Comparison

HAM vs Greyline FT8

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
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

Greyline FT8

This app provides a portable digital ham radio experience for field operations on iOS devices. It automates callsign lookups, displays real-time spot data, and offers automated calling or manual control for QSOs. Features include intelligent frequency selection, audio delay adjustment, and direct logging to QRZ.

Highlights
  • Field-ready digital ham radio
  • Automated callsign and DXCC lookups
  • Real-time PSK Reporter spot data
  • Automated CQ Gatherer and Hunter modes
  • Intelligent automatic frequency selection
  • Direct-to-QRZ logging and ADI export
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Greyline FT8 is a highly portable, capable amateur radio app designed specifically for field operation with an iOS device. I designed this app because I got very used to my full-stack FT8 solution: GridTracker, WSJT-X, PSK Reporter, WRL Desktop, several browser tabs, and more. But I didn't want the bulk and weight of a full Windows PC in the field. At the same time, while there are excellent and lightweight FT8 iOS solutions out there, they were lacking features I really wanted. Greyline is everything you need and nothing you don't. It automatically locates your grid square, performs callsign and calling station DXCC lookups (internet access required), and can even show you real-time spot data from PSK Reporter. Want to adjust your directional antenna? Now you've got the info you need to do it! Greyline also incorporates automated calling features. Gatherer mode calls CQ, responds to the first reply it gets, finishes the QSO and returns to calling CQ all without your input. On the other side of things, Hunter mode listens for CQ calls and pounces on them, finishing a QSO then returning to the live band to find the next. Or, take control of the conversation yourself with standard mode. That's the experience you're already used to from WSJT-X and other digital mode apps. Some other noteworthy features are: - Intelligent automatic free frequency selection - Dynamically adjusted audio delay for virtually drift-free message timing - PSK Reporter integrated Live Spots - Direct-to-QRZ, WRL and private Cloudlog logging and ADI export - Configurable waterfall settings - CQ addendums - CQ filtering for contesting and general courteous operation - Configurable retransmissions - Intelligent log recovery (didn't get that last 73 but want to log the contact anyway? Now you can!) - Log import and export - Antenna tuning - POTA Autospotting - One touch POTA activation and POTA.app-compatible ADIF export - Multiple POTA activation support - And so much more! Greyline uses audio VOX and not serial PTT. Most radios support this with simple cabling or an audio interface like a Digirig. For helpful tips on cabling and configuring popular radios, visit the Support URL below. Built by a ham, for hams, I'm very open to your feedback and hope Greyline can be your field companion. Want to share your own Field Notes (https://greylineft8.com/fieldnotes.html)? Email me at support@greylineft8.com!

Screenshots

HAM4 screens
Greyline FT84 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Greyline FT8 at $3.99 against HAM's $14.99. Greyline FT8 also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.0) and update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly). HAM's advantage is iOS requirement (18.6 vs 26.5). On ratings volume, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

HAM costs $14.99 and Greyline FT8 $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Greyline FT8 holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 13 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of HAM's written reviews are positive against 90% of Greyline FT8's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HAM ships an update monthly, Greyline FT8 every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
HAM versus Greyline FT8: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHAMGreyline FT8
Price$14.99$3.99 — better
Rating4.0 (7 ratings)4.8 (13 ratings) — better
Positive reviews69.2% of reviews90.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings713 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank—#121 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.6 — better26.5
Further details — not scored
Size83 MB18 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarcus RoskoschJONATHAN MARK SCHULMAN

Customer experience

HAM

All ratings7 ratings
Positive71.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative28.6%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive69.2%
Neutral7.7%
Negative23.1%

Greyline FT8

All ratings13 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive90.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

HAM

No in-app purchases

None

Greyline FT8

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HAM free?
HAM costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Greyline FT8 free?
Greyline FT8 costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, HAM or Greyline FT8?
Greyline FT8 is rated higher. HAM averages 4.0 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Greyline FT8 averages 4.8 from 13 ratings.
Do HAM or Greyline FT8 have ads?
Neither HAM nor Greyline FT8 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HAM or Greyline FT8?
HAM ships an update monthly, and Greyline FT8 every 4 days. Most recently, HAM was updated on October 5, 2026 and Greyline FT8 on October 20, 2026.

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