# Q Codes vs SWList

The clearest difference is price: Q Codes at Free against SWList's $3.99. SWList's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 8 months). On rating, ratings volume, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Q Codes is free to download; SWList costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.7 for Q Codes against 3.8 for SWList. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 4 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 50% of Q Codes's written reviews are positive against 67% of SWList's.

Q Codes ships an update every 8 months, SWList every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Q Codes | SWList |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| Rating | [3.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/q-codes/id1195337244/reviews) | **[3.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swlist/id6471515485/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Paid |
| Size | 5 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jonathan Gibbs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1111944472) | [Stefano Rampazzo](https://appshunter.io/developer/396660919) |

## What reviewers say

### Q Codes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/q-codes/id1195337244)

Access a comprehensive collection of standardized radiotelegraph communication codes, primarily for amateur radio use. This utility allows for rapid searching and lookup of any Q Code.

**Highlights:** Standardized Q Code collection, Radiotelegraph communication codes, Amateur radio focus, Quick lookup functionality, Comprehensive code database

**In-app purchases:** none


### SWList

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swlist/id6471515485)

Discover and identify shortwave radio stations with access to curated EiBi and Aoki lists. Explore stations by frequency, band, or search criteria, and view detailed transmission information, including location on a map.

**Highlights:** Access EiBi and Aoki curated lists, Discover stations by frequency or band, Search by station name, country, or language, Connect to radio receivers via Hamlib, Filter for currently broadcasting stations, View station transmission details, Display transmitter location on map

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Q Codes free?

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

### Is SWList free?

SWList costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Q Codes or SWList?

SWList is rated higher. Q Codes averages 3.7 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while SWList averages 3.8 from 4 ratings.

### Do Q Codes or SWList have ads?

Q Codes shows ads; SWList does not.

### Which is updated more often, Q Codes or SWList?

Q Codes ships an update every 8 months, and SWList every 2 months. Most recently, Q Codes was updated on October 1, 2026 and SWList on October 13, 2026.

---

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