RepeaterPhone vs Echo
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Push-to-talk interface
- EchoLink/AllStarLink node connection
- Node directory search
- Favorite nodes
- Bluetooth headset support
- Watch extension control
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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
Echo
Tune into thousands of remote radio servers worldwide from your iPhone or iPad. Explore shortwave broadcasts, aviation communications, and more with a global interactive map and advanced tuning features. Enjoy uninterrupted background audio and a privacy-first experience.
- Global interactive map and search
- Support for multiple SDR architectures
- Scanner mode and OpenMHz archives
- Pro-level tuning and analytics
- Offline frequency library and logging
- Uninterrupted background audio
- Privacy-first design
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Echo is the ultimate, natively-built iOS client for tuning into remote radio servers. Listen to anything, from anywhere. Dive into international shortwave broadcasts from Asia, monitor aviation communications over the Atlantic, discover mysterious numbers stations, or tune into distant FM stations across the globe, all from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac with Apple silicon. Featured in Radio World, on RTL-SDR.com, and in the SWLing Post. Radio World's Nick Langan praised Echo's "thoughtfully designed interface," said he has "loved using" the app, and later described Echo Pro's transcription as "very responsive." Designed for radio enthusiasts and curious listeners alike, Echo is a powerful aggregator that connects you to nearly 3,000 community-hosted Software Defined Radio (SDR) receivers. By integrating these reliable streams into a dedicated native environment, Echo delivers true background audio, high-performance mapping, and features that are difficult to achieve in a standard web browser. KEY FEATURES Global Interactive Map & Search Visually browse thousands of remote SDR servers worldwide using our smooth, native MapKit clustering engine, or instantly search nearly 3,000+ receivers by name or location. Unmatched SDR Compatibility Seamless support for KiwiSDR, OpenWebRX, WebSDR, and FM-DX Webserver architectures. Want to listen to a private node? Add your own unlisted servers with custom URL entry. Scanner Mode Automatically cycle through station lists at set intervals. Advanced Tuning & Analytics • Smart Manual Tuner: Instantly tune by entering kHz or MHz; Echo intelligently detects the band format. • Audio Engine Passthrough: Interfaces directly with server-side signal processors for broad compatibility with waterfall rendering, plugins, and decoding extensions. • Intelligent Profile Switching: Automatically switches to the correct server band profile as you tune on supported networks. Offline Frequency Library & Logging Search an offline, built-in EIBI database of over 9,000 global shortwave and utility frequencies. Save and log your favorite stations to your local device. Uninterrupted Background Audio Keep listening when your screen is locked or while using other apps. Our custom audio bridge intercepts complex SDR streams to provide true iOS background playback and lock-screen controls. ECHO PRO Take Echo further with recording, live transcription, translation, and iCloud sync. • Record the Airwaves: Record live radio and revisit important moments anytime. • Live Transcription: Turn live radio into on-screen text as you listen. • Translation: Transcribe foreign-language broadcasts and translate them into readable English. • iCloud Sync: Sync recordings, transcripts, translations, notes, favorites, saved servers, and supported settings across your Apple devices. Echo Pro requires a monthly or annual subscription. Privacy First Zero tracking. No analytics, no proprietary tracking servers, and no ad IDs. Your listening activity is not tracked. Echo Pro syncs supported data through your private iCloud account. Built with speed, aesthetics, and privacy in mind, Echo ensures a fast, premium listening experience. Start exploring the airwaves today! VoiceOver & Accessibility Support • Station cards, player, recording, and scanner controls announce meaningful context to VoiceOver • Scanner controls (play/pause/skip/favorite) are fully labeled and navigable • Station changes, server connections, and scanner state are announced in real-time • Reduce Transparency support: glass effects swap to solid backgrounds when enabled • Reduce Motion support: animations are simplified when enabled in iOS settings • Decorative elements hidden from assistive technology for a cleaner navigation experience Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Echo at Free against RepeaterPhone's $7.99. Echo 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 chart position (#111 vs unranked). On ratings volume, ads 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
Echo is free to download; RepeaterPhone costs $7.99 up front. Echo sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. RepeaterPhone asks for nothing beyond the download.
Echo holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 89 and 36 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of RepeaterPhone's written reviews are positive against 100% of Echo's.
RepeaterPhone ships an update every 2 months, Echo every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | RepeaterPhone | Echo |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $7.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.4 (89 ratings) | 4.9 (36 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 71.2% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 89 — better | 36 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #111 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 14 MB | 12 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Weston Bustraan | Mark Garrison Jr. |
Customer experience
RepeaterPhone
Echo
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 moreShow fewer
- 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 moreShow fewer
- 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
Echo
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
RepeaterPhone
No in-app purchases
Echo
- Echo Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
- Echo Pro Annual$39.991 Year









