# ST vs Packet Commander

ST and Packet Commander both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Packet Commander's written reviews are positive against 50% of ST's. Packet Commander also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 27 months) and ratings volume (44 vs 2). ST's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.2). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Packet Commander sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per year. ST asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for ST against 4.9 for Packet Commander. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Packet Commander has 44 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 50% of ST's written reviews are positive against 100% of Packet Commander's.

ST ships an update every 27 months, Packet Commander every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ST | Packet Commander |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/st-4001i/id1492225169/reviews)** | [4.9 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packet-commander/id6743951365/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **44** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 27 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 12 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ICOM INCORPORATED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1193842631) | [Island Magic Co.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1529387252) |

## What reviewers say

### ST

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/st-4001i/id1492225169)

This app converts photos and images into a format compatible with D-STAR transceivers for the Share Picture function. Users can crop images, add text like call signs, and transfer them wirelessly or via Bluetooth to supported transceivers.

**Highlights:** Image conversion for D-STAR Share Picture, Image cropping, Add text (call signs), Wireless transfer to transceiver, Bluetooth transfer to transceiver, Save cropped image as file

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Packet Commander

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packet-commander/id6743951365)

This app provides a classic terminal experience for packet radio communication on mobile devices. It offers powerful terminal features, smart connection management, and real-time over-the-air traffic monitoring. It's designed for amateur radio operators to connect with nodes, BBS, and decode traffic.

**Highlights:** Full-screen terminal for packet nodes and BBS, Classic color themes and adjustable layout, YAPP protocol support for file transfers, Location-aware digipeater routing, Seamless iCloud sync, Over-the-air traffic decoding, Auto-discovery of TNCs

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly Subscription | $8.99 | per year |
| One-Time Purchase | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ST free?

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

### Is Packet Commander free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ST or Packet Commander?

ST is rated higher. ST averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Packet Commander averages 4.9 from 44 ratings.

### Do ST or Packet Commander have ads?

Neither ST nor Packet Commander shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ST or Packet Commander?

ST ships an update every 27 months, and Packet Commander every 2 months. Most recently, ST was updated on October 9, 2026 and Packet Commander on October 8, 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.*