# NFAAS vs Shellback

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Shellback at 45% against NFAAS's 2%. Shellback also leads on rating (3.2 vs 1.5). NFAAS's advantage is ratings volume (193 vs 38) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Shellback holds the better App Store score, 3.2 against 1.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NFAAS has 193 ratings behind it against 38, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 2% of NFAAS's written reviews are positive against 45% of Shellback's.

NFAAS ships an update every 8 months, Shellback every 10 months. Both last shipped on June 9, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | NFAAS | Shellback |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.5 (193 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfaas/id641701338/reviews) | **[3.2 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellback/id955157952/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **193** | 38 |
| Positive reviews | 1.7% of reviews | **45.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 months** | Every 10 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 23 MB | 71 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [CNIC HQ](https://appshunter.io/developer/1476096815) | [Program Executive Office for Enterprise Information Systems, Sea Warrior Program](https://appshunter.io/developer/1477503418) |

## What reviewers say

### NFAAS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nfaas/id641701338)

This app provides emergency preparedness information for Navy personnel and their families. It helps users report their status, update contact details, manage contacts, and access checklists for disaster readiness. It also offers navigation to Navy installations and educational resources for before, during, and after emergencies.

**Highlights:** Emergency preparedness information, Report accounting status, Update contact and location, Manage personal contacts, Emergency preparation checklists, Find nearby Navy installations, Disaster readiness guidance

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Shellback

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellback/id955157952)

This app provides US Naval Surface Force personnel with offline access to essential information. It includes manuals and resources for administration, medical, operations, personnel management, safety, and navigation rules. Content is updated annually for relevance.

**Highlights:** Offline access to SURFOR information, Admin/Training manuals, Medical readiness resources, Operations and navigation training, Personnel management documents, Safety information and lessons learned, Rules of the Road quiz

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NFAAS free?

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

### Is Shellback free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NFAAS or Shellback?

Shellback is rated higher. NFAAS averages 1.5 out of 5 from 193 ratings, while Shellback averages 3.2 from 38 ratings.

### Do NFAAS or Shellback have ads?

Neither NFAAS nor Shellback shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NFAAS or Shellback?

NFAAS ships an update every 8 months, and Shellback every 10 months. Most recently, NFAAS was updated on June 9, 2026 and Shellback on June 9, 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.*