# Koch Trainer — user reviews > 49 indexed App Store user reviews of Koch Trainer by Pignology, LLC, rated 3.20/5 from 18 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/koch-trainer/id405137883/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/koch-trainer/id405137883.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 8 · 4★ 1 · 3★ 1 · 2★ 2 · 1★ 6 ## Newest reviews (13 of 49) ### 3/5 — Koch trainer App *2025-04-29* Every other CW App is a toy by comparison. However, it has bugs, namely a transient miss sending (at the outset) when using an iPhone. ### 2/5 — Speed and weight *2024-08-12* I wish that the weight of the characters and speed that are sent could be varied. ### 2/5 — Koch ipad problems *2018-09-07* I tried to contact ‘Nick’ at the email address given on the info. page in the app, but address was not valid. So I have no alternative but to put my concerns in the review. Nick Just downloaded the app onto my ipad. I cannot see the scratch lesson exercise in the same window to check the results at the end of the lesson. Please advise. ### 2/5 — No audio using iPad *2018-06-10, version 3.5* Unable to hear any audio for copying code. Audio on iPad works fine with other applications. Checked audio settings on iPad, all looked good. ### 4/5 — Great compared to competition *2018-03-29* This is a SUPER basic app. The user interface isn’t really what someone that ever USED it would have built. BUT it is one of the only apps in the entire store that isn’t a child’s toy. This is a genuine learning app. The most glaring omission is that it doesn’t grade your session, it will display - In A Different FONT - what it sent and what you typed. If this sounds hard to reconcile, it is! This app seems like a beta release from someone that doesn’t really know what the app should do or how it should work. Still that does’t change the fact it is one of the VERY BEST in the entire store. ### 2/5 — Useful, but... *2016-12-14* It's the only app I found which is fully dedicated to very effective and useful Koch method. But the user interface of this app is a good example of non-intuitive, non-friendly mess of app elements and functions. ### 4/5 — Mr *2016-10-25* Great app, simple and effective. May I suggest a feature please? When using the scratch pad to record what you hear, it would be great to get an accuracy measurement for the lesson completed. Many thanks, Brian. ### 4/5 — Oops! *2014-09-29* Been working great until latest iOS update to 8.0.2. Hoping to have a fix soon as I'm still learning CW and this is the perfect app for that! ### 3/5 — Can't change the lesson *2014-09-21* The app works slick until I go to change to the next lesson, it freezes and I can't go any further. iPhone 5 ios8 ### 4/5 — Koch almost at its best?? *2014-01-17, version 3.1* I have yet to get 90% on my first lesson as I just got this app but I know I will get there. Being brand new to CW (morse code) I found the app a bit hard to understand as there are no directions on how to start... When I say start I mean the fact that it starts the first lesson with a "K" and an "M" but I have never heard either of those tones so how will I know which tones are for what letter??? After many internet searches I downloaded a different app so I could hear the letters before I actually start the lesson. This was an immense help. I am teaching myself and have no mentor to go to when I have a question so with out the internet I would have given up on this app. Please add some "newbie" directions to help the persons (such as myself) know how to even begin to use this app. Otherwise it is a very good app & the only one available for the IOS system that I have found ### 4/5 — Nice app *2014-01-07* A good solid app for learning or practicing CW. As the previous review said there are a few tweaks that would make it even better. The scratch pad is worlds with the standard iOS keyboard. You do not have time to toggle the keyboard for numbers and punctuation. All standard CW letters, punctuation, should be on one keyboard. ### 3/5 — Decent, but very basic *2013-11-11* The app is good, and one of the only ones I have seen that uses the Koch method. There are definitely no frills and it is not very intuitive or smooth. There should be pause/play functionality on the built in scratchpad. It takes too long to go back and forth to the main page and hit pause or play. It would also be nice if the scratchpad counted up your mistakes and gave you a percentage - the idea is to move on to the next letter if you get 90% right. It should tell you where you are at. ### 3/5 — Good but needs some more work *2013-01-28* This app is good for learning morse with the Koch method but has a few small issues. I cannot use the scratch pad that it offers as the screen that off the scratch pad doesn't have a play button. This means that by the time you have selected play on the first menu and switched to scratch pad and brought up the keyboard you have already missed the first few letters. Most annoyingly it launches straight into the test without showing you what your are listening for. This meant that I had to have a morse alphabet sheet and get to grips with what I would be listening out for before launching the test. It would be far better for beginners if it initial,y showed you what the test letters sounded like. For example, session one teaches M and K. In my first attempt it was obvious from listening that there were two distinct letters being sounded but had to refer to my chart to relate the two sounds to the two letters. If it first showed you aurally what M and K sounded like, I wouldn't have needed a printed sheet. All said and done though, this is a good app but needs some work. