Comparison

FDR Calculator vs Tower 5

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

Head to head
About

FDR Calculator

Instantly calculate fire danger ratings with professional-grade algorithms. Offers real-time weather data integration, visual danger level displays, and detailed action recommendations for informed fire prevention and management.

Highlights
  • Instant Fire Danger Index calculations
  • Real-time weather data integration
  • Visual color-coded danger levels
  • Detailed action recommendations
  • Manual calculator for offline use
  • Automatic location detection
Features
Read full description

PROFESSIONAL FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT MADE SIMPLE Calculate Fire Danger Ratings instantly with precision and confidence. Designed for fire management professionals, land managers, and safety authorities who need accurate fire risk assessments in the field. WEATHER PRO SUBSCRIPTION UNLOCKS ◆ Real-time weather data integrated directly into FDR calculations ◆ Automatic location detection or search any location worldwide ◆ Complete weather history and forecasts for informed planning ◆ Automatic FDR ratings - weather data updates calculations instantly ◆ No more manual data entry - let Weather Pro do the work REAL-TIME FDR CALCULATION ◆ Instant Fire Danger Index calculations based on weather conditions ◆ Professional-grade algorithms for accurate risk assessment ◆ Visual color-coded danger levels (Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red) ◆ Manual calculator always available for offline use INTERACTIVE GAUGE DISPLAY ◆ Beautiful visual gauge showing current fire danger level ◆ Intuitive interface with easy-to-read results ◆ Tap gauge for detailed action recommendations COMPREHENSIVE ACTION GUIDANCE ◆ Detailed recommendations for each danger level ◆ Fire behavior predictions and suppression strategies ◆ Prevention guidelines and aircraft management protocols ◆ Disaster management procedures for high-risk conditions FLEXIBLE WEATHER INPUT Weather Pro Mode (Subscription): ◆ Automatic real-time weather updates ◆ Current location or custom location search ◆ Historical data and multi-day forecasts ◆ Set-and-forget automated monitoring Manual Calculator: ◆ Temperature, humidity, and wind speed sliders ◆ Days since rain and rainfall amount tracking ◆ Precise manual input options for exact values ◆ Real-time calculation updates as you adjust parameters ◆ Works completely offline PERFECT FOR: ▶ Fire management authorities ▶ Emergency services personnel ▶ Land and forest managers ▶ Agricultural professionals ▶ Safety and risk assessment teams ▶ Anyone responsible for fire prevention planning PRIVACY-FIRST DESIGN: ▶ All calculations performed locally on your device ▶ Minimal data collection - only for weather services when using Weather Pro ▶ Manual calculator works completely offline with no data transmission ▶ Weather Pro data encrypted and secure

About

Tower 5

Understand wildfire risk with real-time data on active fires, smoke plumes, and weather warnings. Generate detailed risk profiles for any U.S. address, including historical data and future climate projections. Essential for homeowners, professionals, and anyone concerned about fire safety.

Highlights
  • Live wildfire perimeters
  • Satellite hot-spot detections
  • Fire weather warnings
  • Smoke plume tracking
  • 96-hour rainfall timeline
  • Property wildfire risk profiles
  • Historical fire data
Read full description

Tower 5 is the easiest way to understand wildfire risk in your neighborhood — and across the United States. Whether you own a home in a fire-prone area, work in insurance underwriting, or just want to know when smoke is coming, Tower 5 puts the same federal data fire managers rely on into one map you can actually read. LIVE WILDFIRE INTELLIGENCE - Active fire perimeters from the National Interagency Fire Center - Satellite hot-spot detections from NASA FIRMS, refreshed throughout the day - Fire weather warnings from the National Weather Service - Smoke plumes from NOAA's Hazard Mapping System - A 96-hour rainfall timeline (past 24h to next 72h) - Real-time air temperature and surface wind across the country WILDFIRE RISK CONTEXT - Historical fire perimeters going back over a century - U.S. Drought Monitor severity, refreshed weekly - Tap any location to see every signal stacked in one popup PROPERTY RISK PROFILE Search any U.S. address to generate a comprehensive wildfire-risk profile: - Wildfire Hazard Potential rating - Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) classification - Future climate-adjusted burn probability - Surface fuel model — what would carry a fire here - Historical fires within 16 miles - Closest fire stations, hospitals, evacuation shelters Profiles are saved to your account so you can compare properties or revisit them later. PREMIUM (OPTIONAL) Tower 5 Premium unlocks advanced map layers — Hazard Potential, Future Risk, Energy Release Component, Surface Fuel Models, Wind, Drought, Hospitals, Shelters, and Power Lines — plus unlimited saved property profiles and PDF/CSV export. 7-day free trial, then $9.99/month. Subscription is managed at tower5.org/upgrade. WHO IT'S FOR - Homeowners in fire-prone areas - Insurance underwriters and risk analysts - Real estate buyers researching a property - Land managers and emergency planners - Anyone who's ever wondered "how close is that fire?" DATA SOURCES National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), NASA FIRMS, NOAA, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Geological Survey, LANDFIRE, National Weather Service, U.S. Drought Monitor, USGS SILVIS Lab, Department of Energy / HSIP. Per-layer attribution is available inside the app. LIMITATIONS Tower 5 is informational only. The app does not replace Wireless Emergency Alerts, NWS broadcasts, or guidance from your local fire authority. Always cross-check critical decisions with official sources. PRIVACY Tower 5 collects only the minimum data needed to authenticate your account and run your risk profiles. We do not sell user data. No third-party advertising SDKs. Privacy policy: https://tower5.org/privacy Terms of service: https://tower5.org/terms

Screenshots

FDR Calculator4 screens
Tower 53 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tower 5 at none against FDR Calculator's 2. Tower 5 also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months). FDR Calculator's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). On price, ads, monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. FDR Calculator sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Tower 5 asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FDR Calculator ships an update every 4 months, Tower 5 fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
FDR Calculator versus Tower 5: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFDR CalculatorTower 5
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlan RichertSnoflo.org LLC

In-app purchases

2 purchases

FDR Calculator

Subscriptions1
  • Weather Pro (Monthly)3 Days trial$1.991 Month
One-time1
  • Enable Local WeatherFree
None

Tower 5

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FDR Calculator free?
FDR Calculator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Tower 5 free?
Tower 5 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do FDR Calculator or Tower 5 have ads?
Neither FDR Calculator nor Tower 5 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FDR Calculator or Tower 5?
FDR Calculator ships an update every 4 months, and Tower 5 fortnightly. Most recently, FDR Calculator was updated on October 29, 2026 and Tower 5 on October 28, 2026.

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