HAM Test Prep vs RST Decoder
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
HAM Test Prep
Prepare for your Amateur Radio Extra license exam with a comprehensive question pool and practice tests. Review FCC rules, get immediate feedback, and track your proficiency across question groups. Features include accessibility options and customizable test settings.
- Extra Question Pool (effective July 1, 2024)
- Practice Exams
- Proficiency Tracking
- Immediate Feedback
- View FCC Rule Text
- Zoomable Figures
- Accessibility Options
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Includes the Extra Question Pool effective July 1, 2024! Not sure if you want to buy? Try out the "Lite" version of this app! Upgrade your HAM license from General to Amateur Extra! With the elimination of the Morse Code requirement, there is no reason not to upgrade your license to the highest level to obtain all privileges! Amateur Radio License exams are composed of questions from a pool. Use this application prior to taking your exam to review and practice all possible questions. Then, test your knowledge with practice exams! After completing your first practice exam, the question pool screen will display your proficiency in each question group for all practice exams you have completed. You may choose to receive immediate feedback on right and wrong answers when taking a practice test. On practice tests, questions in a group will not be repeated until all of them have been used. Some questions require you to review associated Figures. These figures may be zoomed and panned on iPhone/iPod touch. FCC rule text is viewable within the application. All sections can be browsed from the main screen. Additionally, for questions where rule sections have been identified, the rule text can be viewed on the question screen when studying the question pool or reviewing test results. An in-progress practice test can be resumed if you exit the test or the application. Current Extra question pool is valid through June 30, 2028. Versions of this application for both the Technician and General license classes are also available. This app has these additional features: • Accessibility option for vision-impaired users to exclude questions with figures • Dark mode support • Portrait and Landscape support on iPad • Swipe gestures to navigate between questions • Tap on answer to select it • Double-tap or use pinch gesture to zoom Figures on iPhone and iPod touch • Buttons to skip to next/previous wrong answer in test results • ARRL question number displayed on practice tests • Configurable Test Settings • Optional randomizing of test answers • Optional auto-advance during test
RST Decoder
This application decodes Morse code from your microphone, acting as a practice tool to verify your keying accuracy. It offers advanced features like BPF and FFT decoders with automatic frequency and gain control, allowing for fine-tuning of reception parameters.
- Microphone Morse code decoding
- Morse practice and keying check
- BPF and FFT decoder options
- Auto Frequency Detector (AFD)
- Auto Gain Control (AGC)
- Real-time CW signal display
- Input signal recording/playback
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This is an App that decodes Morse code input from the microphone. It is a Morse practice App that you can use to check if you are keying the correct code. Signals with good S/N can be decoded correctly, but signals with bad S/N cannot be decoded correctly. Also, the performance will be degraded for extremely slow or fast signals. Usually about 5 to 10 characters are required for speed synchronization of Morse Code. Adjust the input signal so that the peak value changes from level 6 to level 7. Make fine adjustments to each parameter according to the reception status. [Additional Functions] -In addition to the decoder using BPF, a new decoder using FFT has been added so that it can be switched according to the usage. -AFD (Auto Frequency Detector) function has been added to the decoder using BPF, and BPF can be set automatically by pressing the AFD button. -The decoder using FFT automatically follows the strongest signal in the band by AFD (Auto Frequency Detector) and AGC (Auto Gain Control). You can also hold the AFD / AGC parameters by pressing the Lock button. * There will be a time lag of about 1 to 2 seconds for AFD tracking. [Control parameters] 1. Audio Input Level 2.BPF ON/OFF 3.BPF of Center Frequency 4.BPF of Band Width 5.CW Speed Control ON/OFF 6.CW Speed Control Low, Mid1, Mid2 or High 7.Delete All Decoded Text 8.Realtime CW Signal Display 9.Input signal recording / playback function *Japanese/KANA text is not supported. [Note] Since the signal after BPF is output to the audio output, it can also be used as an AF-CW filter. [URL of this App working example video] https://youtu.be/Pwp7W4m-m34
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: RST Decoder at Free against HAM Test Prep's $2.99. RST Decoder also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). HAM Test Prep's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (98% vs 67%). On rating and in-app purchases 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
RST Decoder is free to download; HAM Test Prep costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for HAM Test Prep against 5.0 for RST Decoder. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HAM Test Prep has 312 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 98% of HAM Test Prep's written reviews are positive against 67% of RST Decoder's.
HAM Test Prep ships an update every 4 months, RST Decoder every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | HAM Test Prep | RST Decoder |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.9 (312 ratings) | 5.0 (7 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 97.7% of reviews — better | 66.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 312 — better | 7 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Ad-supported — better |
| Best chart rank | #164 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.5 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Patrick J Maloney LLC | koji kamogawa |
Customer experience
HAM Test Prep
RST Decoder
Bugs and requests
HAM Test Prep
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashes almost every time a menu item is selected
- Cannot reset review question selection
- Crashes during long study or test sessions
Requested features
4 requests- Bookmark or 'where I left off' feature for resuming sessions
- Ability to reset review question selection
- Option to randomize answer order in practice question pools
- Non-randomized practice mode alongside randomized tests
RST Decoder
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
HAM Test Prep
No in-app purchases
RST Decoder
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is HAM Test Prep free?
Is RST Decoder free?
Which has better reviews, HAM Test Prep or RST Decoder?
Do HAM Test Prep or RST Decoder have ads?
Which is updated more often, HAM Test Prep or RST Decoder?
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