Comparison

AsiaSat vs SWLtools

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

Head to head
About

AsiaSat

This app provides satellite performance data, antenna pointing tools, and various calculators for uplink, downlink, and sun outages. Stay updated with the latest industry news and satellite information.

Highlights
  • Satellite Footprints
  • Satellite Finder
  • Uplink Calculator
  • Downlink Calculator
  • VSAT Performance Calculator
  • Sun Outage Calculator & Reminder
  • Latest News
Features
Read full description

Access AsiaSat. Anytime, Anywhere. Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat) is Asia’s premier satellite operator, serves over two-thirds of the world's population with its six in-orbit satellites. You can have access to useful information and enjoy unique tools, practical and interactive functions in this app. Footprints - Find AsiaSat Satellite Performance wherever you are in Asia Pacific Satellite Finder - Point your antenna at AsiaSat Uplink Calculator – Calculate your TV uplink power required Downlink Calculator - Calculate your antenna size for TV reception VSAT Performance Calculator - Review satellite performance for VSAT applications Sun Outage Calculator - Calculate the time and duration of sun outage occurrence Sun Outage Reminder - Remind you when sun outage occurs at your location Latest News - Stay tuned with AsiaSat and industry news

About

SWLtools

Enhance your shortwave listening with this app that decodes on-air text modes like Morse, RTTY, and WEFAX. It also features spectrum analysis, audio recording, and is optimized for portable use with specific receivers.

Highlights
  • Decode Morse, RTTY, WEFAX, and ACARS
  • Real-time spectrum and spectrogram display
  • Audio recording and storage
  • Save and share decoded text
  • Optimized for Belka receiver
  • ACARS position mapping
Read full description

SWLtools: The Companion for Shortwave Listening Enthusiasts SWLtools is an app designed specifically for Shortwave Listening (SWL) enthusiasts who want to enhance their listening experience. It records what you hear, shows you the band, and reads the digital modes that carry text on the air. Whether you are a hobbyist or a dedicated DXer, SWLtools supports your activity from the antenna to the logbook. DECODING THE ON-AIR TEXT MODES Point the app at a signal and it turns it into readable text. - Morse (CW). The app follows the tone by itself and measures the sending speed from the signal, so it keeps up with hand-sent Morse as well as machine-sent. A side panel collects the callsigns it has heard, and each transmission starts on its own line when the operator hands over. - RTTY, in both ITA2 and SITOR-B. - Weather fax (WEFAX). The chart builds up line by line as it arrives, and can be saved straight to your photo library. - ACARS aircraft messages, with the ones carrying a position shown on a map. Decoded text can be saved, reopened later and shared. All times, on screen and in the saved files, are UTC — the way radio logs are kept. SPECTRUM AND WATERFALL If your receiver provides an IQ output, SWLtools displays the real-time spectrum and spectrogram. Visually explore the bands and gain deeper insight into the signals you are receiving. Where the two channels of a USB adapter do not arrive perfectly in step — a common trait of audio codecs — a sample-delay correction removes the mirror image that would otherwise appear beside every signal. AUDIO RECORDING AND STORAGE Easily record and store audio directly from your receiver. Capture signals from around the world and listen to them again whenever you want, or turn a recording into a video to share. OPTIMIZED FOR THE BELKA RECEIVER SWLtools was designed to work seamlessly with the Belka receiver. It is the perfect companion for outdoor listening sessions, letting you record your DX, explore frequencies with the spectrum view, or read a weather fax from the field. The app is optimized for low power consumption when displaying the spectrum and waterfall, making it ideal for portable use. REQUIREMENTS To use SWLtools you need an inexpensive USB audio adapter (ADC/DAC) connected to your iOS device. These affordable dongles typically provide a microphone input and a headphone output, which is enough to record, to decode, and to show a single-channel spectrum. A two-channel audio interface does more: it carries a true I/Q pair, so the spectrum shows the full band above and below the tuned frequency, and it is the only kind that can play the receiver's audio through the iPhone speaker while you listen. The app tells you which class of device you have connected and what it allows, and an audio diagnostics panel shows exactly what iOS is doing with the signal if something does not sound right. Note: please make sure your receiver is compatible with the app's features and that you have the required accessories for optimal performance.

Screenshots

AsiaSat4 screens
SWLtools4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: AsiaSat at 50% against SWLtools's 0%. AsiaSat also leads on price (Free vs $3.99) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AsiaSat ships an update every 3 months, SWLtools every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
AsiaSat versus SWLtools: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAsiaSatSWLtools
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAsia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd.Stefano Rampazzo

Customer experience

AsiaSat

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

SWLtools

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

AsiaSat

No in-app purchases

None

SWLtools

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is AsiaSat free?
AsiaSat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SWLtools free?
SWLtools costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do AsiaSat or SWLtools have ads?
Neither AsiaSat nor SWLtools shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AsiaSat or SWLtools?
AsiaSat ships an update every 3 months, and SWLtools every 2 months. Most recently, AsiaSat was updated on October 5, 2026 and SWLtools on October 12, 2026.

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