# QLD Fires vs The Age

The clearest difference is price: The Age at Free against QLD Fires's $0.99. The Age also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 weeks) and ratings volume (31 vs 4). QLD Fires's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (51% vs 27%). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

The Age is free to download; QLD Fires costs $0.99 up front. The Age sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per month. QLD Fires asks for nothing beyond the download.

QLD Fires holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Age has 31 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of QLD Fires's written reviews are positive against 27% of The Age's.

QLD Fires ships an update every 6 weeks, The Age every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | QLD Fires | The Age |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qld-fires/id576245922/reviews)** | [4.7 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-age/id1411569220/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **31** |
| Positive reviews | **50.7% of reviews** | 27.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#67** | — |
| Size | 33 MB | 134 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [P4G Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/296948831) | [Fairfax Digital Australia & New Zealand Pty Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/319908649) |

## What reviewers say

### QLD Fires

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qld-fires/id576245922)

**Currently charting:** #67 Top Paid · News (US App Store)

Stay informed about current fires in Queensland, Australia. View fire locations on a list or map, and see associated wind and satellite hotspot data. Get real-time updates from official services.

**Highlights:** Current fire information, List and map view, Distance estimation, Wind data mapping, Satellite hotspot data, Real-time updates

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Informative and handy
- ✅ Excellent coverage
- 📍 Great map view
- 🔔 Immediate notifications
- 🗺️ Good fire position app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Freezes frequently
- 🐌 Slow performance
- 🔄 Repeating notifications
- ❌ Map won't load
- 📉 Lack of development

**Reported bugs**

- Constant repeating notifications
- Map pixels not loading
- App freezes on each screen
- Back button not working
- Cannot delete watch zones

**Requested features**

- See Road Rescue and others blocked out
- Display aircraft like Bushfire.io
- Wind particles instead of arrows
- Ability to see fire size
- Option to choose notification area (50-100km)


### The Age

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-age/id1411569220)

Stay informed with breaking news and in-depth stories. Customize your news feed with topics you care about and listen to exclusive podcasts. Access premium content and daily puzzles with a subscription.

**Highlights:** Breaking headlines, Push notifications, Podcast catalogue, Customizable news feed, Today's Paper, Daily crosswords, Daily Sudoku

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starter Digital | $17.99 | per month |
| Premium Digital | $24.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🗞️ Trusted news source
- 📰 Comprehensive news coverage
- 🗺️ Useful local news and information
- 💯 Excellent journalism and reporting

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing issues
- 🤖 Lack of user-friendly features and poor navigation
- 💰 Expensive subscription with diminishing value
- 📦 Frustrating download and offline reading experience
- 🔍 Lack of search functionality and personalization

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between sections
- Issues with downloading and accessing offline content
- Unreliable login and authentication processes

**Requested features**

- Bring back the old iPad app design and functionality
- Improve article saving and bookmarking capabilities
- Add more customization options for content display
- Enhance crossword and puzzle experiences
- Provide better support for offline reading


## Frequently asked questions

### Is QLD Fires free?

QLD Fires costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is The Age free?

The Age is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, QLD Fires or The Age?

QLD Fires is rated higher. QLD Fires averages 5.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while The Age averages 4.7 from 31 ratings.

### Do QLD Fires or The Age have ads?

Neither QLD Fires nor The Age shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, QLD Fires or The Age?

QLD Fires ships an update every 6 weeks, and The Age every 2 weeks. Most recently, QLD Fires was updated on October 29, 2026 and The Age on October 29, 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.*