FEMA app or Family Ready? Most families need both.
The FEMA app is the official US government app for alerts, shelters and disaster guidance. Family Ready does a different job: it helps you build your household's own plan and an offline emergency card for each person. Four questions show where each helps.
Which one fits you? 4 quick questions
FEMA vs Family Ready at a glance
| FEMA | Family Ready | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | US Federal Emergency Management Agency | Honest Little Apps |
| Best for | Alerts, shelters, disaster guidance and assistance | Your household's own plan and emergency cards |
| Emergency card | See its listing | Free offline Emergency Card for each person; never needs a subscription |
| In a crisis | Official information | Large-text screen with no ads, pop-ups or purchase prompts |
| Price | Free | Free card, optional upgrades |
| App Store ratings | 3.7 from about 1,000 ratings | Newer, fewer ratings so far |
Facts from each app's App Store listing, November 2026. Family Ready is made by Honest Little Apps, the studio behind this page.
The plan only you can write
Official apps tell you what is happening. They can't tell your kids who to call if the phones are down, where to meet, or which medicines Grandma takes. Writing that down once, and keeping it offline, is the single most useful step most families skip.
Family Ready: Emergency Plan helps you create a free offline Emergency Card for each family member and build a practical household plan at your own pace. The card never needs a subscription.
Free on the App StoreQuestions
Is the FEMA app enough for emergencies?
It is the best source for official alerts and guidance. It doesn't hold your family's own plan, contacts and medical details; Family Ready is built for that.
Is the Family Ready Emergency Card free?
Yes. The Emergency Card never needs a subscription.
Where did these comparison facts come from?
From each app's App Store listing in November 2026. Features and prices change, so check the listing before you decide.
Updated November 11, 2026.
- Check whether your offline emergency card can be reachedFour access questions for no internet, a locked phone, a missing device or a trusted helper, plus three first-week checkpoints.
- Power outage readiness quizAnswer 12 quick yes or no questions to see roughly how long your household could ride out a winter power outage, and get the exact gaps to fix this weekend.
- Make printable emergency contact wallet cardsType your family's phone numbers and two meeting places, then print wallet-size emergency cards for every bag and pocket. Nothing you type leaves the page.