EchoLink vs Hodgdon Reloading Manual
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
EchoLink
Connect to the EchoLink network using your iOS device. This application allows validated Amateur Radio operators to access the system from virtually anywhere. Registration with a valid Amateur Radio callsign is required.
- Connect to EchoLink network
- Use on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch
- Validated user access
- Remote connectivity
Read full descriptionHide full description
Please note: This app is for licensed Amateur Radio operators only. See www.echolink.org for more information. EchoLink for iOS provides access to the EchoLink network for validated EchoLink users. You can use this app to connect to the EchoLink system from almost anywhere, using an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. If you are not already a validated EchoLink user, you will be required to register (using your Amateur Radio callsign and a password of your choice) the first time you run the app. Please see the iPhone FAQ at www.echolink.org. Please direct any bug reports or feature suggestions to the Web site at http://www.echolink.org/support.htm, since developers do not read app reviews. If you are interested in becoming a licensed Amateur Radio operator, see www.arrl.org for more information. EchoLink is a registered U.S. trademark of Synergenics, LLC.
Hodgdon Reloading Manual
Access over 5,000 handloads and 160 pages of reloading data for rifle and pistol cartridges. This manual features updated information, articles from outdoor writers, charts, graphs, and detailed powder descriptions.
- 5,000+ handloads
- 160+ pages of data
- Updated rifle and pistol data
- Articles by outdoor writers
- Charts and graphs
- Powder descriptions
Read full descriptionHide full description
Hodgdon Reloading Manual With 5,000+ handloads and over 160 pages of data, this edition includes updated information for rifle and pistol cartridges; articles written by some of the best-known outdoor writers; charts; graphs; and detailed descriptions of Hodgdon, IMR, and Winchester powders.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: EchoLink at 62% against Hodgdon Reloading Manual's 10%. EchoLink also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 13) and update cadence (every 4 months vs every 10 months). Hodgdon Reloading Manual's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 3.9) and ratings volume (835 vs 44). On price, ads and device support 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
Both are free to download. Hodgdon Reloading Manual sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. EchoLink asks for nothing beyond the download.
Hodgdon Reloading Manual holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hodgdon Reloading Manual has 835 ratings behind it against 44, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 62% of EchoLink's written reviews are positive against 10% of Hodgdon Reloading Manual's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
EchoLink ships an update every 4 months, Hodgdon Reloading Manual every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | EchoLink | Hodgdon Reloading Manual |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.9 (44 ratings) | 4.3 (835 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 61.5% of reviews — better | 10.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 44 | 835 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months — better | Every 10 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | #153 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 20 MB | 26 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Synergenics, LLC | KSE Sportsman Media, Inc |
Customer experience
EchoLink
Hodgdon Reloading Manual
User reviews
EchoLink
From 44 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Wonderful System
- 🚀 Great for ham travelers
- 🚀 Amazing App
- 🚀 Great tool for Hams
- 🚀 Excellent System
Room to improve
- 🐛 EchoLink does not work
- 🐛 Can't find stations!
- 🐛 Not working on ios26 iPhone pro max
- 🐛 Mic gain
- 🐛 Connectivity problems lately
Hodgdon Reloading Manual
From 835 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- ⭐ Great info
- 🔍 User friendly
- 📚 Terrific help
Room to improve
- 🚫 Not an app, just a PDF
- 🤯 Horrible interface
- 🤔 Not user friendly or intuitive
- 🤖 Technically works, but utterly terrible
- 🙅♂️ Impossible to navigate
Bugs and requests
EchoLink
Reported bugs
13 issues- Latest version (2.19) could use some improvement
- No way to reset password
- Doesn't seem to be working on my phone, I enter call sign, password, and email. I click on login and nothing happens
- Just updated EchoLink to find that it's now stuttering all the time
- After the upgrade there are connection issues
Show 8 moreShow fewer
- No support for passwords longer than 14 characters
- The app won't allow me back in to validate my information
- Doesn't work on iphone
- Unable to Use; Password Too Long
- Cannot connect to local reapeater
- Can't close app
- Latest update issues
- Cannot connect
Requested features
13 requests- Bigger PTT please?
- Add more to app
- Password reset in app option
- Almost There!
- Bigger PTT please?
Show 8 moreShow fewer
- Searching for call sign s
- Not able to connect with 14.4 iOS upgrade
- Mac version
- Dark Mode Wonky
- Missing Nodes
- Echolink multitasking
- Needs a help or tutorial
- Needs full sysop node server capabilities
Hodgdon Reloading Manual
Reported bugs
3 issues- Purchase issues and failed downloads
- Inability to restore purchases
- Crashes and login problems
Requested features
3 requests- Ability to bookmark pages
- Ability to search by caliber
- Improved navigation and usability
In-app purchases
EchoLink
No in-app purchases
Hodgdon Reloading Manual
- Hodgdon Reloading Manual 2013$8.99
- Hodgdon Reloading Manual 2014$8.99
- Hodgdon Reloading 2015$8.99
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- Hodgdon Reloading Manual 2016$8.99
- Hodgdon_2017$8.99
- Hodgdon 2018$8.99
- Hodgdon 2020$9.99
- Hodgdon 20212 variants$9.99
- Hodgdon 2023$12.99
- Hodgdon 2024$12.99
- Hodgdon 2026$12.99
- Hodgdon 2025$12.99
Questions
Is EchoLink free?
Is Hodgdon Reloading Manual free?
Which has better reviews, EchoLink or Hodgdon Reloading Manual?
Do EchoLink or Hodgdon Reloading Manual have ads?
Which is updated more often, EchoLink or Hodgdon Reloading Manual?
Other comparisons
