# Groups.io App vs HamSphere 5.0

The clearest difference is rating: HamSphere 5.0 at 3.9 against Groups.io App's 3.0. HamSphere 5.0 also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 9 months). Groups.io App's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 30) and ratings volume (24 vs 7). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HamSphere 5.0 sells 30 one-off in-app purchases. Groups.io App asks for nothing beyond the download.

HamSphere 5.0 holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 24 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 36% of Groups.io App's written reviews are positive against 38% of HamSphere 5.0's.

Groups.io App ships an update every 9 months, HamSphere 5.0 monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 4, 2026 and August 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Groups.io App | HamSphere 5.0 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/groupsio-app/id1553820507/reviews) | **[3.9 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamsphere-50/id6447489061/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **24** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 36.0% of reviews | **37.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 32 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Groups.io, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1482415932) | [HamSphere AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/1496331754) |

## What reviewers say

### Groups.io App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/groupsio-app/id1553820507)

This app provides a modern platform for online communities with powerful management tools. It offers advanced features like hashtag organization, topic muting, and integrations with other services. Users can find, join, and manage groups, receiving real-time notifications.

**Highlights:** Advanced group management, Hashtag archive organization, Mute individual topics, Real-time push notifications, Integrated Chat, Calendar, Polls, Integrations with RSS, Trello, Github, Member synchronization with Slack

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### HamSphere 5.0

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamsphere-50/id6447489061)

This virtual ham radio transceiver simulates HF bands from 10-160m, including 6m, 2m, and 70cm. It features USB, LSB, and CW modes, power settings, and built-in audio filters. Additional instruments can be unlocked via in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Virtual HF bands (10-160m), 6m, 2m, and 70cm bands, USB, LSB, and CW modes, Built-in audio filters, Power setting, In-app purchase instrument expansions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (30)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3el T-yagi E (30m) | $4.99 | one-time |
| 3el T-yagi E (40m) | $4.99 | one-time |
| 3el T-yagi W (20m) | $4.99 | one-time |
| 3el T-yagi E (20m) | $4.99 | one-time |
| G5RV North-South (10-160m) | $4.99 | one-time |
| J-Pole (12m) | $6.99 | one-time |
| J-Pole (17m) | $6.99 | one-time |
| Plugizer MBP009 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Lookup Box MBP011 | $6.99 | one-time |
| J-Pole (11m) | $6.99 | one-time |
| J-Pole (20m) | $6.99 | one-time |
| Log Book MBP003 | $6.99 | one-time |
| DX-Monitor MBP008 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Waterfall MBP002 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Antenna Selector MBP004 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Antenna Rotator MBP005 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Oscilloscope MBP006 | $6.99 | one-time |
| DX-Cluster MBP010 | $6.99 | one-time |
| 8-Band Omni Whip (10-40m) | $6.99 | one-time |
| J-Pole (10m) | $6.99 | one-time |
| G5RV East-West (10-160m) | $6.99 | one-time |
| Moxon (20m) | $14.99 | one-time |
| Moxon (12m) | $14.99 | one-time |
| Moxon (17m) | $14.99 | one-time |
| Moxon (10m) | $14.99 | one-time |
| Moxon (11m) | $14.99 | one-time |
| Bruce Array (60m) | $24.99 | one-time |
| Bruce Array (80m) | $24.99 | one-time |
| VU2NSB Dangler (20,17, 12,10m) | $29.99 | one-time |
| HamSphere Subscription | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Groups.io App free?

Groups.io App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is HamSphere 5.0 free?

HamSphere 5.0 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Groups.io App or HamSphere 5.0?

HamSphere 5.0 is rated higher. Groups.io App averages 3.0 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while HamSphere 5.0 averages 3.9 from 7 ratings.

### Do Groups.io App or HamSphere 5.0 have ads?

Neither Groups.io App nor HamSphere 5.0 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Groups.io App or HamSphere 5.0?

Groups.io App ships an update every 9 months, and HamSphere 5.0 monthly. Most recently, Groups.io App was updated on September 4, 2026 and HamSphere 5.0 on August 15, 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.*