# EPA AIRNow vs Firesource

The clearest difference is rating: Firesource at 4.7 against EPA AIRNow's 3.2. Firesource also leads on review sentiment (39% vs 27%) and ratings volume (2.7K vs 578). EPA AIRNow's advantage is chart position (#191 vs unranked). 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.

Firesource holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 578 and 2.7K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 27% of EPA AIRNow's written reviews are positive against 39% of Firesource's.

EPA AIRNow ships an update every 5 weeks, Firesource every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | EPA AIRNow | Firesource |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.2 (578 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/epa-airnow/id467653238/reviews) | **[4.7 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firesource-live-wildfires/id1517932241/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 578 | **2.7K** |
| Positive reviews | 26.7% of reviews | **38.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#191** | — |
| Size | 40 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)](https://appshunter.io/developer/466052690) | [Hemal doshi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1517932240) |

## What reviewers say

### EPA AIRNow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/epa-airnow/id467653238)

**Currently charting:** #191 Top Free · Weather (US App Store)

Access real-time and forecasted air quality data for your local area and any other location. Plan your day and protect your health by understanding current air conditions.

**Highlights:** Current air quality information, Forecasted air quality, Local AQI display, Multiple area storage, Health protection planning

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🚀 Helpful for tracking air quality
- 👍 Accurate information
- 👍 Useful for asthmatic users
- 👍 Assists with healthy living

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Not updating in real-time
- 🐛 Inconsistent data across screens
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Inaccurate readings
- 🐛 Incomplete coverage of locations

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when accessing details
- Locations not showing up
- Data not updating consistently
- Incompatibility issues with newer devices

**Requested features**

- Add notification alerts for poor air quality
- Improve map functionality and coverage
- Allow customization of locations and settings
- Provide more detailed air quality data
- Increase update frequency


### Firesource

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firesource-live-wildfires/id1517932241)

Track live wildfires with real-time data on a map and in a feed. Access detailed fire perimeters, news updates, and air quality measurements. Users can also report nearby fires with photos and location data.

**Highlights:** Live fire map and feed, Real-time fire perimeters, Air quality measurements (AQI), User-reported fire alerts, Satellite fire detections, News updates and reports

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great for road closures
- 👍 Nice app to have for fire research
- 👍 Comprehensive fire records

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate and outdated information
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and app issues
- 🐛 Slow performance
- 👎 Limited coverage (no Canada, Australia)
- 👎 Difficult to view fire perimeters

**Reported bugs**

- Fires not showing up on the map
- Air quality data not updating
- App keeps logging users out

**Requested features**

- Horizontal view for iPad
- Notifications for nearby fires
- More detailed fire information (size, direction, containment)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is EPA AIRNow free?

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

### Is Firesource free?

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

### Which has better reviews, EPA AIRNow or Firesource?

Firesource is rated higher. EPA AIRNow averages 3.2 out of 5 from 578 ratings, while Firesource averages 4.7 from 2.7K ratings.

### Do EPA AIRNow or Firesource have ads?

Neither EPA AIRNow nor Firesource shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, EPA AIRNow or Firesource?

EPA AIRNow ships an update every 5 weeks, and Firesource every 2 months. Most recently, EPA AIRNow was updated on November 1, 2026 and Firesource on October 29, 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.*