FEMA app vs Family Ready: use both, for different jobs
The official FEMA app is free and excellent for alerts and shelters. Family Ready is for the part the FEMA app doesn't hold: your own household's information — who to call, allergies, medications and care instructions — available offline.
Written by the makers of Family Ready. We've tried to be fair — check the sources below.Side by side
The FEMA app
- Free, from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
- Weather and emergency alerts for up to five locations.
- Shelter locations, safety tips for many hazards and an emergency kit checklist.
Family Ready
- A free offline Emergency Card: contacts, allergies, medications and key health information.
- Emergency Mode: high-contrast, large text, no ads or purchase prompts.
- Household plan sections for documents, money, dependants, pets and care instructions.
- Printable Emergency Snapshot PDF for free.
Which should you choose?
Choose the FEMA app if: You need official alerts, shelter maps and hazard guidance — everyone in the U.S. should have it.
Choose Family Ready if: You want your family's own details organised and readable by someone else in a hurry.
Family Ready is free to download, with optional in-app purchases for extra features. Prices for other apps change often and vary by country — check the store before you subscribe.
Family Ready: Emergency Plan
Create a free offline Emergency Card, organize your household's important information and build a practical family emergency plan at your own pace.
Get it on the App StoreSources
Facts about other apps were checked against these sources in November 2026. Product names belong to their owners; this page is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.