Comparison

Cargo Decoder Plus vs CAMEO Chemicals

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

Head to head
About

Cargo Decoder Plus

Instantly identify hazardous materials by their 4-digit DOT placard number. Access comprehensive safety information from multiple Emergency Response Guidebook editions, even offline. Quickly search by number or material name for critical details.

Highlights
  • Identify materials by DOT placard number
  • Access ERG 2024, 2020, 2016, 2012 editions
  • Search by UN/NA placard number or material name
  • View protective distance and toxic inhalation hazards
  • Offline access, no network required
  • Learn about GHS classification and labeling
Features
Read full description

Cargo Decoder is your guide to what is in the truck or tanker next to you on the highway. Enter the 4 digit number from the DOT placard to learn about a material. See details from both the 2024 Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG 2024) If you need them, ERG 2020, ERG 2016 and ERG 2012 are available too. Powerful search capabilities will help you quickly find information by matching just part of the UN/NA placard number or material name. Protective distance information, toxic inhalation hazards, and ERG2020 reference pages are just a touch away for emergency responders and HazMat personnel. A simple touch quickly gets you to the information you need. Cargo Decoder Plus uses no network bandwidth so information will always be available even if your network is not. - Find safety information on hazardous cargo - Search by name or input DOT number - View ERG2024, ERG2020, ERG2016, or ERG2012 reference pages - Access directly on device, no network connection required - Share information with friends and colleagues - Learn about the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS)

About

CAMEO Chemicals

Access a comprehensive database of hazardous chemical datasheets for emergency responders and planners. Get response recommendations, predict hazards like explosions or toxic fumes, and find information from multiple sources, all available offline.

Highlights
  • Search by name, CAS, or UN/NA number
  • Detailed chemical datasheets
  • Offline access to all data
  • Hazard prediction for chemical mixtures
  • Integration with external resources
  • ERG and CHRIS manual data
Features
Read full description

CAMEO Chemicals is a database of hazardous chemical datasheets that emergency responders and planners can use to get response recommendations and predict hazards (such as explosions or toxic fumes). This app runs offline. Key Program Features: * Search by name, CAS number, or UN/NA number to find chemicals of interest in the extensive database of thousands of hazardous substances. Includes "type ahead" feature for simplified chemical name searches. An advanced search with additional search criteria is also available. * Review chemical datasheets for physical properties; health hazards; information about air and water hazards; recommendations for firefighting, first aid, and spill response; and regulatory information. * Get information from additional sources using the U.S. Coast Guard CHRIS manual, the NIOSH Pocket Guide, and International Chemical Safety Cards links on many chemical datasheets. * Access UN/NA datasheets for response information from the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) and shipping information from the Hazardous Materials Table. ERG Response Guide PDFs are available in English, Spanish, and French. Additionally, if the datasheets have ERG initial isolation and protective action distance tables, you can now see those values displayed on a map. * Predict potential hazards that could arise if chemicals were to mix. * Get offline access: the app runs without an internet connection. You can search for chemical and UN/NA datasheets, view ERG Response Guide PDFs and U.S. Coast Guard CHRIS PDFs, create MyChemicals collections, and view reactivity predictions--all while you're offline. When you're online, you can also go to additional resources on external websites (such as the NIOSH Pocket Guides and the International Chemical Safety Cards) from the app. CAMEO Chemicals is developed jointly by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Response and Restoration in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Emergency Management. It is one of the core programs of the CAMEO software suite (https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/cameo).

Screenshots

Cargo Decoder Plus4 screens
CAMEO Chemicals4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: CAMEO Chemicals at Free against Cargo Decoder Plus's $1.99. CAMEO Chemicals also leads on ratings volume (26 vs 6) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.6). Cargo Decoder Plus's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 15 months). On rating, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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

CAMEO Chemicals is free to download; Cargo Decoder Plus costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for Cargo Decoder Plus against 4.2 for CAMEO Chemicals. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 26 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 71% and 71% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cargo Decoder Plus ships an update monthly, CAMEO Chemicals every 15 months. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Cargo Decoder Plus versus CAMEO Chemicals: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCargo Decoder PlusCAMEO Chemicals
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating4.3 (6 ratings) — better4.2 (26 ratings)
Positive reviews71.4% of reviews71.4% of reviews
Number of ratings626 — better
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 15 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS16.611.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB307 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperStrategies In SoftwareNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Customer experience

Cargo Decoder Plus

All ratings6 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative28.6%

CAMEO Chemicals

All ratings26 ratings
Positive76.9%
Neutral7.7%
Negative15.4%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral14.3%
Negative14.3%

In-app purchases

None

Cargo Decoder Plus

No in-app purchases

None

CAMEO Chemicals

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Cargo Decoder Plus free?
Cargo Decoder Plus costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is CAMEO Chemicals free?
CAMEO Chemicals is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Cargo Decoder Plus or CAMEO Chemicals?
Cargo Decoder Plus is rated higher. Cargo Decoder Plus averages 4.3 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while CAMEO Chemicals averages 4.2 from 26 ratings.
Do Cargo Decoder Plus or CAMEO Chemicals have ads?
Neither Cargo Decoder Plus nor CAMEO Chemicals shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cargo Decoder Plus or CAMEO Chemicals?
Cargo Decoder Plus ships an update monthly, and CAMEO Chemicals every 15 months. Most recently, Cargo Decoder Plus was updated on September 14, 2026 and CAMEO Chemicals on September 15, 2026.

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