Comparison

PulseMap vs Squawk

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

Head to head
About

PulseMap

See live crowd levels for bars, restaurants, and other venues on a real-time map. Check activity before you go, avoid waits, and discover popular spots. Users can check in and share observations to help the community.

Highlights
  • Real-time activity estimates
  • Live venue discovery map
  • Check-in and share observations
  • Find popular venues nearby
  • Activity forecasts and trends (Pro)
  • Customizable activity alerts (Pro)
Read full description

PulseMap shows you how busy places are right now. See live crowd levels for bars, restaurants, coffee shops, nightlife, entertainment venues, and more on a real-time map. Check activity levels before you go, avoid long waits, discover popular spots nearby, and find the atmosphere you're looking for. LIVE VENUE INTELLIGENCE • Real-time activity estimates across thousands of venues • Open/Closed status and today's hours • Interactive map with live venue discovery • Filters for Bars, Restaurants, Coffee Shops, Nightlife, and more • Search for venues by name or location CHECK IN & SHARE OBSERVATIONS • Check in to venues you're visiting • Submit real-time crowd observations • Update your observation as conditions change • View active visit sessions and visit history • Help improve venue activity intelligence for the community SMART DISCOVERY • Find popular venues nearby • Compare activity levels between similar venues • Save favorite places for quick access • Get alerts when venues reach your preferred activity level PULSEMAP PRO • Activity forecasts and peak-time insights • Historical activity patterns and trends • Unlimited saved places • Custom activity alerts • Advanced planning tools • Priority access to premium insights • Ad-free experience PRIVACY YOU CAN TRUST • Location is used only while the app is open • No background location tracking • No advertising tracking • Privacy-focused venue discovery experience PulseMap is intended for users 17 and older. Some listed venues may serve alcohol. Please drink responsibly and follow all local laws and regulations. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION PulseMap Pro Monthly: $4.99/month with a 7-day free trial PulseMap Pro Annual: $34.99/year with a 7-day free trial Payment is charged to your Apple ID after any applicable free trial period. Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current billing period. You can manage or cancel your subscription at any time through your Apple ID subscription settings. Privacy Policy: https://pulsemapapp.com/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Squawk

Instantly identify aircraft in the sky with live tracking and detailed flight information. Set up custom alerts for military or widebody planes and explore flight paths, aircraft types, and operators. Features include AR sky view and airport data.

Highlights
  • Live aircraft map
  • Detailed flight information
  • AR sky view
  • Customizable alert zones
  • Flight tracking
  • Airport data
  • Logbook with badges
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Ever look up and wonder what that plane is? Squawk tells you — instantly. Squawk turns your phone into a live window on the sky above you. Tap any aircraft to see where it's going, what it is, who's flying it, and the exact path it's taken. Set up an alert zone and get a push when military or widebody aircraft cross it — even with the app closed. Whether you're a serious plane spotter or just curious about the jet leaving a contrail over your house, Squawk was built for you. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Live map — Every plane in the sky, updating in real time, with altitude-colored trails • Tap to track — Flight details, route, aircraft type, operator, and full flight path • AR sky view — Point your phone at the sky and see planes labeled right where they are • Alert zones — Draw zones anywhere and get a push when military or widebody aircraft enter them, plus alerts for specific aircraft, type takeoffs, military bases and emergencies • Track your flight — Add your own flights and follow every phase from gate to landing, with live status and a boarding-pass card • Airports — Live arrival/departure boards, weather, runways, and frequencies • Logbook — Keep a record of everything you've spotted, earn badges, and climb the spotter ranks • Radio transcriber — Connect your own radio and get live ATC transcription (external hardware required) • More to explore — Rocket-launch visibility, day/night terminator, oceanic tracks, weather radar, winds aloft, and 24-hour and 30-day replay with flight history HOW SQUAWK PRO WORKS Squawk is a subscription app: everything above is part of Squawk Pro. New subscribers can start the yearly plan with a 1-week free trial — you're charged when the trial ends unless you cancel at least 24 hours before. The monthly plan is billed right away, with no trial. FOR SPOTTERS, BY SPOTTERS Squawk shows real data, real trails, and real aircraft — no filler, no fake feeds. Just an honest, beautiful look at what's actually flying. Look up. Tap. Know. SQUAWK PRO SUBSCRIPTION • Squawk Pro Monthly — $4.99 per month • Squawk Pro Yearly — $34.99 per year ($2.92 per month) Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel in Apple Account settings. Privacy Policy: https://getsquawk.app/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://getsquawk.app/terms

Screenshots

PulseMap4 screens
Squawk4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is chart position: Squawk at #191 against PulseMap's unranked. Squawk also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 5 days) and ratings volume (15 vs 3). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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. PulseMap sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Squawk sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for PulseMap against 4.9 for Squawk. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Squawk has 15 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PulseMap ships an update every 5 days, Squawk every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
PulseMap versus Squawk: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPulseMapSquawk
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better4.9 (15 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings315 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
Best chart rank—#191 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB44 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperJack CatanzariteHunter Cochran

Customer experience

PulseMap

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Squawk

All ratings15 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

PulseMap

Subscriptions2
  • PulseMap Pro: Monthly$4.991 Month
  • PulseMap Pro: Annual$34.991 Year
One-time2
  • PulseMap Pro- Monthly$4.99
  • Pulse Map Pro- Annual$34.99
2 purchases

Squawk

Subscriptions2
  • Squawk Pro$4.991 Month
  • Squawk Pro Annual7 Days trial$34.991 Year

Questions

Is PulseMap free?
PulseMap is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Squawk free?
Squawk is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PulseMap or Squawk?
PulseMap is rated higher. PulseMap averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Squawk averages 4.9 from 15 ratings.
Do PulseMap or Squawk have ads?
Neither PulseMap nor Squawk shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PulseMap or Squawk?
PulseMap ships an update every 5 days, and Squawk every 2 days. Most recently, PulseMap was updated on November 5, 2026 and Squawk on November 10, 2026.

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