# Pips! vs xCluster

The clearest difference is rating: Pips! at 5.0 against xCluster's 4.0. xCluster's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 25 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pips! sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. xCluster asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pips! holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: xCluster has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Pips! ships an update every 25 months, xCluster every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on June 8, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pips! | xCluster |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pips/id1603871264/reviews)** | [4.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xcluster/id1644543785/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **5** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 25 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 3 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jason Thompson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1603871266) | [Peter Bourget](https://appshunter.io/developer/1644543787) |

## What reviewers say

### Pips!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pips/id1603871264)

Generate custom tone sequences for time synchronization, inspired by global broadcast signals. Control frequency, duration, and volume to create unique 'pips' for personal or professional use. Includes presets from international broadcasters.

**Highlights:** Build custom pip sequences, Control frequency, duration, and volume, Use built-in presets, Recreate historical time signals, Generate new tone combinations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tip Jar | $4.99 | one-time |


### xCluster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xcluster/id1644543785)

Visualize DX cluster activity on a world map and in a list. Filter spots by call sign or band, and set custom alerts for specific stations or countries. Integrates with popular DX services and provides call parsing for location data.

**Highlights:** Display DX spots on map and list, Filter by band and call sign, Set custom alerts, Integrates with DXSummit and PSK Reporter, Built-in call parser, Zoom and pan map

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pips! free?

Pips! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is xCluster free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pips! or xCluster?

Pips! is rated higher. Pips! averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while xCluster averages 4.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do Pips! or xCluster have ads?

Neither Pips! nor xCluster shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pips! or xCluster?

Pips! ships an update every 25 months, and xCluster every 3 weeks. Most recently, Pips! was updated on June 8, 2026 and xCluster on September 21, 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.*