SDR vs HAMRS Pro
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SDR
Control your Icom radio remotely from your iPad, whether at home via Wi-Fi or anywhere over the internet. View spectrum scope, waterfall, and access all radio controls, including microphone and speaker functionality. Supports various Icom models and offers multiple communication modes.
- Remote Wi-Fi and internet control
- Spectrum scope and waterfall display
- Full radio control interface
- iPad as microphone and speaker
- Multiple communication modes (FT8, JS8, CW, Speech)
- Integrated logbook with iCloud sync
- DX Cluster and band plan integration
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Your Icom radio on your iPad: at home over Wi-Fi or from anywhere over the internet. Made by a ham, for hams, with personal support included. SDR-Control shows the spectrum scope and waterfall of your Icom radio with all its controls on the large iPad screen. No extra hardware or software needed. WORKS WITH ■ IC-705 (Wi-Fi) ■ IC-7610, IC-7760, IC-9700, IC-7300 MK2 and the IC-R8600 receiver (radio on your network by cable) The app connects over the network only. The older IC-7300 (without MK2) has no network connection and can't be used. OPERATE ■ Spectrum scope and waterfall with band plan, DX Cluster and FT8 spots ■ Two VFOs, filters, preamp, attenuator, NB, NR, notch, AGC and more ■ Compact floating panels: tuning, PTT, CW, memories, macros, Command Bar, DTMF, RIT / ∆TX, D-Star ■ Your iPad as microphone and speaker; the radio keeps playing in the background, also with the cover closed MODES ■ FT8-Improved with AutoAnswer and AutoCQ, plus the classic FT8 ■ JS8 keyboard chat ■ CW with decoder, keyer and CW keyboard ■ Speech: incoming voice transcribed and translated, your typed text sent as speech ■ SSTV, HF-Fax, APRS and WSPR FT8-Improved, JS8, Speech and WSPR need iPadOS 26. TOOLS ■ Logbook with ADIF import and export, shared via iCloud with SmartSDR, FT-Control, TS-Control and K4-Control, on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro ■ DX Cluster, POTA, PSK Reporter, Call Lookup, Band Plan, Network Stats, Memories, Scanning, S.A.T. ■ Controllers: MIDI, CTR2, HaliKey, Pryme, Flic ■ 4O3A Genius devices and Ultra Beam antennas 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 ■ One of the radios above, connected to your network ■ An iPad with iPadOS 18 or later ■ For use over the internet: access to your home network from outside (see the manual) Manual: https://go-to.me/sdrcontrol-ios-manual More apps: https://ham-radio-apps.com SDR-Control is developed independently and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Icom.
HAMRS Pro
This is a portable logging application designed for amateur radio enthusiasts participating in outdoor activities. It simplifies the process of recording contacts during events like POTA and SOTA.
- Portable logging
- POTA support
- SOTA support
- Field Day logging
- Simple interface
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A simple amateur radio logger designed specifically for portable activities, like Parks on the Air (POTA), Summits on the Air (SOTA) Field Days, etc.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: HAMRS Pro at $1.99 against SDR's $49.99. HAMRS Pro also leads on chart position (#101 vs unranked) and device support (3 vs 1). SDR's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 3.4) and review sentiment (78% vs 54%). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
SDR costs $49.99 and HAMRS Pro $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
SDR holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 70 and 16 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of SDR's written reviews are positive against 54% of HAMRS Pro's.
SDR ships an update every 2 weeks, HAMRS Pro every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.
| Parameter | SDR | HAMRS Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $49.99 | $1.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.2 (70 ratings) — better | 3.4 (16 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 78.0% of reviews — better | 53.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 70 — better | 16 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #101 — better |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 55 MB | 138 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Marcus Roskosch | Cabin Interactive, LLC |
Customer experience
SDR
HAMRS Pro
In-app purchases
SDR
No in-app purchases
HAMRS Pro
No in-app purchases








