Comparison

ThinLine Radio Scanner vs Dispatchr

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

Head to head
About

ThinLine Radio Scanner

Listen to live public safety radio transmissions from scanner networks worldwide. This app connects you to third-party servers broadcasting police, fire, EMS, and emergency communications. Customize your listening with talkgroup management, favorites, and advanced controls.

Highlights
  • Real-time audio streaming
  • Multi-scanner support
  • Talkgroup management
  • Favorites system
  • Transmission history
  • Alert system
Features
Read full description

ThinLine Radio: Police Scanner Listen to live public safety radio transmissions from scanner networks around the world. This police radio app connects you to third-party radio scanner servers broadcasting police, fire, EMS, and other emergency communications. IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER ThinLine Radio connects to third-party scanner feed providers and does not supply radio feeds directly. • Feed availability varies by location and provider • Some feeds may require separate third-party subscriptions • Feed quality and uptime depend on server operators • Not for emergency use or emergency response • Always call local emergency services in an emergency CORE FEATURES • Live Scanner Audio Stream public safety communications in real time with reliable background playback • Monitor Multiple Scanners Connect to multiple scanner sources and switch between active feeds instantly • Customize What You Hear Enable or disable talkgroups and systems to focus on the traffic that matters most • Quick Favorites Access Save frequently used talkgroups and return to them with a single tap • Review Recent Activity Browse transmission history with timestamps, systems, and talkgroup details • Advanced Scanner Controls Pause scanning, skip transmissions, hold channels, and avoid unwanted traffic • Professional Scanner Experience Enjoy a clean, dark-themed interface inspired by traditional radio scanners • Replay Missed Transmissions Catch up on important activity with playback support when available • Smart Alert Notifications Receive custom alerts for keywords and talkgroups when supported by the server SUBSCRIPTION BENEFITS ThinLine Radio offers optional in-app subscriptions: • Ad-Free Experience ($1.59/month) Remove advertisements for uninterrupted listening • AI Alert Summaries ($2.99/month) Receive AI-generated summaries of important alert activity • Support Ongoing Development Help maintain and improve ThinLine Radio Subscriptions automatically renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current billing period. Manage subscriptions through your Account Settings. IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT SERVER ACCESS ThinLine Radio connects to third-party radio scanner servers operated independently by server owners. The app does not provide scanner feeds directly. • Server access is managed by third-party operators • Some servers are free while others require separate subscriptions • Available systems and coverage vary by region • Third-party server subscriptions are separate from app subscriptions • ThinLine Radio is not responsible for server availability, reliability, or subscription management The app subscription provides ad-free listening and app features only. It does not grant access to scanner servers or radio feeds. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS • iOS 15.1 or later • Internet connection (Wi-Fi or cellular) • Access to compatible scanner servers LEGAL & PRIVACY • Monitors publicly accessible radio communications only • Audio feeds are provided by independent third-party operators • Not affiliated with law enforcement, emergency services, or government agencies • Listening history is not stored on our servers • Subscription data is secured through Apple and RevenueCat FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q: Does this police radio app provide scanner feeds directly? A: No. ThinLine Radio connects to third-party scanner feed providers and servers. Q: Are all scanner feeds free? A: No. Some third-party providers may require separate subscriptions. Q: Can I use ThinLine Radio during emergencies? A: No. ThinLine Radio is for informational and listening purposes only and should never be relied upon during emergencies. Perfect for public safety professionals, amateur radio enthusiasts, news reporters, and community members interested in local emergency communications.

