Comparison

Q Codes vs FT Ham

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

Head to head
About

Q Codes

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
Read full description

Q Codes are a standardized collection of codes developed for radiotelegraph communication especially amateur radio. This tool is designed for quick look up of any Q Code

About

FT Ham

Decode and transmit FT8/FT4 amateur radio signals directly from your mobile device. Features real-time decoding, automatic QSO sequencing, and an integrated logbook with ADIF export. All processing is done offline and locally on your device.

Highlights
  • Real-time FT8/FT4 decoding
  • Offline audio transmission
  • Automatic QSO sequencing
  • Live waterfall display
  • Integrated logbook with ADIF export
  • Customizable message composer
Features
Read full description

FT Ham – FT8/FT4 Decoder & Audio Transmitter for Amateur Radio FT Ham puts a complete FT8/FT4 decoder and audio encoder/transmitter in your pocket. Decode, reply, and log QSOs directly from your iPhone — all in real time, fully offline. What the app does for you: - Live Waterfall: frequency vs time spectrogram with color intensity and vertical labels for each decoded signal. - Real-time Decoding: receive FT8 and FT4 audio via microphone or connected audio interface and see callsigns, reports, and SNR instantly. - Transmit (Encode & Play): generate FT8/FT4 audio for CQ, reports, RRR, and 73, aligned to correct UTC slots and played through speaker or radio interface. - Auto QSO Sequencing: detects CQ, prepares replies, respects UTC timing and even/odd cycles, retries if needed, and can complete QSOs automatically. - Manual Control Always Available: full manual message selection and intervention at any point. - Predefined Messages & Composer: CQ, DX→ME, reports, RRR, and 73 — automatically filled with your callsign and locator, fully customizable. - Logbook & ADIF Export: automatically log completed QSOs and export to standard ADIF for external logging software. - Contact Map: visualize logged QSOs and geographic coverage in a single view. Privacy & Safety: - All decoding and signal processing runs entirely on your device. No internet connection required. - FT Ham does not collect or share personal data. All settings and logs remain local on your device. - Audio output may be connected to external radios; always comply with local amateur radio regulations. - Payments are handled by Apple or third-party services; FT Ham never receives payment details. Legal & Licenses: - FT Ham code is released under the MIT License. - Third-party library licenses are included in-app.

Screenshots

Q Codes4 screens
FT Ham4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: FT Ham at 100% against Q Codes's 50%. FT Ham also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.7) and ads (none vs shown). Q Codes's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4). On price, ratings volume, device support and iOS requirement 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. FT Ham sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Q Codes asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

FT Ham holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 3 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Q Codes's written reviews are positive against 100% of FT Ham's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Q Codes ships an update every 8 months, FT Ham every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Q Codes versus FT Ham: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterQ CodesFT Ham
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (7 ratings)4.7 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings7 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.616.6
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB17 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperJonathan GibbsPABLO TURRION SAN PEDRO

Customer experience

Q Codes

All ratings7 ratings
Positive71.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative28.6%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

FT Ham

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Q Codes

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

FT Ham

One-time4
  • Donation of 0.99 €$0.99
  • FT Ham premium access$1.99
  • Donation of 2,99 €$2.99
Show 1 more
  • Donation of 4,99 €$3.99

Questions

Is Q Codes free?
Q Codes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is FT Ham free?
FT Ham is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Q Codes or FT Ham?
FT Ham is rated higher. Q Codes averages 3.7 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while FT Ham averages 4.7 from 3 ratings.
Do Q Codes or FT Ham have ads?
Q Codes shows ads; FT Ham does not.
Which is updated more often, Q Codes or FT Ham?
Q Codes ships an update every 8 months, and FT Ham every 5 days. Most recently, Q Codes was updated on October 17, 2026 and FT Ham on October 3, 2026.

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