ActiveAlert vs Fire Shifts
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
Fire Shifts
This app provides a free, customizable calendar for Fire and EMS personnel to manage their work schedules. Users can select from various shift types and personalize labels and colors for easy visual organization of their personal schedule.
- Customizable shift calendar
- Multiple shift type options
- Personalized labels and colors
- Free updates
- Works indefinitely
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A free customizable Fire and EMS Shift Calendar. Easily select various shift types such as 24/48 (ABC), 48/96 (AABBCC), etc. Customize labels and colors for each of your shifts to easily highlight your personal schedule. Visit www.fireshifts.com to see a full list of scheduling options. Ad supported. Works indefinitely. No purchasing of yearly licenses, free updates, no subscriptions fees. Email kevin@fireshifts.com for support.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: ActiveAlert at every 9 days against Fire Shifts's every 27 months. ActiveAlert also leads on rating (4.1 vs 3.8) and review sentiment (55% vs 37%). Fire Shifts's advantage is iOS requirement (12.4 vs 15.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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 741 ratings behind it against 59, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of ActiveAlert's written reviews are positive against 37% of Fire Shifts's.
ActiveAlert ships an update every 9 days, Fire Shifts every 27 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ActiveAlert | Fire Shifts |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.1 (741 ratings) — better | 3.8 (59 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 55.2% of reviews — better | 36.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 741 — better | 59 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days — better | Every 27 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 12.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 58 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Active911 | Kevin Jordan |
Customer experience
ActiveAlert
Fire Shifts
User reviews
ActiveAlert
From 741 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Constant map updates
- 🚀 Reliable app
- 👍 Helpful information
- 👍 Useful features like map markers and personnel details
- 👍 Customizable alert tones
Room to improve
- 🐛 Repetitive notifications that don't provide new information
- 🐛 Inability to delete multiple alerts at once
- 🐛 Inconsistent theme colors
- 🐛 Slow loading times and lags
- 🐛 Apple Watch compatibility issues
Fire Shifts
From 59 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Simple and basic
- 👍 Works as intended
- 👍 Lots of shift options
- 👍 Minimal ad space
- 👍 Free app
Room to improve
- 👎 Cannot customize colors
- 👎 Customization limited on iOS
- 👎 "Coming soon" for features
- 👎 Inconsistent across platforms (iOS vs Android)
- 👎 Yellow color not readable
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
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- Ability to mark on-duty/off-duty status with one button
- Improved call details formatting and organization
- Widgets and CarPlay integration
Fire Shifts
Reported bugs
5 issues- App shows wrong year (2020 instead of 2018)
- Black screen issue
- App crashes
- App stopped working
- Calendar not highlighting current day
Requested features
13 requests- Ability to change shift colors
- Ability to write notes on days
- Make current day obvious
- Add white and gray colors
- Ability to change labels
Show 8 moreShow fewer
- Add alarms for days
- Add custom shift patterns
- Add notes to dates
- Add Kelly days
- Add payday
- Input notes into calendar
- Change week start to Monday
- Input schedule with numbers/letters and colors
In-app purchases
ActiveAlert
No in-app purchases
Fire Shifts
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is ActiveAlert free?
Is Fire Shifts free?
Which has better reviews, ActiveAlert or Fire Shifts?
Do ActiveAlert or Fire Shifts have ads?
Which is updated more often, ActiveAlert or Fire Shifts?
Other comparisons
