# Q Codes vs SimpleSSTV

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Q Codes at none against SimpleSSTV's 6. SimpleSSTV's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (monthly vs every 8 months). On price, ratings volume, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SimpleSSTV sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Q Codes asks for nothing beyond the download.

SimpleSSTV holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Q Codes's written reviews are positive against 73% of SimpleSSTV's.

Q Codes ships an update every 8 months, SimpleSSTV monthly. The most recent releases landed on July 7, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Q Codes | SimpleSSTV |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/q-codes/id1195337244/reviews) | **[4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplesstv/id6756872709/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **73.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 5 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jonathan Gibbs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1111944472) | [Jeroen Rombouts](https://appshunter.io/developer/1863358112) |

## 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


### SimpleSSTV

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplesstv/id6756872709)

This app allows ham radio operators to encode images into audio signals for transmission and decode received audio back into images. It supports various SSTV modes, live camera feeds, and even AI-generated QSL cards. Receive alerts for International Space Station SSTV events.

**Highlights:** Encode images to SSTV audio, Decode SSTV audio to images, Live camera feed with trigger modes, Support for 14 SSTV modes, AI-generated QSL calling cards, ISS SSTV event notifications, Audio setup and troubleshooting tips

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Listening Station Mode | $1.99 | one-time |
| 10 AI Card Credits | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove or change encoder watermark | $2.99 | one-time |
| SimpleSSTV Pro | $3.99 | one-time |
| 30 AI Card Credits | $3.99 | one-time |
| 120 AI Card Credits | $8.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Q Codes free?

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

### Is SimpleSSTV free?

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

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

SimpleSSTV is rated higher. Q Codes averages 3.7 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while SimpleSSTV averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Q Codes or SimpleSSTV have ads?

Q Codes shows ads; SimpleSSTV does not.

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

Q Codes ships an update every 8 months, and SimpleSSTV monthly. Most recently, Q Codes was updated on July 7, 2026 and SimpleSSTV on September 21, 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.*