ACARS vs Morse Maven
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ACARS
View ACARS aircraft transmissions on your iOS device without a bulky computer. Requires a radio scanner tuned to the aircraft band. Save decodes to a file or transfer to your computer.
- View ACARS transmissions on iOS
- Save decoded packets to a file
- Transfer data to computer via iTunes
- Built-in aircraft model database
- Add custom plane information
- Color-coded packet fields
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Want to display ACARS transmissions, without using a bulky computer? ACARS lets you view ACARS aircraft transmissions on your iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. A radio/scanner capable of tuning the 118-136 MHz aircraft band is required. Just set it next to the radio's speaker, tune in an ACARS frequency, and watch the decodes. Or, for even better reception, use a pair of earbuds, plugged into the radio’s headphone jack, rather than the internal speaker. You can save decoded ACARS packets to a file to view later, or transfer to your computer via iTunes. Aircraft model information for many planes in a built in database is displayed along with the decoded packets. You can also add your own plane information to the database. Packet fields are color coded on iOS 6 and later. Buy your copy right now, and start decoding and displaying ACARS transmissions in minutes.
Morse Maven
Master Morse code with a comprehensive suite of tools. Learn progressively from beginner to advanced levels, practice receiving by ear, and decode messages automatically. Customize your learning experience with adjustable speeds and spacing.
- Progressive learning modules
- Customizable speed and spacing
- Audio Morse code training
- Automatic decoding tool
- Morse code sending tool
- Reference guide
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Morse Maven offers a complete suite of tools to help you learn and master Morse code at your own pace. Learn, practice, and perfect your Morse code skills with our comprehensive app designed for everyone from beginners to advanced operators. Whether you're just starting out or aiming for high-speed copying, Morse Maven offers a complete suite of tools to help you learn and master Morse code at your own pace. Key Features: Beginner to Advanced Learning: The app provides progressive lessons for every skill level. The beginner's training course specifically uses the Koch method to teach the International Morse Code alphabet, numbers, punctuation, and common prosigns. With consistent practice using Morse Maven, beginners can learn to recognise all characters in about 1-2 months, and the app guides you through developing speed and fluency. Customizable Settings: Adjust character speed (WPM), Farnsworth spacing, and tone frequency to match your preferences. Farnsworth spacing is a method where individual characters are sent at a higher speed but with extra spacing between characters and words, which helps beginners recognise sound patterns while giving them time to process. