newsfeed
  • Easy sharing of data and map snapshots
Read full description

Explore 13,000+ river and coastal stations in real time with accurate data, reliable forecasts, and nationwide flood alerts. Key Features of RiverAware: • Interactive Map: Search and explore rivers with color-coded pins showing live conditions. • River Data at a Glance: Access up to 3 months of water-level history in clear, simple graphs. • Watch List: Track the rivers that matter most to you. • Custom Alerts: Get notified when rivers reach your chosen height or flood stage. • Flood Forecasts: See what’s coming with accurate predictions from the National Weather Service (NWS). • Official Weather Alerts: Stay informed with current nationwide flood and storm warnings. • Severe Weather Newsfeed: Follow live flood news and weather updates right inside the app. • Easy Sharing: Send live graphs and map snapshots directly from the app. Upgrade to RiverAware Premium for access to all new features, plus more: * Unlimited alerts * Unlimited Watch List stations * All available flood forecasts Whether you’re planning outdoor adventures, monitoring your property, or working in emergency response, RiverAware helps you stay prepared and make informed decisions. Download RiverAware today to help you make confident decisions with real-time river and flood alerts.

Screenshots

FloodWatch4 screens
RiverAware4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: RiverAware at 100% against FloodWatch's 58%. RiverAware also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). FloodWatch's advantage is ratings volume (314 vs 8). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. FloodWatch sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and RiverAware sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

RiverAware holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FloodWatch has 314 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of FloodWatch's written reviews are positive against 100% of RiverAware's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FloodWatch ships an update every 2 months, RiverAware every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
FloodWatch versus RiverAware: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFloodWatchRiverAware
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (314 ratings)5.0 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews57.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings314 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS26.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB52 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBrian DeshongTranscend Engineering and Technology, LLC

Customer experience

FloodWatch

All ratings314 ratings
Positive94.9%
Neutral2.2%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews59 reviews
Positive57.6%
Neutral15.3%
Negative27.1%

RiverAware

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

FloodWatch

Reported bugs

19 issues
  • App crashes on opening
  • App crashes when updating levels
  • App crashes when scrolling through favorites
  • App crashes a lot
  • App kicks out when viewing favorites
Show 14 more
  • Map keeps returning to current location
  • Layout changed, not preferred
  • Does not work since September 11
  • Update didn't resolve problem
  • App kicks out when trying to access
  • New update made nothing work
  • Interface not intuitive
  • Gauges not appearing on map initially
  • Full page ads impede navigation
  • App doesn't work at all
  • No data or functions
  • Inaccurate and missing major points
  • App crashes on initial launch
  • App crashes when trying to scroll thru favorites

Requested features

21 requests
  • Add alerts for flood stage
  • Add Lock Screen widgets
  • Add search bar for gauges
  • Add CFS readings
  • Add alerts for flow rate
Show 16 more
  • Add historical data query
  • Add data extractor to email
  • Add link to data source website
  • Add more information on the gage itself
  • Add average conditions or trends
  • Add push notifications
  • Add ability to email charts
  • Add automatic surfing to USGS website
  • Add flood level for each river
  • Add ability to send push notification for flooding potential
  • Add discharge data
  • Add complications for watch faces
  • Add ability to remove ALL ads
  • Add a "tell friends" function
  • Add more sensors to pop up
  • Add ability to get notified when water reaches a certain level in a certain area

RiverAware

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

5 purchases

FloodWatch

One-time5
  • Tip Level 1$0.99
  • Tip Level 2$2.99
  • Tip Level 3$5.99
Show 2 more
  • Ad Removal$8.99
  • Tip Level 4$9.99
2 purchases

RiverAware

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Premium Annual$19.991 Year

Questions

Is FloodWatch free?
FloodWatch is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is RiverAware free?
RiverAware is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, FloodWatch or RiverAware?
RiverAware is rated higher. FloodWatch averages 4.7 out of 5 from 314 ratings, while RiverAware averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.
Do FloodWatch or RiverAware have ads?
FloodWatch shows ads; RiverAware does not.
Which is updated more often, FloodWatch or RiverAware?
FloodWatch ships an update every 2 months, and RiverAware every 3 weeks. Most recently, FloodWatch was updated on October 13, 2026 and RiverAware on October 1, 2026.

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