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Needs updating *2025-03-13* With iOS 18.3, this app is unstable and crashes. It hangs when changing WPM. Will not play on iPhone speaker, regardless of mute/volume settings. Headphones required. I’d like my money back. ### 1/5 — App does not run *2024-05-06* This app does not run. Tried to get a refund and could not. Do not purchase!! ### 1/5 — Does not work on iPhone 11 *2022-12-15* Bought this app. Downloaded it 5 different times and it crashes immediately. Morse It is 1000x better and has a Koch Trainer in it. ### 1/5 — Wont open *2022-11-25* App wont open ### 1/5 — Offensive *2017-02-12* There is at least 1 very offensive word in this app. Very embarrassing to have someone watch my translation. Unless this is fixed and I am notified I can not and will not recommend this app. ### 1/5 — Koch Trainer *2013-07-11* Has possibilities but in its present configuration a poor trainer. Fails to follow Farnsworth principles for timing so useless for actual training. Several app are much better, consider DahDit or HamMorse. ### 1/5 — Schade - noch nicht mal Farnsworth *2013-05-17* Leider nicht dass, was ich mir vom Programm erhofft habe. Noch nicht einmal Farnsworth-Timing ist möglich und unter einem Koch-Trainer habe ich mir auch etwas anderes vorgestellt: vom PC her (oder von Windows Mobile) kenne ich es so, dass man nach jedem Buchstaben das betreffende Zeichen eingeben muss und die Fehlquote direkt ermittelt wird. Nur wenn man unter einem gewissen Grenzwert liegt, kommt man eine Lektion weiter und ein neues Zeichen kommt hinzu. Bei diesem Programm werden aber nur Zeichengruppen gegeben, die man zwar mittippen kann, aber man bekommt hinterher noch nicht einmal eine Rückmeldung über die Fehlerquote. Da gibt's bessere Apps. ### 1/5 — No sound *2012-08-13, version 2.1* Rip off. The app is incomplete. It generates no code. ### 1/5 — No f---ing sound *2012-07-08, version 2.1* Come on guy fix this.... Now! ### 1/5 — No sound *2012-06-02, version 2.1* This would be a nice app if the sound worked. Unfortunately it does not. Kind of hard to learn code without hearing it. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Best ever way to learn Morse. *2022-04-01* I took my ham radio exams years ago when Morse was required in order to pass, but I never used it much (lazy)! Now 30 years later I want to re-learn Morse and this is definitely the best way to do it. I want to be proficient at 13 wpm, so I am starting at 13 wpm with the “Koch speed” set to 18. Also, now in my mid 70s, I need something to keep the brain from atrophying…this is certainly doing just that. Great App! ### 5/5 — A great tool to learn CW! *2020-05-10* This is a basic app to learn CW, no frills. I’ve been using this app daily for several months and so far I find it to be the best resource for learning CW. You have the option of changing WPM, or the space between the sent letters. You can adjust the pitch of the tone as well as how many characters will be sent in a test session. You can choose the Koch method where only a few characters are added at a time. You can practice call signs, words or even qso’s. My only complaint is that I can’t pick specific letters or characters to practice. Other than that, this is a great app for anyone that wishes to learn CW 73, KN4NGJ ### 5/5 — To the point *2020-05-09* If you want to practice CW using a Farnsworth approach (run letters at fast wpm but use additional space in until you speed up) then this app is what you want. No thrills, but I’m not looking for thrills! To the point CW practice. I have used it for years on MacBook. ### 5/5 — IOS and Mac *2019-10-10* I bought an app on my phone. Should I buy it again on my MacBook? ### 5/5 — Fantastic app and it’s a steal *2019-08-19, version 3.5* Best CW app for macs. Koch is the best CW method and this is the best of the best apps to learn code. It is all you’ll need to master CW at high speed. There is a problem with lack of speaker sound on older I-pads like mine without a mute switch. The developer has not corrected this yet, but it still works great with ear phones. If your listening to code then you will want to use earphones any way. Works great on I-phones and Mac computers. Negative reviews regarding sequence of letters display their ignorance of the original Koch protocol. The negative review regarding the objective to spelling a vulgar word is just stupid. I love this app and it doe the job. ### 5/5 — This is a great program why? *2018-07-31* 1 you can adjust to any speed you like You can start at 5wpm or higher 2 you learn by sound of the letters 3 spacing arrangements. Space at 5 wpm but send the letters at 30 wpm 4 this is a serious tool- don’t challenge the order of the letters ,numbers etc 5 hear m - - k -.- associate sound with the letter that’s where speed comes in 6 you could start at 20 or 30 wpm! I trained myself in 1976 when I became a ham operator. I studied the letters then the sound- wrong . It’s sound associate the letter or number or punctuation. Do it in your head. Don’t write it down Good luck HS ### 5/5 — Great tool for learning CW *2016-09-19* The current version does everything I need it to do. Uses Koch method and Farnsworth timing as recommended by most CW mentors. Works as advertised. Scratch pad feature is helpful as well. I'm a novice with CW and this app is Definitely helpful in building skill. Could it be improved by adding more features? Sure. But it does the job well and it's priced right. Great job by the Pignology team. ### 5/5 — Not fully working on iPhone with iOS 8 *2014-09-21* Unable to change the lesson number using an iPhone with iOS 8. Works ok with an iPad on iOS 8 though, hope the iPhone version gets fixed soon :) ### 5/5 — Nice *2014-09-20, version 3.4* A good price, it is complete (no add ons), and seems to work well. TNX ### 5/5 — Excellent app! *2014-02-07* Bought this app to begin learning morse, making really good progress, app very clear and easy to use. Koch method really working for me. Very happy with the purchase! --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-31.*