EPA AIRNow vs Air Quality Reader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
EPA AIRNow
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.
- Current air quality information
- Forecasted air quality
- Local AQI display
- Multiple area storage
- Health protection planning
Read full descriptionHide full description
EPA's AirNow mobile app provides a simple interface for quickly checking current and forecast air quality information for planning daily activities and protecting your health. The app automatically displays the current AQI (Air Quality Index) for your local area or any area you wish to check, and allows you to store multiple areas for quick reference.
Air Quality Reader
View real-time air quality index (AQI) readings from a global network of sensors. Get instant health insights and monitor pollution levels directly on your home screen with customizable widgets.
- Real-time AQI readings
- Global sensor network
- Home screen widgets
- Health effect information
- Pollution monitoring
Read full descriptionHide full description
See real-time air quality index (AQI) readings from PurpleAir sensors around the world. Widgets enable you to get a map of real-time AQI readings directly on your home screen. The Air Quality Index (AQI) tells you how clean or polluted your air is and what associated health effects might be a concern for you. This app displays AQI readings from PurpleAir, a collection of air quality sensors run by enthusiasts and air quality professionals around the world.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Air Quality Reader at 3.8 against EPA AIRNow's 3.2. Air Quality Reader also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 5 weeks) and review sentiment (37% vs 27%). EPA AIRNow's advantage is chart position (#90 vs unranked) and ratings volume (578 vs 147). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Air Quality Reader holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 3.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 578 and 147 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 27% of EPA AIRNow's written reviews are positive against 37% of Air Quality Reader's.
EPA AIRNow ships an update every 5 weeks, Air Quality Reader every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | EPA AIRNow | Air Quality Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.2 (578 ratings) | 3.8 (147 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 26.7% of reviews | 36.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 578 — better | 147 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #90 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 40 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) | Bret Taylor |
Customer experience
EPA AIRNow
Air Quality Reader
User reviews
EPA AIRNow
From 578 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🚀 Helpful for tracking air quality
- 👍 Accurate information
- 👍 Useful for asthmatic users
- 👍 Assists with healthy living
Room to improve
- 🐛 Not updating in real-time
- 🐛 Inconsistent data across screens
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Inaccurate readings
- 🐛 Incomplete coverage of locations
Air Quality Reader
From 147 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Simple and effective app
- 🗺️ Map widget available
- 💨 Real-time air quality data
- 💙 Great public service app
- ✨ Ad-free experience
Room to improve
- ❌ Data not updating
- stale Data displayed
- ⚠️ Dangerously misleading data
- 📉 Sensors disappeared
- ❓ Data accuracy issues
Bugs and requests
EPA AIRNow
Reported bugs
4 issues- Crashes when accessing details
- Locations not showing up
- Data not updating consistently
- Incompatibility issues with newer devices
Requested features
5 requests- 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
Air Quality Reader
Reported bugs
13 issues- App stopped updating air quality data
- Data feed stopped working
- Sensors not updating for months
- Indoor sensors not showing
- My unit is missing from map
Show 8 moreShow fewer
- Sensor data is incorrect
- Data not current
- No widget available
- App not connecting to network
- Inaccurate readings compared to other sources
- App unable to read zero AQI
- Widget not showing data
- App shows stale data with no indication of age
Requested features
10 requests- Increase font size for visually impaired
- Add ability to toggle indoor sensors
- Add ability to filter indoor vs outdoor sensors
- Add pollen data
- Notification options for air quality drops
Show 5 moreShow fewer
- Add temperature display
- Option to sign in to personal Purple Air monitor
- Add PM 0.3 option
- Ability to filter by EPA conversion
- Add dark mode
In-app purchases
EPA AIRNow
No in-app purchases
Air Quality Reader
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is EPA AIRNow free?
Is Air Quality Reader free?
Which has better reviews, EPA AIRNow or Air Quality Reader?
Do EPA AIRNow or Air Quality Reader have ads?
Which is updated more often, EPA AIRNow or Air Quality Reader?
Other comparisons
