HamStudy.org vs NMRA Magazine
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
HamStudy.org
This app offers an intelligent study mode that tracks your progress and focuses on areas where you struggle. It allows you to tailor your study to specific chapters and topics from license manuals, with explanations for difficult questions. Practice exams are also available.
- Intelligent study algorithms
- Vetted user-submitted explanations
- Infinite practice exams
- Study all US Amateur Radio question pools
- International question pools
- Multi-user support
- Cross-device progress sync
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HamStudy is not your typical study app. Most study apps focus on practice exams, which is like studying for your math test by trying 20% of the questions on repeat. Study smarter with HamStudy. Instead of taking practice tests with random questions over and over, our intelligent Study Mode tracks your progress as you move through the questions—what you’ve seen, what you haven’t, and where you’re struggling—and focuses your study on the questions you need to see most. Full statistics are provided along the way, giving you insight into how many times you’ve gotten a question right or wrong as well as your overall study progress. Don’t worry, you can still take practice exams whenever you want. You won’t find a better tool to use alongside your favorite learning material. Through collaboration with some of the most recognized names in amateur radio, HamStudy allows you to simply choose from a selection of license manuals, then instantly adapts so you can match your study to the chapters, topics, and sections you’re used to†. Want to study just the questions from chapters 4 and 5? No problem. And when a question trips you up, just tap the Explain button to understand what you missed, review formulas, and read helpful study tips. Features: • HamStudy's intelligent study algorithms work with you to ensure you learn the questions, tracking your progress and adjusting the pace to keep you challenged but not frustrated. • Vetted user-submitted explanations help you avoid the pitfall of just memorizing answers. • Infinite practice exams. Fun fact: it takes around 70 practice exams before you’ll see every Technician question just once. Study more, test less! • Study all current US Amateur Radio question pools: Technician, General, and Amateur Extra. Updates are downloaded automatically, and new pools are always included free when they are revised every four years. • English and Spanish translations included for US Amateur Radio pools. • Includes an ever-growing selection of international question pools, such as Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and Argentina. • Supports multiple users on the same device, each with independent study history. • Sync your progress across all devices and study online with a free hamstudy.org account. • Share your progress with friends, instructors, or other HamStudy.org users and help each other keep progressing towards that next license exam! HamStudy is proud to be sponsored by Icom. † Disclaimer: HamStudy does not contain the actual instructional material from linked books, but works great with the book sitting on the table next to you! Images, names, and trademarks used with permission.
NMRA Magazine
Access digital editions of the official publication for model railroad enthusiasts. Membership provides automatic downloads of new issues as they are released, ensuring you never miss an update on the hobby.
- Digital magazine editions
- Automatic new issue downloads
- Membership access
- Subscription management
- Free trial option
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Official publication of the National Model Railroad Association. The NMRA advances the worldwide scale model railroading community through education and standards as well as advocacy and fellowship. Download our app for free, and get access to your digital editions via membership. By becoming a member, you’ll never miss an issue and each new issue will automatically be available for download to your device as soon as it is released. Please note the following: • Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period • You will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period, for the same duration and at the current subscription rate for that product • You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal by going to your Account Settings after purchase • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription • The app may offer a free trial. At the end of the free trial period, the full price of the subscription will be charged thereafter • The subscription will include the current issue and subsequently published future issues. The subscription will still include the current issue even if that issue has been purchased separately. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase You can find our Privacy Policy & Terms of Use here: Privacy policy: https://www.nmra.org/privacy-policy-c-11 Terms of use: https://www.nmra.org/nmra-terms-use-c-12
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: NMRA Magazine at Free against HamStudy.org's $3.99. NMRA Magazine also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.4). HamStudy.org's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 9 months). On ads 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
NMRA Magazine is free to download; HamStudy.org costs $3.99 up front. NMRA Magazine sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $13.99 per year. HamStudy.org asks for nothing beyond the download.
HamStudy.org holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HamStudy.org has 2.7K ratings behind it against 84, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 94% of HamStudy.org's written reviews are positive against 67% of NMRA Magazine's.
HamStudy.org ships an update every 3 weeks, NMRA Magazine every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | HamStudy.org | NMRA Magazine |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.9 (2.7K ratings) — better | 4.7 (84 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 93.7% of reviews — better | 66.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2.7K — better | 84 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 9 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #5 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 30 MB | 77 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Signal Stuff | National Model Railroad Association, Inc. |
Customer experience
HamStudy.org
NMRA Magazine
Bugs and requests
HamStudy.org
Reported bugs
2 issues- Email support not working
- Occasional freezing or crashing
Requested features
4 requests- Dark mode option
- Ability to clear test history
- More detailed performance analytics
- Spell out acronyms and define technical terms
NMRA Magazine
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
HamStudy.org
No in-app purchases
NMRA Magazine
- 1 Year$13.991 Year
- 2021 March$3.99
- 2021 April$3.99
- 2021 May$3.99
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- 2021 June$3.99
- 2021 July$3.99
- 2021 August$3.99
- 2021 September$3.99
- 2021 October$3.99
- 2021 November$3.99






