# Q Codes vs SWLtools

The clearest difference is price: Q Codes at Free against SWLtools's $3.99. SWLtools's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 8 months). On in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Q Codes ships an update every 8 months, SWLtools every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on July 7, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Q Codes | SWLtools |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| Rating | **[3.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/q-codes/id1195337244/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **7** | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | — |
| Size | 5 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 17.0 |
| 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


### SWLtools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swltools/id6618146941)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Q Codes free?

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

### Is SWLtools free?

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

### Do Q Codes or SWLtools have ads?

Q Codes shows ads; SWLtools does not.

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

Q Codes ships an update every 8 months, and SWLtools every 3 months. Most recently, Q Codes was updated on July 7, 2026 and SWLtools on September 9, 2026.

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