FEMA vs Emergency
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
FEMA
This app provides essential tools and information for disaster preparedness, safety, and recovery. Receive real-time alerts, access guidance on emergency plans and kits, and find information on disaster assistance.
- Real-time weather and emergency alerts
- Disaster preparedness guidance
- Actionable safety advice
- Disaster recovery assistance information
- Location-based alerts
- Accessibility features
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The official FEMA mobile app provides essential tools and information to help you prepare for, stay safe during, and recover from disasters. Empower yourself and your loved ones with critical resources at your fingertips. Key Features: - Timely and Relevant Alerts: Receive real-time weather and emergency alerts from the National Weather Service (NWS) and Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), tailored to your specified locations (up to five), utilizing zip code precision. Stay informed about potential hazards affecting the areas you care about. - Comprehensive Preparedness Guidance: Access clear, concise information on how to prepare for various disasters. Learn how to develop a family emergency communication plan and build an effective emergency kit. - Actionable Safety Advice: Understand immediate steps to take to protect yourself and your family during different types of emergencies. - Disaster Recovery Assistance: Find answers to frequently asked questions about the disaster assistance process and locate FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers nearby. - Accessibility Focused: Designed with accessibility in mind, the app is compatible with screen reader technology and adheres to federal accessibility standards. Be proactive in ensuing your safety and resilience. Download the official FEMA App today to access vital information and resources when you need them most. It’s a free and essential tool for every individual and family. If you have any questions, comments or ideas, we’d love to hear them. Contact us at fema-app@fema.dhs.gov. Important: Tornado alerts are a moving target using polygon tracking for accuracy. Real-time tornado alerts based on your current location are not currently offered in the FEMA app.
Emergency
Prepare for and stay informed during emergencies with disaster guides, personalized checklists, and real-time weather alerts. Locate open shelters and services, track storms with interactive maps, and receive official National Weather Service notifications for your locations.
- Disaster preparedness guides
- Personalized planning checklists
- Official National Weather Service alerts
- Real-time weather maps
- Hurricane tracking
- Shelter and service locator
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The free American Red Cross Emergency app helps you protect yourself and your loved ones before, during and after a disaster. Use the app to: Get ready before a disaster with disaster guides and personalized planning checklists. Stay informed during a disaster with official National Weather Service alerts, real-time weather maps and hurricane tracking updates. Find help during and after a disaster by locating open Red Cross shelters and services near you. GET WEATHER ALERTS Receive official alerts from the National Weather Service for tornadoes, hurricanes, floods and other hazards. Get alerts for your current location. Add places where loved ones live, work or go to school. Choose the types of alerts you want for each location. VIEW WEATHER MAPS AND TRACK STORMS Use weather radar and maps to see changing conditions. Track hurricanes and tropical storms to follow their paths. FIND SHELTERS AND SERVICES Find open Red Cross shelters and service sites during and after a disaster. See details about each site and get directions. GET READY FOR DISASTERS Prepare with step-by-step guides and personalized planning checklists. FREE AND ACCESSIBLE The Emergency app is free and available in English and Spanish. The app is designed with accessibility in mind. It supports your device’s built-in accessibility features, including VoiceOver and larger text. You can use the app in portrait or landscape mode and navigate with an external keyboard. Download the American Red Cross Emergency app and start getting ready today.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Emergency at 4.8 against FEMA's 3.7. Emergency also leads on ratings volume (7.9K vs 1K) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 2 months). FEMA's advantage is review sentiment (69% vs 46%) and chart position (#18 vs #89). 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.
Emergency holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Emergency has 7.9K ratings behind it against 1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 69% of FEMA's written reviews are positive against 46% of Emergency's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
FEMA ships an update every 2 months, Emergency every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.
| Parameter | FEMA | Emergency |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.7 (1K ratings) | 4.8 (7.9K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 68.9% of reviews — better | 45.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1K | 7.9K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 5 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #18 — better | #89 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 180 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) | American Red Cross |
Customer experience
FEMA
Emergency
User reviews
FEMA
From 1K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Accurate and timely weather alerts
- 👍 Helpful preparedness information
- 🚨 Essential for emergency situations
- ⚠️ Valuable real-time updates
- 🗺️ Ability to monitor multiple locations
Room to improve
- 🔁 Repetitive and excessive notifications
- 🔍 Difficulty finding/accessing alerts
- 🐛 Bugs causing app crashes or issues
- 🤔 Confusing or unintuitive interface
- 🗺️ Limited location tracking capabilities
Emergency
From 7.9K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy user interface
- 👍 Accessible to the blind
- 🚀 Sends immediate notifications
- 👍 Keeps users informed about hazards
- 👍 Provides emergency preparedness information
Room to improve
- 🔇 Notifications too loud even with volume down
- 🔁 Repeated notifications for the same event
- 🗺️ Inaccurate location tracking and alerts
- 🔍 Inability to customize alert radius
- 🔌 Alerts not working during power outages
Bugs and requests
FEMA
Reported bugs
4 issues- Alerts not showing up in the app
- Locations being repeatedly deleted
- Inability to add or update locations
- Notification badge not clearing properly
Requested features
5 requests- Dark mode option
- Customizable notification settings
- Ability to view past/archived alerts
- Integration with other weather/emergency apps
- Improved mapping and location services
Emergency
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashing or freezing
- Notifications not working as expected
- Issues with adding or updating locations
Requested features
5 requests- Add option to mute alerts after initial notification
- Provide more customization options for alert settings
- Integrate with smart home devices and wearables
- Add ability to share alerts and safety status with contacts
- Improve map functionality and location-based features
In-app purchases
FEMA
No in-app purchases
Emergency
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is FEMA free?
Is Emergency free?
Which has better reviews, FEMA or Emergency?
Do FEMA or Emergency have ads?
Which is updated more often, FEMA or Emergency?
Which is more popular, FEMA or Emergency?
Other comparisons
