Is NightCrawl free?
Yes, NightCrawl is free to download and use. The Android app shows ads; a one-time Remove Ads purchase turns them off for good. There's no sign-up wall. An account is optional and only syncs your favorites and settings between phones.
Does NightCrawl host the streams?
No. NightCrawl is a directory — it points you to creators broadcasting publicly on YouTube, Twitch and Kick and helps them reach a bigger audience. On Android, YouTube streams play right in the app through YouTube's official player; everything else opens on YouTube, Twitch or Kick. Availability of any stream is controlled by its creator.
What's the difference between the Scanner and Weather feeds?
Scanner covers police and fire livestreamers — pursuits, structure fires, and breaking incidents. Weather covers storm chasers and severe-weather streamers — tornadoes, hurricanes, and live chases. You can switch between them at the top of the app and filter each by region.
How many streamers and regions are covered?
170+ streamers across 150+ regions coast to coast — Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Phoenix, Dallas–Fort Worth, Oklahoma, Tornado Alley, and many more — including 30+ independent nightcrawlers. Don't see one you follow? Suggest it and a real person reviews it.
What are "incidents"?
When a live stream's title shows a pursuit, fire, standoff, shooting or severe weather, NightCrawl opens an incident with that headline and groups every streamer covering it, plus a searchable archive of past incidents.
What's on the live map?
Police, fire and traffic dispatch calls from public city feeds (currently San Francisco, Seattle, Austin, Montgomery County MD, Dallas and LAFD major incidents) for the last 24 hours. Cities that publish locations appear on the map. It shows what was dispatched, not what was found, and it isn't a live radio feed.
Is this official emergency information?
No. NightCrawl surfaces publicly available, news-style livestream coverage for informational purposes only. It is not a source of official emergency information — always follow guidance from local authorities and official channels.
What data does the app collect?
Very little. NightCrawl uses an anonymous device ID to power ratings and recommendations — it isn't tied to your name or email. It doesn't collect precise location and doesn't require an account. If you choose to sign in, your email address is used only to sync your favorites and settings. The Android app shows ads from Google AdMob. Full details are in our Privacy Policy.
How is NightCrawl different from a police scanner radio app?
Scanner radio apps stream dispatch radio audio. NightCrawl shows video: it tells you which streamers are filming live on YouTube, Twitch and Kick right now, and puts public dispatch calls on a map so you can see a call and find who's covering that city. It doesn't stream radio audio.
What is a nightcrawler?
A nightcrawler is an independent news stringer who listens to dispatch, drives to scenes like pursuits, fires and crashes, usually at night, and films or livestreams them. NightCrawl lists 30+ of them, shown first on the home screen.
Does NightCrawl cover my city?
Live nightcrawlers are concentrated in Southern California and Bakersfield, with others in New York, Chicago, Phoenix, Tucson, Tulsa, Tacoma and more. For big cities where stringers post clips instead of streaming, the Latest Footage row adds New York, Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, Philadelphia, North and South Jersey, Boston, Baltimore, Cleveland, Portland, Charlotte, Sacramento and San Diego. Don't see yours? Suggest a channel.
Can I get notified when a streamer goes live?
Yes. Tap the bell on any streamer and the Android app sends a push notification when they go live. You can also opt in to major-incident alerts and nightcrawlers near your favorite regions.
When is it launching, and is there an iOS version?
NightCrawl is launching on Google Play first, starting with a test release. An iOS version is in the works. Watch this page — we'll add a download link as soon as it's live.
