HipLink Mobile vs WAVE Tactical Communicator
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
Read full descriptionHide 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
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.
- Secure broadband push-to-talk
- Encrypted voice and text messaging
- Location and presence information
- Group and private calls
- Land mobile radio integration
- Emergency support
Read full descriptionHide 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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
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.
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.
| Parameter | HipLink Mobile | WAVE Tactical Communicator |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (8 ratings) — better | 2.0 (18 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better | 25.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 8 | 18 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 53 MB | 133 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Semotus Inc | Motorola Solutions, Inc |
Customer experience
HipLink Mobile
WAVE Tactical Communicator
In-app purchases
HipLink Mobile
No in-app purchases
WAVE Tactical Communicator
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is HipLink Mobile free?
Is WAVE Tactical Communicator free?
Which has better reviews, HipLink Mobile or WAVE Tactical Communicator?
Do HipLink Mobile or WAVE Tactical Communicator have ads?
Which is updated more often, HipLink Mobile or WAVE Tactical Communicator?
Other comparisons















