Comparison

ThinLine Radio Scanner vs scanrad.io

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
Currently charting
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

scanrad.io

Access live and recorded public-safety, marine, and railroad radio transmissions from a global network. Browse by activity, decoded paging tones, or save your favorite channels for quick access. Listen in the background with lock screen controls.

Highlights
  • Live and recorded audio playback
  • Browse by decoded paging tones
  • Browse by recent transmissions and activity heatmap
  • Favorite channels
  • Background playback with lock screen controls
Features
Read full description

Scanrad.io brings public-safety, marine, railroad, and other radio to your iPhone from the scanrad.io network — both live and recorded. Tune into a growing network of radio channels, listen to what's happening right now, or jump back to any earlier moment and hear exactly what came across the air. FEATURES • Live & recorded audio — play the live edge of a channel, or scrub back to any recent transmission and listen from there. • Browse by decoded paging tones — channels with paging tones index DTMF, QuickCall, MDC and FleetSync received to instantly jump to when a specific unit was dispatched • Browse by activity — every channel shows its recent transmissions grouped by time, plus an hourly activity heatmap so you can find the busy moments at a glance. • Favorites — star the channels you follow most for quick access. • Background playback — keep listening with the screen locked, and control playback from the lock screen and Control Center. ABOUT THE AUDIO Scanrad.io plays lawful, over-the-air reception of public radio transmissions. Because it's real, live radio, audio is unfiltered and a channel is only active when something is actually being transmitted — quiet channels simply mean no one is talking at that moment. Listening to these public transmissions is legal in the United States. Availability and legality of radio reception varies by region; please use the app in accordance with your local laws.

Screenshots

ThinLine Radio Scanner4 screens
scanrad.io3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: scanrad.io at none against ThinLine Radio Scanner's 2. scanrad.io also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.5). ThinLine Radio Scanner's advantage is ratings volume (338 vs 6) and chart position (#169 vs unranked). On price 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 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. scanrad.io asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

scanrad.io holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ThinLine Radio Scanner has 338 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
ThinLine Radio Scanner versus scanrad.io: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThinLine Radio Scannerscanrad.io
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (338 ratings)5.0 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews68.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings338 — better6
Update frequencyWeekly—
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#169 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size89 MB1 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperThinline Dynamic SolutionsMatthew Kaufman

Customer experience

ThinLine Radio Scanner

All ratings263 ratings
Positive87.1%
Neutral5.3%
Negative7.6%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive68.4%
Neutral5.3%
Negative26.3%

scanrad.io

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

ThinLine Radio Scanner

Subscriptions2
  • Thinline Radio Ad Free$1.991 Month
  • Ai Alert Summary Digest$2.991 Month
None

scanrad.io

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ThinLine Radio Scanner free?
ThinLine Radio Scanner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is scanrad.io free?
scanrad.io is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ThinLine Radio Scanner or scanrad.io?
scanrad.io is rated higher. ThinLine Radio Scanner averages 4.5 out of 5 from 338 ratings, while scanrad.io averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.
Do ThinLine Radio Scanner or scanrad.io have ads?
ThinLine Radio Scanner shows ads; scanrad.io does not.

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