Comparison

HamAlert vs On

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

Head to head
About

HamAlert

Receive instant push notifications for desired amateur radio contacts. Filter alerts by various criteria like callsign, band, mode, and location. Stay updated on DX spots from multiple sources.

Highlights
  • Push notifications for desired stations
  • Filter spots by DXCC, callsign, and location
  • Support for Reverse Beacon Network, SOTAwatch, DX cluster, PSK Reporter
  • Filter by band, mode, and time
  • Filter by spotter callsign and DXCC
Features
Read full description

This app is a companion to the HamAlert web site (hamalert.org) and lets you receive push notifications from HamAlert. HamAlert is a system that allows amateur radio operators to get notifications when a desired station appears on the DX cluster, the Reverse Beacon Network, SOTAwatch, POTA, WWFF Spotline, or PSK Reporter. Spots can be filtered by various criteria, including: • DXCC (both actual and callsign home DXCC) • Callsign • Island reference • Summit reference • Park reference • CQ zone • Continent • Band • Mode • Time and days of week • Source • Spotter callsign and DXCC

About

On

This tool assists amateur radio operators with managing on-air nets and check-ins. It offers real-time messaging, email integration, and detailed operator information retrieval. The app supports multiple simultaneous sessions and configurable displays for efficient communication and tracking.

Highlights
  • Real-time net check-in tracking
  • Instant messaging (AIM) sessions
  • Integrated email client
  • Configurable information displays
  • QRZ/QRZCQ call sign lookup
  • WebSDR audio streaming
  • QRZ Logbook integration
Read full description

On-Air Net Scraper "Personal" Pro is an iPhone/iPad/MacOS silicon App providing a wide range of features for Amateur Radio operators (Hams). Key features include NetLogger Amateur Radio On-Air Nets, Check-Ins and multiple Almost Instant Message (AIM) sessions in real-time data awareness. AIM pass key automatic email request with single button click resulting in immediate pass key information reply. Full integrated Email client for yet another method for Hams to carry out conversations. Multiple tabbed displays allowing user to track unlimited number of On-Air Net Check-Ins at one time. User configurable information displays to included viewing detailed Ham information within Check-In views. Near real-time AIM client text message send and receive. Searching and viewing Past NetLogger Nets and Check-Ins. Monitor mode so users can be aware of NetLogger Check-In "lurkers". Simultaneous QRZ and QRZCQ login is supported facilitating Call Sign lookup and Ham information retrieval. Easy, click to display NetLogger Nets, Check-Ins Call Sign and operator status information, not requiring QRZ/CQ accounts. Multi-screen displays to included improved 2-way and 3-way split screens provide simultaneous displays of Check-Ins, AIM, AIM and Net Scraper Message Exchange current listing data along with WebSDR viewing and listening. PERSISTENT WebSDR radio LIVE audio listenings while simultaneously viewing multiple Net Check-In views. Seamlessly integrates with On-Air Net Scraper Desktop Server WebSocket Interface supporting private Internet chat sessions between On-Air Net Scraper ME clients. JS8Call/WSJTX full participation in digital radio REAL-TIME texting when using NetBird VPN or when paired with On-Air Net Scraper's Message Exchange (ME) Server. Autoload favorite NetLogger nets. Callsign search both NetLogger Active and Past net listing, including improved automatic continuous search and displaying of matched nets. QRZ Logbook insert/update/delete. Supports On-Device authentication and Two-Factor authentication in addition to encrypted secure storage of sensitive data and app access security. JS8Call dynamic frequency adjustment.

Screenshots

HamAlert1 screens
On4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: On at 4.4 against HamAlert's 4.0. On also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). HamAlert's advantage is review sentiment (67% vs 50%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 34 and 13 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of HamAlert's written reviews are positive against 50% of On's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HamAlert ships an update every 5 months, On monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
HamAlert versus On: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHamAlertOn
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (34 ratings)4.4 (13 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings34 — better13
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS15.615.6
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB30 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperManuel KasperChristopher Robson

Customer experience

HamAlert

All ratings34 ratings
Positive67.6%
Neutral8.8%
Negative23.5%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral9.5%
Negative23.8%

On

All ratings13 ratings
Positive84.6%
Neutral7.7%
Negative7.7%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative37.5%

In-app purchases

None

HamAlert

No in-app purchases

None

On

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HamAlert free?
HamAlert is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is On free?
On is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, HamAlert or On?
On is rated higher. HamAlert averages 4.0 out of 5 from 34 ratings, while On averages 4.4 from 13 ratings.
Do HamAlert or On have ads?
Neither HamAlert nor On shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HamAlert or On?
HamAlert ships an update every 5 months, and On monthly. Most recently, HamAlert was updated on October 20, 2026 and On on October 24, 2026.

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