About

Dispatchr

Features
Read full description

Know your neighbourhood. Not just what happened, but what's normal. Dispatchr turns official public-safety dispatch data into a clear picture of your city and the streets around you: what's happening now, how it compares to a typical day, and how your area is trending. Context, not alarm. YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD, AT A GLANCE Pick your neighbourhood and Dispatchr does the rest. You get the real boundary on the map, today's activity against the usual, the busiest and quietest areas across the city, and a focused view of just your streets. Or zoom out and explore the whole city. INSIGHTS, NOT JUST INCIDENTS The dashboard reads your city for you: peak-activity hours, neighbourhood rankings, what's trending up or down, rare sightings worth a second look, and activity spotlights. City Reports summarize every weekday, weekend and month, and you can have them emailed, including an edition for your own neighbourhood. LIVE MAP & FEED Events appear as clean, colour-coded markers by type and priority, with details a tap away: call type, location, time, priority and responding agency. Filter by service, event type, priority or neighbourhood; sort by newest, oldest, type or priority; share any event by link. NOTIFICATIONS THAT FIT YOUR LIFE No account needed. Follow exactly what you care about and manage it all in one place: your neighbourhood, your whole city, priority calls only, one agency, new reports, spotlights or rare events. LOOK BACK IN TIME See the recent window free, or search any day in the last 30 days on Plus to spot patterns. DATA YOU CAN TRUST Dispatchr ingests official agency feeds and validates every event. Anomalies are flagged, never hidden, so you know the confidence behind what you see. Counts are when calls were reported, not when things happened, and update frequency varies by city and agency. FOR BUSINESSES AND HOMES: DISPATCHR PRO Watch the places you're responsible for, whether that's a storefront, a building or your home. Set an address and a watch radius, choose what you want to be told about, and get alerts by push, email, webhook, Slack or Teams with escalation to your team. Per-site reports included. Prepaid per site, nothing auto-renews. SUPPORTED CITIES Toronto, Peel Region (Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon), York Region (Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Newmarket and more), Vancouver, Halifax, Medicine Hat, Las Vegas, Nashville, San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago, Detroit and Cincinnati. Each city shows the services its agencies publish. More added regularly. FREE TO START Free includes every city, the live map and feed, all filters, neighbourhood detection and rankings, city reports, email reports and notifications. Plus adds the 24-hour window, auto-refresh, activity heat maps over 7, 30 or 90 days, 30-day history search, data-quality insights and higher limits. One Plus covers Dispatchr and Parkr, our parking companion app, on the same account. Built for residents who want context, commuters checking a route, community groups, journalists, and anyone curious about the place they live. Dispatchr is an informational tool based on publicly available dispatch data. It is not a way to contact emergency services. In an emergency, always call 911.

Screenshots

ThinLine Radio Scanner4 screens
Dispatchr4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Dispatchr at none against ThinLine Radio Scanner's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases 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. ThinLine Radio Scanner sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Dispatchr sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ThinLine Radio Scanner ships an update weekly, Dispatchr every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
ThinLine Radio Scanner versus Dispatchr: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThinLine Radio ScannerDispatchr
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (263 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews68.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings263 — better—
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size89 MB117 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperThinline Dynamic SolutionsVFXPOP Inc.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

ThinLine Radio Scanner

Subscriptions4
  • Thinline Radio Ad Free$1.991 Month
  • Thinline Radio Ad Free+Alerts$1.991 Month
  • Ai Alert Summary Digest$2.991 Month
Show 1 more
  • Scanner and Alerts7 Days trial$6.991 Month
2 purchases

Dispatchr

One-time2
  • Dispatchr Plus One Month Prepaid$9.99
  • Dispatchr Plus One Year Prepaid$99.99

Questions

Is ThinLine Radio Scanner free?
ThinLine Radio Scanner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dispatchr free?
Dispatchr is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do ThinLine Radio Scanner or Dispatchr have ads?
ThinLine Radio Scanner shows ads; Dispatchr does not.
Which is updated more often, ThinLine Radio Scanner or Dispatchr?
ThinLine Radio Scanner ships an update weekly, and Dispatchr every 2 weeks. Most recently, ThinLine Radio Scanner was updated on October 18, 2026 and Dispatchr on October 9, 2026.

Other comparisons