What works with no signal
A phone that needs the internet to tell you how to live without the internet is a joke. Here is the actual matrix: Free vs Pro, before and after the download.
The short version
Free includes a ~100-article starter pack (a slice of every topic) on the device the moment you install. Map, Ask, and Comms (BETA) stay locked until Pro. You get 2 PDF exports and the basic instruments (SOS, whistle, compass, timer, rationing) without waiting for a pack file. Pro downloads the rest of the library (~39 MB) and any map regions while you still have a connection. After that, reading, Map, Ask, Comms (BETA), PDF export, and tools run with zero bars.
You need a network again for library updates, new map packs, the optional AI model download, store purchase or restore, and ads on Free. None of those are how you treat a wound at 2 a.m.
Capability matrix
| Capability | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
Starter library (~100 articles) Ships on-device. Every topic has a starter slice. No download required to read those. | Works offline | Works offline |
Full library (7,000+ articles) ~39 MB pack. Download once on Wi-Fi, then read with no signal. | Needs network or locked | Works after download |
Map packs, GPS, routing, waypoints Free can open the Map UI (locked). Packs, Comms pins, typed coordinates, routing, and POIs (including fire stations and camp sites) after Pro download. Map tab stays visible. | Needs network or locked | Works after download |
Ask the Manual Pro only. No Free message quota. After Pro, download the on-device Gemma model once; then Ask is unlimited offline. | Needs network or locked | Works after download |
Comms (BLE mesh chat, BETA) Beta. Pro only. No Free chat trial. Optional notes, GPS share, Route on Map. Needs another nearby Last Manual user. Torch SOS on Tools stays free. | Needs network or locked | Works offline |
PDF field-sheet export 2 lifetime distinct articles on Free. Unlimited on Pro. Generated on-device. | Limited, then Pro | Works offline |
SOS torch, whistle, timer, compass, rationing The life-safety basics and the pantry calculator stay free. Hardware tools need the phone; the web rationing demo matches the in-app tool. | Works offline | Works offline |
Morse encoder + decoder, knots, signal mirror, sensors Pro toolkit in the app. Web demos: Morse and knots only. | Needs network or locked | Works offline |
Library search, bookmarks, checklists Local only. Uninstalling the app removes on-device notes. | Works offline | Works offline |
Store purchase / restore / ads Needs Google Play when you buy, restore, or see ads. Not a field dependency. | Needs network or locked | Needs network or locked |
What this site cannot do
A browser tab is not offline-first. These pages need a connection to load. The Morse translator, knot guide, and rationing calculator run in the tab you already opened. They are not a substitute for the app when the tower is gone. Compass, torch SOS, Morse torch, lux meter, and BLE mesh need phone hardware. That is why they live on a tools hub instead of fake web demos.
Then get it on the phone
You’re reading this with a signal. The situation it describes is one where you won’t have one.