Comparison

smartDF vs TS Control for Kenwood

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

Head to head
About

smartDF

Features
Read full description

iPadOS application designed in cooperation between certified developer Carlos Lago and Rhotheta International Inc - www.rhothetaint.com - for the remote control and monitoring of Rhotheta radio direction finders via Bluetooth (BLE) or Wi-Fi. A modern UI for direction finder (DF) products increases crew productivity and enhances mission awareness during search-and-rescue, law enforcement, and special missions. DF sensor data is conveniently displayed over maps with state-of-the-art graphics.

About

TS Control for Kenwood

Control your Kenwood TS-890 radio remotely from your iPhone or iPad. Access spectrum scope, waterfall, VFO, filters, and various communication modes like FT8, JS8, and CW. Includes a logbook and DX cluster tools for ham radio enthusiasts.

Highlights
  • Remote radio control
  • Spectrum scope & waterfall
  • Multiple communication modes (FT8, JS8, CW)
  • Logbook with ADIF import/export
  • DX Cluster integration
  • Support for controllers and antennas
Features
Read full description

Your Kenwood TS-890 on your iPhone and iPad: at home over Wi-Fi or from anywhere over the internet. Made by a ham, for hams, with personal support included. TS-Control connects to the TS-890's built-in network interface (KNS). No extra hardware, no PC and no extra software needed. WORKS WITH โ–  Kenwood TS-890S, connected to your network by cable The app connects over the network only. A USB cable connection is not supported. OPERATE โ–  Spectrum scope and waterfall with band plan, DX Cluster and FT8 spots โ–  VFO A and B, filters, preamp, attenuator, NB, NR, notch, AGC and more โ–  Compact floating panels: tuning, PTT, CW, memories, tune stack, macros, Command Bar, DTMF, RIT / โˆ†TX โ–  Your iPhone or iPad as microphone and speaker; the radio keeps playing in the background โ–  Ready for iPhone Duo, iPad split screen and Apple Vision Pro MODES โ–  FT8-Improved with AutoAnswer and AutoCQ, plus the classic FT8 โ–  JS8 keyboard chat โ–  CW with decoder, keyer, ESM and CW keyboard: send CW remotely, by keyboard or with a paddle on a CTR2 or MIDI controller โ–  Speech: incoming voice transcribed and translated, your typed text sent as speech โ–  SSTV, HF-Fax, APRS and WSPR FT8-Improved, JS8, Speech and WSPR need iOS 26. TOOLS โ–  Logbook with ADIF import and export, shared via iCloud with SmartSDR, SDR-Control, FT-Control and K4-Control, on iPhone, iPad and Mac โ–  DX Cluster with alerts, POTA, PSK Reporter, Call Lookup, Band Plan, Network Stats, Memories โ–  Controllers: MIDI, CTR2, HaliKey, Pryme, Flic โ–  4O3A Genius devices, Ultra Beam antennas, rotators and relay boards MADE BY A HAM Made by Marcus, DL8MRE, who has been developing apps for Apple devices since 2009 and uses this app every day in his own shack, where all supported radios are on the desk. Personal online support and a detailed manual are included. Updates with new modes and features are free: no subscription, no in-app purchases. WHAT YOU NEED โ–  A Kenwood TS-890S on your network, with its KNS remote access set up (user name and password) โ–  An iPhone or iPad with iOS 18 or later โ–  For use over the internet: access to your home network from outside (see the manual) Manual: https://go-to.me/ts-control-ios-manual More apps: https://ham-radio-apps.com TS-Control is developed independently and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Kenwood.

Screenshots

TS Control for Kenwood4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: smartDF at Free against TS Control for Kenwood's $89.99. smartDF also leads on iOS requirement (15.4 vs 17.0). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

smartDF is free to download; TS Control for Kenwood costs $89.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

smartDF ships an update weekly, TS Control for Kenwood fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 6 level
smartDF versus TS Control for Kenwood: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametersmartDFTS Control for Kenwood
PriceFree โ€” better$89.99
Positive reviewsโ€”0.0% of reviews
Update frequencyWeekly โ€” betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetizationโ€”Paid
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad โ€” better
Requires iOS15.4 โ€” better17.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size59 MB61 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCarlos Yordanis Lago GonzalezMarcus Roskosch

In-app purchases

None

smartDF

No in-app purchases

None

TS Control for Kenwood

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is smartDF free?
smartDF is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is TS Control for Kenwood free?
TS Control for Kenwood costs $89.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do smartDF or TS Control for Kenwood have ads?
Neither smartDF nor TS Control for Kenwood shows ads.
Which is updated more often, smartDF or TS Control for Kenwood?
smartDF ships an update weekly, and TS Control for Kenwood fortnightly. Most recently, smartDF was updated on November 7, 2026 and TS Control for Kenwood on November 8, 2026.

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