5-0 Radio Pro Police Scanner icon
5-0 Radio Pro Police Scanner: Comprehensive Emergency Monitoring App Review

by Smartest Apps LLC

4.7
IOSNews
5-0 Radio Pro provides real-time access to over 50,000 emergency service feeds worldwide. The iOS app serves journalists, safety-conscious citizens, and emergency responders needing immediate situational awareness during critical events.

Detailed Review

5-0 Radio Pro Police Scanner by Smartest Apps LLC maintains its position as the most downloaded police scanner application since 2009, offering users unprecedented access to live emergency communications. The application aggregates feeds from police, fire departments, emergency medical services, air traffic control, railroad communications, and amateur radio operators across global jurisdictions, creating a comprehensive monitoring ecosystem for real-time event tracking. The application's core functionality centers on its extensive database of over 50,000 live audio streams, organized by geographic location and service type. Users can search for specific agencies, save favorite channels, and receive push notifications for breaking incidents. The premium subscription model, implemented after initial free access, supports maintenance of the extensive server infrastructure required for reliable stream delivery. Technical implementation includes background audio playback, sleep timer functionality, and customizable audio quality settings to accommodate varying network conditions. User experience demonstrates thoughtful design with an intuitive interface featuring color-coded emergency service categories, quick-access recent channels, and geographical mapping of available feeds. Real-world usage patterns indicate heaviest engagement during active emergencies such as wildfires, severe weather events, and public safety incidents, with many users reporting continuous background monitoring while performing other tasks. The interface maintains clarity even during high-stress usage scenarios, with large touch targets and minimal visual clutter. User feedback trends consistently highlight reliability and comprehensive coverage as primary strengths, though some reviews indicate occasional stream availability issues. User 'Life in Lowgear' (2025-08-06) emphasizes the application's critical role during California wildfires, while 'Perplexed_reader' (2025-08-03) notes responsive developer support when addressing stream outages. Subscription pricing receives generally positive acceptance, with 'The Man, The Myth, The Legend.' (2025-09-02) acknowledging the necessity of monetization for service maintenance. The application demonstrates particular strength in providing situational awareness during developing emergencies, though users should note that stream availability depends on third-party providers and may vary by region. Optimal usage involves understanding that this service provides raw, unverified communications rather than curated news, making it most valuable for those with some context for interpreting emergency radio traffic. The application serves best as one component of a comprehensive emergency information strategy rather than a sole source for critical information.

Key Features

  • Live access to 50,000+ global emergency feeds including police, fire, EMS, and air traffic control communications for comprehensive situational awareness
  • Geographic search and filtering capabilities enabling users to monitor specific regions or agencies during localized emergencies
  • Background audio playback and sleep timer functionality allowing continuous monitoring while using other applications
  • Favorite channels and recent listening history for quick access to frequently monitored emergency services
  • Push notification system for breaking incidents and severe weather alerts providing timely emergency updates
  • Multi-source audio quality options accommodating varying network conditions and data consumption preferences

Why Users Love It

Extensive emergency feed database
Reliable background streaming

Perfect for: Journalists, emergency responders, and safety-conscious citizens seeking real-time information

Screenshots

5-0 Radio Pro Police Scanner screenshot 15-0 Radio Pro Police Scanner screenshot 25-0 Radio Pro Police Scanner screenshot 35-0 Radio Pro Police Scanner screenshot 45-0 Radio Pro Police Scanner screenshot 5

Ranking History

Track 5-0 Radio Pro Police Scanner's performance in News over the last 30 days

Top 5
Top 10
Top 15
Below 15

Current Rank

#12

1 from last week

Best Rank

#10

All-time high

Average Rank

#12

30-day average

User Reviews

NewWaveDJ
Nov 1, 2025

I often work late nights and if I hear a bunch of sirens happening around, I will pop open the app to hear what’s happening 🚔 Open it when hear sirens… I often work late nights and if I hear a bunch of sirens happening around, I will pop open the app to hear what’s happening 🚔

boatnerd2
Nov 2, 2025

I have enjoyed this app for a long time, but now a noisy ad pops up and blocks the call Ads! I have enjoyed this app for a long time, but now a noisy ad pops up and blocks the call

VCEMS4.
Nov 3, 2025

☑️, This Is The BEST Public Safety App… In, My Humble Opinion. And Yes, I’d Highly, Recommend it, To Anybody. God Bless, Keep Safe Guys!! Fantastic, Application. ☑️, This Is The BEST Public Safety App… In, My Humble Opinion. And Yes, I’d Highly, Recommend it, To Anybody. God Bless, Keep Safe Guys!!

IMOP 2
Nov 2, 2025

I have used this scanner app for years to listen to police and fire calls. I even paid $ to upgraded to 5-0 scanner PRO, but now the last two times I went to open it up to listen for a fire call in my area a full page ad pops up and doesn't allow the fire call to come thru at all, (audio or video) at the beginning of the call. So ya miss were that fire call is at totally . Very poor app now it doesn't work . I will be looking for a replacement scanner app and would recommend everyone else to do the same. It's a shame that greed has to become part of the equation to ruin such a fine pc of software. UPGRADE : I thank the developers of this app for giving the answer to the problem people were having with the ads for people that purchased the Pro upgrade (ad free) years ago like I did and give them the ability to get rid of the ads with out having to pay anything additional. Like I said in my original review and I'll say it again, it's a very fine pc of software that works very well. Thank you !!! THIS APP USE TO BE A GOOD SCANNER APP ! I have used this scanner app for years to listen to police and fire calls. I even paid $ to upgraded to 5-0 scanner PRO, but now the last two times I went to open it up to listen for a fire call in my area a full page ad pops up and doesn't allow the fire call to come thru at all, (audio or video) at the beginning of the call. So ya miss were that fire call is at totally . Very poor app now it doesn't work . I will be looking for a replacement scanner app and would recommend everyone else to do the same. It's a shame that greed has to become part of the equation to ruin such a fine pc of software. UPGRADE : I thank the developers of this app for giving the answer to the problem people were having with the ads for people that purchased the Pro upgrade (ad free) years ago like I did and give them the ability to get rid of the ads with out having to pay anything additional. Like I said in my original review and I'll say it again, it's a very fine pc of software that works very well. Thank you !!!

B Donahoe
Sep 18, 2025

I absolutely love this Scanner app! You have all areas that it covers and can save your favorite channels. The best feature is the Recording feature, so you can go back and listen to the feed that’s recorded as many times as you want. Thank you 😊 Exceptional Performance App! I absolutely love this Scanner app! You have all areas that it covers and can save your favorite channels. The best feature is the Recording feature, so you can go back and listen to the feed that’s recorded as many times as you want. Thank you 😊

App Details

Developer

Smartest Apps LLC

Platform

ios

Rating

4.7

Last Updated

11/6/2025