Comparison

iCluster vs SOTA Goat

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

Head to head
About

iCluster

Access and analyze real-time amateur radio frequency data from the international DX-Cluster database. Filter information by frequency, mode, or location, and automatically decode call signs to identify operator countries. Ideal for radio enthusiasts and shortwave listeners.

Highlights
  • Real-time DX-Cluster database
  • Multiple pre-defined and custom server options
  • Advanced filtering by frequency, mode, call prefix, and zones
  • Automatic call sign decoding
  • Map display of DX spots with distance and bearing
  • QRZ.com and HamQTH lookups
  • iCloud synchronization
Read full description

THE ORIGINAL DX-CLUSTER APP iCluster is an iPhone and iPad App for HAMs, SWLs (Short wave radio listeners) or for everybody who want’s to know, what’s going on on the amateur radio frequencies. This App is connecting the so called international DX-Cluster database in realtime. The results are analyzed and displayed in an easy to read overview. The content can be filtered by frequency (e.g. 80m, 40m etc.) or mode (CW = Morse, Beacon or digital modes), Call Prefix, ITU/CQ Zone, Country and many more. Calls (the callsign of the operators) will be decoded automatically by the App. This allows even inexperienced users to know the countries of the operators. iCluster is an ideal tool for amateur radio operators for field days or contests. But also unlicensed users can use iCluster to find out the frequencies for their shortwave scanner or short wave radio receiver. MAIN FEATURES: ■ Real time DX-Cluster database ■ Several pre-defined Cluster Servers ■ Easy to add your own Server (e.g. CW-Skimmer) ■ Several Filter and Filter combinations ■ Several Alarm settings ■ QRZ.com (Database!) lookup ■ QRZ.com website lookup ■ HamQTH lookup ■ Display whole cluster on a Map (Globe) ■ Display single Spot on a Map (Globe) ■ Shows distance and bearing from own location ■ iCloud Synchronization ■ UTC Clock ■ No HAM license or registering required Take a look to the manual to find out more: http://go-to.me/icluster-manual This App exists since the App Store Exists as this was my first App. It has been continuously improved and re-written several times and is now available as Version 12, written in Swift 5. It's interesting to see how many other bad copies of my App are available on the App Store. If there is another DX-Cluster App, offering features my App is missing, just let me know. vy 73, Marcus, DL8MRE

About

SOTA Goat

This app serves as a comprehensive assistant for the Summits On The Air amateur radio program. It offers an offline summit database, real-time spotting and alerts from SOTAwatch, and an integrated compass for navigation to activation zones. It's designed to help users plan and complete their radio activations effectively.

Highlights
  • Offline summit database
  • SOTAwatch spotting and alerts
  • Push notifications for activations
  • Integrated compass for activation zones
  • Summit tracking
  • Export summits to KML/GPX
Features
Read full description

SOTA Goat is the all-in-one summit database and spotting application for participants of the Summits On The Air amateur radio program. It was designed from the ground up as an invaluable tool for summit activators – as necessary as your transceiver and power supply! SOTA Goat provides all the tools to aid in planning and completing your activation. Mountain Goats and Shack Sloths alike will appreciate the comprehensive summit database and search features, as well as the ability to view and share summit activations and signal reports over SOTAwatch. This is a universal app that is available for all devices that support iOS 11+, including iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. OFFLINE SUMMIT DATABASE: • Every summit in the SOTA database is available offline: search, browse, and view a map • Download updates to the database to get the latest new associations • Star your favorite summits for easy access • Export summits to KML and GPX files for use in other applications or GPS devices SOTAWATCH3 SPOTS AND ALERTS: • View, add, and modify spots and alerts from SOTAwatch3 • Enable push notifications to be alerted of every new activation. Granular filtering ensures you only see the alerts you desire SUMMIT TRACKER: • Reach the summit with an integrated compass that lets you know when you're within the activation zone. With the help of SOTA Goat, you're on your way to become a Shack Sloth or a Mountain Goat in no time! Baaaaaah!

Screenshots

iCluster4 screens
SOTA Goat4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: SOTA Goat at 4.5 against iCluster's 4.2. SOTA Goat also leads on price ($4.99 vs $5.99). iCluster's advantage is iOS requirement (10.1 vs 15.6). On review sentiment, ratings volume, update cadence 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

iCluster costs $5.99 and SOTA Goat $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SOTA Goat holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 32 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of iCluster's written reviews are positive against 80% of SOTA Goat's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iCluster ships an update every 2 months, SOTA Goat every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
iCluster versus SOTA Goat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriClusterSOTA Goat
Price$5.99$4.99 — better
Rating4.2 (11 ratings)4.5 (32 ratings) — better
Positive reviews72.4% of reviews80.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1132 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS10.1 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size22 MB22 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperMarcus RoskoschRockwell Schrock

Customer experience

iCluster

All ratings10 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews58 reviews
Positive72.4%
Neutral10.3%
Negative17.2%

SOTA Goat

All ratings32 ratings
Positive90.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative9.4%
Written reviews51 reviews
Positive80.4%
Neutral3.9%
Negative15.7%

In-app purchases

None

iCluster

No in-app purchases

None

SOTA Goat

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is iCluster free?
iCluster costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is SOTA Goat free?
SOTA Goat costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, iCluster or SOTA Goat?
SOTA Goat is rated higher. iCluster averages 4.2 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while SOTA Goat averages 4.5 from 32 ratings.
Do iCluster or SOTA Goat have ads?
Neither iCluster nor SOTA Goat shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iCluster or SOTA Goat?
iCluster ships an update every 2 months, and SOTA Goat every 4 months. Most recently, iCluster was updated on October 29, 2026 and SOTA Goat on November 1, 2026.

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