Comparison

RepeaterPhone vs Packet Commander

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

Head to head
About

RepeaterPhone

Connect your mobile device to EchoLink or AllStarLink radio nodes, repeaters, and conferences. Features a push-to-talk interface, node directory search, and favorites for quick access. Supports Bluetooth headsets and includes a watch extension for convenient control.

Highlights
  • Push-to-talk interface
  • EchoLink/AllStarLink node connection
  • Node directory search
  • Favorite nodes
  • Bluetooth headset support
  • Watch extension control
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Note: This app is for licensed Amateur Radio operators only. RepeaterPhone provides the ability to connect your mobile device to EchoLink or AllStarLink nodes, including repeaters and conferences. Push to talk today! You will need an account with either the EchoLink or AllStarLink networks. Please see https://www.echolink.org or https://www.allstarlink.org, respectively, for more details - Push-to-talk interface - Browse or search the directory for available nodes - Mark favorites with a star for quick access - Supports various audio devices, including Bluetooth headsets - Fully integrated into your phone's recent call system - Includes a watch extension for dialing favorites and controlling push-to-talk - Sharing your device with a licensed family member? Switch accounts easily

About

Packet Commander

This app provides a classic terminal experience for packet radio communication on mobile devices. It offers powerful terminal features, smart connection management, and real-time over-the-air traffic monitoring. It's designed for amateur radio operators to connect with nodes, BBS, and decode traffic.

Highlights
  • Full-screen terminal for packet nodes and BBS
  • Classic color themes and adjustable layout
  • YAPP protocol support for file transfers
  • Location-aware digipeater routing
  • Seamless iCloud sync
  • Over-the-air traffic decoding
  • Auto-discovery of TNCs
Read full description

Packet Commander brings a classic terminal experience for packet radio to your iPhone or iPad. Try it free. The download includes 5 full connection sessions so you can explore the features and confirm compatibility before purchasing. After that, a purchase is required to continue connecting. Note: An amateur radio license is required to operate on the air. Powerful Terminal • Full-screen terminal for interacting with packet nodes and BBS over amateur radio • Classic color themes inspired by iconic computers • Adjustable fonts and layout for readability and screen efficiency • YAPP protocol support for file transfers • Dictation-ready for composing messages hands-free • Smart filename selection — double tap to highlight and copy Smarter Packet Connections • Location-aware digipeater routing: automatically recalls the last-used path at each location • Seamless iCloud sync for nodes and digipeaters across all your devices • Compatible with popular packet node software including BPQ32, URONode, and others Over-the-Air Monitor Connect to your radio and decode over-the-air traffic in real time. AX.25 frames are decoded and presented in an easy-to-read format. • Filter traffic to display exactly what you’re looking for • Search by address or content • Export the log to a file for later analysis Works with the Gear You Love • Auto-discovery of Bluetooth and TCP TNCs, including Dire Wolf on DigiPi • Automatic frequency set/restore on supported radios • Built-in, high-performance 1200 baud AFSK software modem • Optimized for VHF/UHF packet at both 1200 and 9600 baud Compatible with the Following Radios and TNCs: Radios with Built-in TNCs (Auto-sets and restores frequency on those radios) · BTECH UV-PRO, UV-50PRO · VERO VR-N76, VR-N7600 · RADIODITY GA-5WB, DB50-B · Kenwood TH-D74*, TH-D75* · PicoAPRS V4 *Requires B.B. Link Bluetooth adapter Portable KISS TNCs · Mobilinkd TNC3, TNC4 · LiNK500 TNC · DigiPi · Dire Wolf Software TNC Audio Interfaces (Using built-in software modem) · Digirig Lite · Digirig VOX PTT Cable · AIOC (All-In-One Cable) Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

RepeaterPhone4 screens
Packet Commander4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Packet Commander at Free against RepeaterPhone's $7.99. Packet Commander also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.4) and review sentiment (100% vs 71%). RepeaterPhone's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On ratings volume and ads 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

Packet Commander is free to download; RepeaterPhone costs $7.99 up front. Packet Commander sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per year. RepeaterPhone asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Packet Commander holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 86 and 44 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of RepeaterPhone's written reviews are positive against 100% of Packet Commander's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

RepeaterPhone ships an update weekly, Packet Commander every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
RepeaterPhone versus Packet Commander: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRepeaterPhonePacket Commander
Price$7.99Free — better
Rating4.4 (86 ratings)4.9 (44 ratings) — better
Positive reviews70.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings86 — better44
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#49 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.2
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWeston BustraanIsland Magic Co.

Customer experience

RepeaterPhone

All ratings86 ratings
Positive84.9%
Neutral4.7%
Negative10.5%
Written reviews58 reviews
Positive70.7%
Neutral10.3%
Negative19.0%

Packet Commander

All ratings44 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

RepeaterPhone

Reported bugs

18 issues
  • Authentication failed on setup
  • App crashes with latest iOS
  • iPhone 16 Pro will not connect
  • Many Allstar nodes reject connection attempts
  • Crashes sometimes, interrupting calls
Show 13 more
  • Failed to load list of stations
  • Randomly disconnects
  • Hubs error out with 'Rejected: No authority found'
  • Crashes under iOS 17.6
  • App doesn’t work on Echolink
  • Connection closes when screen locks
  • Receive volume very low after iOS 16
  • Audio seems less than fully baked, low volume
  • Trying to change speakers mutes app
  • Private nodes stay keyed after unkeying
  • App reads 'Account not found'
  • Callsign beginning with a number times out at 45secs
  • Supermon stops reporting during local private node connection

Requested features

14 requests
  • DTMF presets on dial page
  • Apple CarPlay integration
  • CQ function inclusion
  • Organize nodes by location/group chat
  • See total people connected before connecting
Show 9 more
  • Search for nodes by location
  • More sorting for repeater list
  • Last heard map/list
  • Listen-only mode
  • Dialer for Allstar codes (*72 etc.)
  • Android app with PTT
  • Macros to hound and disconnect nodes
  • Map of AllStar node location
  • Adjustable mic level slider

Packet Commander

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

RepeaterPhone

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Packet Commander

Subscriptions1
  • Yearly Subscription$8.991 Year
One-time1
  • One-Time Purchase$24.99

Questions

Is RepeaterPhone free?
RepeaterPhone costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Packet Commander free?
Packet Commander is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, RepeaterPhone or Packet Commander?
Packet Commander is rated higher. RepeaterPhone averages 4.4 out of 5 from 86 ratings, while Packet Commander averages 4.9 from 44 ratings.
Do RepeaterPhone or Packet Commander have ads?
Neither RepeaterPhone nor Packet Commander shows ads.
Which is updated more often, RepeaterPhone or Packet Commander?
RepeaterPhone ships an update weekly, and Packet Commander every 2 months. Most recently, RepeaterPhone was updated on September 24, 2026 and Packet Commander on September 21, 2026.

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