Tablet Command vs Fire Journal
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Tablet Command
This app provides tactical incident management tools for emergency responders on iPads. It allows users to drag and drop units, track progress with checklists, and time-stamp actions. Reports can be exported for after-action analysis, enhancing safety and organization during emergencies.
- Drag and drop unit assignments
- Automatic PAR timers
- Timestamped action logging
- Customizable checklists
- Incident report export
- Resource management
- Map and satellite views
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Tablet Command is the premier tactical worksheet app for iPad OS. Tablet Command was created by a team of career emergency responders and professional software developers and supports all-hazard incident command and incident management. Tap and drag units into assignments, map progress against critical checklists, and time-stamp every action throughout an incident. Tablet Command is a real-time incident command platform designed for emergency response operations, helping incident commanders manage resources, assignments, and accountability with clarity and speed. POWERFUL COMMAND FEATURES ON YOUR iPAD: - Drag and drop units to create assignments and set automatic PAR timers - Toggle between scene views: satellite, map or units view - Automatically timestamp every action - Create groups and divisions that can accept multiple units - User-defined work and PAR timers - Export time-stamped incident reports directly off the fire ground via e-mail or SMS - Increase safety by recognizing crew fatigue with automatic work timers per unit - Assess overall incident status at a glance - Track elapsed incident time to the second from anywhere on the fireground - Configure and customize an unlimited number of resources - Create and use customized checklists for any type of emergency - Manage resources in a map view (Especially useful for wildland) - Export detailed incident data to support after-action analysis Tablet Command provides an all-risk incident command system (ICS)- aligned response, accountability, and resource management solution. INTERNET CONNECTION IS NOT REQUIRED FOR CORE FUNCTIONALITY TABLET COMMAND IS AN IDEAL TRAINING PLATFORM for aspiring incident managers and will be a trusted companion for veteran managers in real-time emergency management. Incident commanders who use Tablet Command are more organized and more apt to follow standard operating guidelines. TABLET COMMAND ENTERPRISE Tablet Command is also available as an enterprise solution for your department. ENTERPRISE FEATURES: - CAD Integration - requires custom development - Customize Mapping - Supports ArcGIS Online Integration to support customized web maps for your agency - Staffing Integration - supports various staffing solutions including Telestaff, Crewsense, CAD, etc - Automatic vehicle location (AVL) of units on the map - Transfer Command of incidents in progress to other incident managers - Fire Mapper Enterprise integration to display live Fire Mapper layers on the incident map - Standardize checklists, resources, and assignments department wide - View incidents and CAD comments from CAD feed - Auto-populate units assigned to incident from CAD feed - Configure and share resources via a web portal Location services disclaimer: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.
Fire Journal
This app helps first responders meticulously track their career activities, including incidents, training, and daily duties. It offers detailed journaling, incident categorization, and mapping capabilities. An optional subscription unlocks advanced reporting and data synchronization.
- Unlimited journal and incident entries
- Categorization of entries and incidents
- Detailed incident mapping
- Offline data entry
- Customizable tags
- Daily call totals and tracking
- Current local weather display
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If you’re in the fire service, you need Fire Journal. Completely rewritten from the ground up - taking advantage of Apple’s latest development tools, Fire Journal is fast, accurate, and reliable. In today’s complex first responder world, keepinhg track of your career has become a vital function for accountability, as well as memories. Fire Journal is a FREE APP - and it offers tremendous value for both career and volunteer firefighters. You’ll be up and running within just a few minutes. Start each shift/tour by completing relief, and start the day with your schedule or however you like to manage your activities. KEY CAPABILITIES: - Unlimited Journal entries - Journal entry categories, including Station, Community, Members, and Training - Unlimited incident entries - Categorize incidents by Fire, EMS, or Rescue - Add local incident types and NFIRS incident types - Detailed incident mapping (show your incident history on a map) - Does not require Internet access to enter data - Offers Journals, Incidents, and special projects (such as promotion study or tracking) - Tags provides detailed customization (unlimited tags) - Shows daily calls for service totals, by response category - Tracks calls for service by date and month - Shows current local weather - Entries are time stamped for journaling accountability Fire Journal offers a firefighter reporting membership as well. This in-app subscription adds value with additional reporting, trending, and career tracking. Graphic reports on fires, EMS, rescues, and journal entries - even broken down by category. Add certifications, create ICS-214 forms for export, and see how your responses and journal entries track over time. Automatically sync your data, so even if you swap devices, or lose one, all of your data remains safe and secure. SUPPORT: Includes FREE 24/7/365 online support for iOS devices, iPadOS devices, and Cloud services PRICING: Fire Journal is a FREE application Fire Journal Membership is an In-App subscription (see below) DEVICE REQUIREMENTS: Any 64-bit Apple iPhone or iPad with at least 8MB of available memory, and able to run iOS 15 or newer (or iPadOS 15 or newer) Cloud services require any modern web browser on a Mac or PC with at least 8MB of available memory WHO USES FIRE JOURNAL? Career firefighters Volunteer firefighters EMTs Paramedics Fire Inspectors Fire Officers FIRE JOURNAL MEMBERSHIP: In-App Subscription Add advanced capabilities to Fire Journal using an inexpensive and capable PREMIUM reporting and tracking solution. The first 60 days of your Fire Journal Membership subscription service will be FREE. Your ongoing use of Fire Journal Membership beyond the initial 60 day period requires a subscription (monthly or annual), and is auto-renewing. You may cancel your subscription at any time. The subscription fee will be charged to your iTunes account on confirmation of purchase. By completing your purchase, you are agreeing to our Terms of Service, https://purecommand.com/terms/ and our privacy policy, https://www.purecommand.com/privacy/ - Note that your Fire Journal Membership subscription will renew at the end of each subscription period unless you turn auto-renew OFF at least 24 hours prior to the end of the subscription period in force. Auto-renewal may be turned off in your Account Settings in iTunes after your purchase has been completed. No cancellation of the in-force subscription is permitted during an active subscription period. IN-APP SUBSCRIPTION: All MEMBERSHIP subscription options include a FREE90-Day trial - and you may cancel at any time. Monthly SILVER PLAN: $7.99 per month (paid monthly) Annually GOLD PLAN: $3.33 per month (paid as a single annual payment) The total annual subscription for the GOLD PLAN is $39.99. You may upgrade a SILVER PLAN to a GOLD PLAN at any time. Remember - the first 60 days are FREE, then automatically charged to your iTunes account.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Tablet Command at 75% against Fire Journal's 0%. Tablet Command also leads on rating (4.1 vs 1.0) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Fire Journal's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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.
Tablet Command holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tablet Command has 14 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Tablet Command's written reviews are positive against 0% of Fire Journal's.
Tablet Command ships an update every 3 weeks, Fire Journal monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and June 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Tablet Command | Fire Journal |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.1 (14 ratings) — better | 1.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 14 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 222 MB | 132 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Tablet Command, Inc | PureCommand, LLC |
Customer experience
Tablet Command
Fire Journal
In-app purchases
Tablet Command
No in-app purchases
Fire Journal
No in-app purchases








