Comparison

Valley Air District vs CA Heat Score

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

Head to head
About

Valley Air District

Monitor real-time air quality in your neighborhoods with hourly data. Get personalized alerts for changes and wood burning status. Submit pollution complaints and receive episode alerts.

Highlights
  • Hourly air quality data
  • Location-based monitoring
  • Customizable locations
  • Air quality change notifications
  • Wood burning status
  • Pollution complaint submission
  • Air quality episode alerts
Features
Read full description

App is available in both English and Spanish languages Description: Keep track of current air quality in all of your important neighborhoods with Valley Air, the official app of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. Hourly air quality data is provided by the Real-Time Air Advisory Network (RAAN). Features: - Check air quality information for your current location - Add, remove, and personalize up to 10 additional custom locations - Receive notifications when air quality changes - View the daily residential wood burning status for your county during the Check Before You Burn season - Submit confidential air pollution complaints - Receive alerts during unique air quality episodes The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (Valley Air District) is committed to improving the health and quality of life for all Valley residents through effective and cooperative air quality programs. The District includes San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Tulare, Kings, and the Valley air basin portion of Kern Counties.

About

CA Heat Score

Understand daily heat risk across California with real-time scores, forecasts, and safety guidance. Explore an interactive map and get detailed information for any ZIP code.

Highlights
  • Daily heat scores (0-4 scale)
  • Interactive heatmap
  • 7-day heat score forecasts
  • Location detection
  • Heat safety guidance
  • ZIP code demographics
Features
Read full description

CA Heat Score makes it easy to understand your daily heat risk anywhere in California. Built on publicly available data from the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), this app delivers heat scores, forecasts, and safety guidance in a clean, intuitive interface. DAILY HEAT SCORES Check the current heat score for any California ZIP code on a scale of 0 to 4. Each score comes with a clear risk label — from Low to Severe — so you know exactly what to expect before heading outside. INTERACTIVE HEATMAP Explore an interactive map of California with color-coded heat scores for every ZIP code. Tap any area to see its heat score, current temperature, and demographics. Use the built-in date picker to view forecasted heat scores up to 7 days. 7-DAY HEAT FORECAST Plan your week with daily heat score forecasts. See how heat risk is expected to change over the next 7 days, along with forecasted high and low temperatures for each day. LOCATION-AWARE The app detects your location and shows the heat score for your current ZIP code. Change locations at any time by searching for any California ZIP code. HEAT SAFETY GUIDANCE Learn what each heat score level means for your health and safety. Get actionable tips for staying safe during high heat events, including advice for vulnerable populations, outdoor workers, and caregivers. ZIP CODE DETAILS View detailed information for any ZIP code including population, age distribution, and race/ethnicity demographics — helping you understand the communities most impacted by extreme heat. SCORE HISTORY Track heat score trends over the past week to understand how conditions have been changing in your area. KEY FEATURES -Heat scores for every California ZIP code (0-4 scale) -Interactive heatmap with color-coded risk levels -7-day heat score and temperature forecasts -Forecast date picker on the map -Current temperature and conditions -Location detection with ZIP code search -Heat safety guidance and tips -ZIP code demographics and population data -Score history tracking -Dynamic themed backgrounds -User location shown on map ABOUT THE DATA All heat score data comes from publicly available sources provided by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA). CA Heat Score is an independent app and is not affiliated with or endorsed by OEHHA or the official CalHeatScore program or the state of California. Weather data is provided by Open-Meteo. Stay informed. Stay safe. Know your heat risk.

Screenshots

Valley Air District4 screens
CA Heat Score4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: CA Heat Score at 5.0 against Valley Air District's 2.9. CA Heat Score also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 3 months). Valley Air District's advantage is ratings volume (67 vs 1). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

CA Heat Score holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Valley Air District has 67 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Valley Air District ships an update every 3 months, CA Heat Score daily. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Valley Air District versus CA Heat Score: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterValley Air DistrictCA Heat Score
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.9 (67 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews23.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings67 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS14.2 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size115 MB73 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSan Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control DistrictMichael Germino

Customer experience

Valley Air District

All ratings66 ratings
Positive42.4%
Neutral12.1%
Negative45.5%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive23.8%
Neutral19.0%
Negative57.1%

CA Heat Score

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Valley Air District

No in-app purchases

None

CA Heat Score

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Valley Air District free?
Valley Air District is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is CA Heat Score free?
CA Heat Score is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Valley Air District or CA Heat Score?
CA Heat Score is rated higher. Valley Air District averages 2.9 out of 5 from 67 ratings, while CA Heat Score averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Valley Air District or CA Heat Score have ads?
Neither Valley Air District nor CA Heat Score shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Valley Air District or CA Heat Score?
Valley Air District ships an update every 3 months, and CA Heat Score daily. Most recently, Valley Air District was updated on November 1, 2026 and CA Heat Score on October 31, 2026.

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