# RS vs Packet Commander

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Packet Commander at 100% against RS's 15%. Packet Commander also leads on rating (4.9 vs 1.9) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 8 months). RS's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.2). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Packet Commander sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per year. RS asks for nothing beyond the download.

Packet Commander holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 1.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 76 and 44 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 15% of RS's written reviews are positive against 100% of Packet Commander's.

RS ships an update every 8 months, Packet Commander every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RS | Packet Commander |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.9 (76 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rs-ms1i/id1193842632/reviews) | **[4.9 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packet-commander/id6743951365/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **76** | 44 |
| Positive reviews | 14.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 34 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ICOM INCORPORATED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1193842631) | [Island Magic Co.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1529387252) |

## What reviewers say

### RS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rs-ms1i/id1193842632)

Control compatible transceivers, share voice and pictures, and view station locations on a map. Access received station information, send text messages, and manage call sign and repeater lists. Customize transceiver and application settings for a streamlined experience.

**Highlights:** Transceiver DR functions, Send and receive voice and pictures, Map repeater and station locations, Read and edit received station information, Send and receive text messages, Manage call sign and repeater lists, Import/Export data

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works with IC-705
- 👍 Works with ID-52
- 👍 Map feature useful
- 👍 Past contacts visible
- 👍 Quick bug fixes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes on map screen
- 🐛 Crashes when sending photos
- 🐛 Bluetooth connectivity issues
- 🐛 Not connecting to ID-52
- 🐛 Not connecting to iPhone

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when using map function
- App crashes on map screen
- App closes when opening map
- Not staying connected to the app
- Connection unsuccessful error message

**Requested features**

- Add support for ID-5100
- Add support for ID-51A Plus 2
- Add support for ID-50
- Add support for IC-705
- Improve repeater list


### Packet Commander

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packet-commander/id6743951365)

This app provides a classic terminal experience for packet radio communication on mobile devices. It offers powerful terminal features, smart connection management, and real-time over-the-air traffic monitoring. It's designed for amateur radio operators to connect with nodes, BBS, and decode traffic.

**Highlights:** Full-screen terminal for packet nodes and BBS, Classic color themes and adjustable layout, YAPP protocol support for file transfers, Location-aware digipeater routing, Seamless iCloud sync, Over-the-air traffic decoding, Auto-discovery of TNCs

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly Subscription | $8.99 | per year |
| One-Time Purchase | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RS free?

RS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Packet Commander free?

Packet Commander is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, RS or Packet Commander?

Packet Commander is rated higher. RS averages 1.9 out of 5 from 76 ratings, while Packet Commander averages 4.9 from 44 ratings.

### Do RS or Packet Commander have ads?

Neither RS nor Packet Commander shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RS or Packet Commander?

RS ships an update every 8 months, and Packet Commander every 2 months. Most recently, RS was updated on October 17, 2026 and Packet Commander on October 8, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*