Comparison

HAM vs Grid Locator

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

Head to head
About

HAM

This utility app offers a comprehensive suite of tools for amateur radio operators, including band conditions, DX-Cluster monitoring, and a logbook. It features direct radio integration for tuning and automatic logging, along with various calculations and resource information.

Highlights
  • DX-Cluster and PSK-Reporter activity monitoring
  • Bandplan, Glossar, and AWG resource information
  • Built-in radio integration for direct tuning
  • Fully featured logbook with QSO editing
  • LOTW and QRZ.com log submission
  • Calculations for Ohm's law, VSWR, and antennas
  • CW Encoder and Decoder
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The ultimate utility App for every HAM-Radio Operator HAM-Toolbox provides a variety of useful Tools to help you operating your HAM-Radio. The Tools are ranging from activity monitoring Tools like DX-Cluster and PSK-Reporter, to Tools helping you with resource information like Bandplan, Glossar, AWG and many more Tools. HAM-Toolbox also has a built-in radio integration, so that you can directly tune to spots from the DX-Cluster and other tools. During logging, the appropriate fields for the frequency and mode will be automatically filled. With a one-time purchase you gain access to all of the following Tools on your iPhone, iPad and Mac. · TOOLS: + Band Conditions + POTA + DX-Cluster + PSK-Reporter + Reverse Beacon Network + Call-Lookup + Locator + Beacons (especially NCDXF) + Repeater + DTMF Generator + CW Encoder and Decoder + Frequency List + QSL Card Designer (design, preview, print and export your own QSL cards) · LOGBOOK: HAM-Toolbox comes with a fully featured Logbook. + Inspect and edit your existing QSOs + Easy-to-use logging interface + Maintenance (Data completion from QRZ.com, Duplicates finder, Mass change) + LOTW and QRZ.com log submission + Integrated Call-Lookup with possibility to update QSO + Worked/Needed statistics for CQ-Zones, ITU-Zones and DXCCs + Map with worked grid locators representation + iCloud-Sync with multiple devices (compatible with SDR-Control and SmartSDR) · Radio-Integration: + Frequency and Mode + Logbook integration + Direct tuning from various Tools like DXCluster, POTA, Frequency List + Supports all major Brands and Radios via Network or USB + YAESU: FT-710, FT-991, FT-DX10, FT-DX100 + Icom: IC-705, IC-7300mk2, IC-7300, IC-7610, IC-7760, IC-9700, IC-R8600, + Kenwood: TS-890, TS-990 + Elecraft: K4 + HamLib · CALCULATIONS: + Ohm's law + VSWR + Dipole-Antenna + Groundplane-Antenna + HB9CV-Antenna + Helix-Antenna + dB Conversion + Wavelength · RESOURCES: + Bandplan + Glossar + Morse + AWG + CTCSS-Codes + Formulas + Q-Codes + Abbreviations + Constants Find out more here: https://ham-toolbox.com Read the Manual: https://go-to.me/hamtoolbox-manual

About

Grid Locator

Features
Read full description

The Grid Locator app uses the location services to get your current position and calculate the six digit maidenhead grid square locator form the geographic coordinates. The grid locator is used by radioamateurs worldwide to indicate the location of their station and to calculate the distance and bearing to other stations. With this app, which comes with a nice watch companion app, you always know your current locator at a fingertip.

Screenshots

HAM4 screens
Grid Locator4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Grid Locator at Free against HAM's $14.99. Grid Locator also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs monthly). HAM's advantage is chart position (#177 vs unranked). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Grid Locator is free to download; HAM costs $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HAM ships an update monthly, Grid Locator every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
HAM versus Grid Locator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHAMGrid Locator
Price$14.99Free — better
Rating4.0 (7 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews69.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings7 — better—
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
Best chart rank#177 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS18.618.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size83 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarcus Roskoschmicro systems

In-app purchases

None

HAM

No in-app purchases

None

Grid Locator

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HAM free?
HAM costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Grid Locator free?
Grid Locator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do HAM or Grid Locator have ads?
Neither HAM nor Grid Locator shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HAM or Grid Locator?
HAM ships an update monthly, and Grid Locator every 10 days. Most recently, HAM was updated on September 8, 2026 and Grid Locator on September 14, 2026.

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