ActiveAlert vs Visual Pre Plans
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ActiveAlert
This app provides essential call details directly on your smartphone, eliminating the need to manually record information or enter addresses while driving. It automatically maps alarm locations, facilitates real-time response coordination, and organizes past and current calls.
- Real-time call details on smartphone
- Automatic alarm location mapping
- Real-time response coordination map
- Access photos and documents
- Converts dispatch data
- Manage past and current calls
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ActiveAlert helps you respond to calls faster by getting the essential details right in your smartphone. No more copying down dispatch information or trying to enter an address while driving. - Uses Apple Push instead of SMS - Automatically maps alarm location - Coordinate response with others using real-time map - Access relevant photos and documents from your phone - Converts hard-to-read dispatch data into legible sections - Manage past and current calls
Visual Pre Plans
This application streamlines fire department pre-planning and incident response with an image-based system. It allows for quick creation, updating, and sharing of pre-plan data, providing instant on-scene access to critical information for better operational coordination.
- Image-based pre-planning
- Fast pre-plan creation (under 5 minutes)
- Instant on-scene access to pre plans
- CAD notifications and integration
- Risk scoring
- Real-time team location tracking
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WHO WE ARE Visual Pre Plans is an image-based fire department pre planning and operations software designed to eliminate all obstacles preventing successful incident mitigation. With Visual Pre Plans, conveniently pre plan via mobile and desktop applications, easily creating, updating and sharing useful pre plans. HOW IT WORKS Pre-plan a building in as little as 5 minutes Instant on-scene access to pre plans & risk scores for all members via CAD notifications. Estimated time of arrival and team on map help ICs coordinate response. High hazard notes display with incident location details to indicate dangerous locations. Risk scoring & CAD integration Easy program management
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: ActiveAlert at 4.1 against Visual Pre Plans's 3.8. ActiveAlert also leads on ratings volume (738 vs 21) and update cadence (every 8 days vs monthly). Visual Pre Plans's advantage is review sentiment (64% vs 55%). 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.
ActiveAlert holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ActiveAlert has 738 ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 55% of ActiveAlert's written reviews are positive against 64% of Visual Pre Plans's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
ActiveAlert ships an update every 8 days, Visual Pre Plans monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ActiveAlert | Visual Pre Plans |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.1 (738 ratings) — better | 3.8 (21 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 55.2% of reviews | 64.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 738 — better | 21 |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 58 MB | 194 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Active911 | FlowMSP, Inc |
Customer experience
ActiveAlert
Visual Pre Plans
Bugs and requests
ActiveAlert
Reported bugs
5 issues- Continuous paging/re-alerting issues
- Inability to disable repeat paging
- Alerts not working when phone is on silent
- Crashing and freezing issues
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between apps
Requested features
8 requests- Favorites or saved calls list
- Ability to adjust alert volume
- More alert tone options
- Improved map routing and integration
- Customizable themes and color schemes
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- Ability to mark on-duty/off-duty status with one button
- Improved call details formatting and organization
- Widgets and CarPlay integration
Visual Pre Plans
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ActiveAlert
No in-app purchases
Visual Pre Plans
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is ActiveAlert free?
Is Visual Pre Plans free?
Which has better reviews, ActiveAlert or Visual Pre Plans?
Do ActiveAlert or Visual Pre Plans have ads?
Which is updated more often, ActiveAlert or Visual Pre Plans?
Other comparisons
