# NFPA Journal vs OpenMHz

The clearest difference is rating: OpenMHz at 3.9 against NFPA Journal's 2.5. OpenMHz also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (59% vs 33%). NFPA Journal's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

OpenMHz holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OpenMHz has 175 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of NFPA Journal's written reviews are positive against 59% of OpenMHz's.

NFPA Journal ships an update every 3 months, OpenMHz every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NFPA Journal | OpenMHz |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.5 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfpa-journal/id526415775/reviews) | **[3.9 (175 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openmhz/id6466666994/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **175** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **59.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#79** |
| Size | 35 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NFPA](https://appshunter.io/developer/321307309) | [Luke Berndt](https://appshunter.io/developer/875880858) |

## What reviewers say

### NFPA Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfpa-journal/id526415775)

Access the complete award-winning magazine of the National Fire Protection Association on your mobile device. This app allows for easy navigation, viewing videos, linking to external websites, and sharing articles with colleagues anytime, anywhere.

**Highlights:** Digital magazine access, Easy navigation, View embedded videos, Link to external websites, Share articles

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 NFPA Journal free?

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

### Is OpenMHz free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NFPA Journal or OpenMHz?

OpenMHz is rated higher. NFPA Journal averages 2.5 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while OpenMHz averages 3.9 from 175 ratings.

### Do NFPA Journal or OpenMHz have ads?

Neither NFPA Journal nor OpenMHz shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NFPA Journal or OpenMHz?

NFPA Journal ships an update every 3 months, and OpenMHz every 9 days. Most recently, NFPA Journal was updated on November 1, 2026 and OpenMHz on November 3, 2026.

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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.*