# Police Scanner + vs OpenMHz

The clearest difference is rating: Police Scanner + at 4.5 against OpenMHz's 3.9. Police Scanner + also leads on ratings volume (102K vs 175) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 9 days). OpenMHz's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Police Scanner + sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. OpenMHz asks for nothing beyond the download.

Police Scanner + holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Police Scanner + has 102K ratings behind it against 175, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 53% of Police Scanner +'s written reviews are positive against 59% of OpenMHz's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Police Scanner + ships an update every 4 days, OpenMHz every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Police Scanner + | OpenMHz |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (102K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/police-scanner-plus/id498408628/reviews)** | [3.9 (175 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openmhz/id6466666994/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **102K** | 175 |
| Positive reviews | 52.8% of reviews | **59.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#61** | #79 |
| Size | 51 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rego Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/482829998) | [Luke Berndt](https://appshunter.io/developer/875880858) |

## What reviewers say

### Police Scanner +

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/police-scanner-plus/id498408628)

**Currently charting:** #61 Top Free · News, #74 Top Grossing · News (US App Store)

Access over 100,000 free radio stations, including police, fire, EMS, and music. Listen live, record for later, set alarms, and customize your background. Connect with other listeners and share what you're enjoying.

**Highlights:** Listen to 100,000+ radio stations, Record stations for playback, Set wake-up alarms, Background listening, Customizable backgrounds, Live event information, Chat with listeners

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Police Scanner Pro Edition | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Police Scanner Pro Edition | $9.99 | per month |
| Police Scanner Pro Edition | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Clear audio quality
- 🔍 Useful for monitoring local emergencies
- 📻 Wide selection of radio stations
- ⏱ Helpful for staying informed in real-time

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Lack of coverage for certain regions
- 📢 Disruptive and intrusive ads
- 🔌 App crashes or stops working unexpectedly
- 🔀 Difficulty switching between channels

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes or becomes unresponsive
- Ads prevent access to the app's core functionality
- Channels frequently drop or disconnect

**Requested features**

- More local scanner channels
- Option to disable ads or pay for ad-free version
- Ability to monitor multiple channels simultaneously
- Improved stability and reliability


### OpenMHz

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openmhz/id6466666994)

**Currently charting:** #79 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Access live police and fire radio broadcasts from across the United States. Enjoy an ad-free experience with a 30-day archive to review past transmissions. Explore over 225 city, county, and state radio systems.

**Highlights:** Live police and fire radio streams, 30-day transmission archive, Over 225 US radio systems, Ad-free experience, No in-app purchases

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💰 Completely free with no ads or subscriptions
- 🎙️ Access to hard-to-find radio channels and frequencies
- 📚 Archive feature allows listening to past calls and events
- 🎯 Ability to select specific talk groups and agencies
- 🌍 Extensive coverage across USA with many local systems

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing issues
- 🔄 Data not refreshing or getting stuck on old timestamps
- 📵 App stops working after a few days of use
- 🔊 Audio squelching and feedback problems
- ⚠️ Inconsistent autoplay functionality

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes and requires force restart
- Archive feature doesn't properly reset when disabled
- Blank screen with no content loading
- Data stuck on old timestamps and not updating
- Logs not displaying or showing blank screens

**Requested features**

- Ability to bookmark or favorite systems and talk groups
- Custom group creation and naming
- Search functionality for talk groups instead of scrolling
- Background audio playback when screen is locked
- iPad landscape mode support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Police Scanner + free?

Police Scanner + is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is OpenMHz free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Police Scanner + or OpenMHz?

Police Scanner + is rated higher. Police Scanner + averages 4.5 out of 5 from 102K ratings, while OpenMHz averages 3.9 from 175 ratings.

### Do Police Scanner + or OpenMHz have ads?

Police Scanner + shows ads; OpenMHz does not.

### Which is updated more often, Police Scanner + or OpenMHz?

Police Scanner + ships an update every 4 days, and OpenMHz every 9 days. Most recently, Police Scanner + was updated on November 7, 2026 and OpenMHz on November 3, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Police Scanner + or OpenMHz?

Police Scanner + currently peaks at #61 in the App Store charts, and OpenMHz at #79. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*