Comparison

HipLink Mobile vs WAVE Tactical Communicator

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

HipLink Mobile

This app extends a secure communication platform for mobile devices, offering encrypted messaging, priority alerts, and remote action execution. It supports Wi-Fi messaging and includes real-time mapping for incident response.

Highlights
  • Fully secure messaging
  • Wi-Fi and cellular data network support
  • Secure chat functionality
  • Dedicated alert inbox
  • File attachments
  • Real-time mapping with incident locations
  • Customizable severity levels and tones
Features
Read full description

HipLink Mobile: HipLink Mobile is an extension of the HipLink communication platform that provides maximum flexibility to optimize use of smartphones and tablets for secure messaging and texting. Using HipLink Mobile, a User can have a priority view of important alerts, receive fully-secure text messages, send secure messages, and execute actions remotely. Text messages can be sent completely independent of a cellular data connection using Wi-Fi. In addition to interactive chat messages like traditional SMS, the application can also receive an alert sent from a desktop, call center, or automatically from a backend application. Real-Time Mapping: HipLink Mobile offers the ability to send alerts with real-time mapped target locations. Alerts are shown with a map attached, from where Users not only see the directions, but also see who else is en route to the incident. HipLink Mobile Features Include: - Fully secure messages with confidentiality and integrity checks - All networks operate on either carrier's data network or Wi-Fi - Secure chat for conversational messaging with other Users - Dedicated Alert inbox for HipLink messages sent from a desktop or application - File attachments of all types supported - All messages can be sent with increasing severity levels, each with distinguishing tones that can be defined by the User - Persistent alerting feature for emergency notification with settings override for high-priority alerts - Unread messages reminders - Auto Message Expiration allows for automatic message deletions - Location coordinates can be attached to a message - Conveniently change on-call or on-duty status - Pre-programmed custom commands or templates available

About

WAVE Tactical Communicator

This app transforms your device into a secure broadband push-to-talk handset for unified workgroup communications. It enables secure voice and text messaging, location sharing, and integrates with land mobile radio systems.

Highlights
  • Secure broadband push-to-talk
  • Encrypted voice and text messaging
  • Location and presence information
  • Group and private calls
  • Land mobile radio integration
  • Emergency support
Features
Read full description

WAVE Tactical Communicator by Motorola Solutions turns your device into a broadband push-to-talk (PTT) handset for fully secure, unified workgroup communications anywhere you have a network connection. WAVE is the industry's most powerful and flexible work group communication tool for secure PTT on the go. It transforms smartphones, tablets and PCs into team communication tools and integrates with land mobile radio (LMR) to provide unified voice, text messaging, location and presence in a single application. • AES256 encryption of all communications • Group calls for secure one-to-many communications • Private calls for secure one-to-one communications • Group and Private text messaging • Presence & location information • Emergency Support • Remote PTT accessories for most devices (Bluetooth low energy, wired headsets, badge microphones) WAVE Tactical Communicator is utilized on the WAVE Tactical System, which is Motorola's highly scalable, feature-rich, enterprise-grade PTT solution. It enables full interoperability between different radio systems and extends the reach of these systems using any combination of broadband networks and devices. Radio Integrations: • Motorola Solutions ASTRO 25 with wireline interface • Motorola Solutions DIMETRA with wireline interface • Motorola ASTRO 25 and TETRA with MOTOBRIDGE wireless interface • Motorola MOTOTRBO with wireline interface • Other vendor P25 and non-P25 systems with MOTOBRIDGE wireless interface • Other Analog Radio interfaces WAVE Tactical Communicator supports WAVE Server Release 5.19.1 and newer, and will operate in the following environments. • Public cellular networks, if the device is Mobile Device Managed and configured in Supervised mode • Private cellular network • Pre-configured Wi-Fi networks • Via a VPN over Wi-Fi and cellular networks Note: For use with Wi-Fi networks, the Wi-Fi must be configured via in App Settings under Configure Wi-Fi. Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

Screenshots

HipLink Mobile4 screens
WAVE Tactical Communicator4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: HipLink Mobile at 3.0 against WAVE Tactical Communicator's 2.0. HipLink Mobile also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 25%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.4). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

HipLink Mobile holds the better App Store score, 3.0 against 2.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 18 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of HipLink Mobile's written reviews are positive against 25% of WAVE Tactical Communicator's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HipLink Mobile ships an update every 3 months, WAVE Tactical Communicator every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
HipLink Mobile versus WAVE Tactical Communicator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHipLink MobileWAVE Tactical Communicator
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (8 ratings) — better2.0 (18 ratings)
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews — better25.0% of reviews
Number of ratings818 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size53 MB133 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperSemotus IncMotorola Solutions, Inc

Customer experience

HipLink Mobile

All ratings8 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

WAVE Tactical Communicator

All ratings16 ratings
Positive18.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative81.3%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative75.0%

In-app purchases

None

HipLink Mobile

No in-app purchases

None

WAVE Tactical Communicator

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HipLink Mobile free?
HipLink Mobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is WAVE Tactical Communicator free?
WAVE Tactical Communicator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, HipLink Mobile or WAVE Tactical Communicator?
HipLink Mobile is rated higher. HipLink Mobile averages 3.0 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while WAVE Tactical Communicator averages 2.0 from 18 ratings.
Do HipLink Mobile or WAVE Tactical Communicator have ads?
Neither HipLink Mobile nor WAVE Tactical Communicator shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HipLink Mobile or WAVE Tactical Communicator?
HipLink Mobile ships an update every 3 months, and WAVE Tactical Communicator every 2 months. Most recently, HipLink Mobile was updated on November 2, 2026 and WAVE Tactical Communicator on November 3, 2026.

Other comparisons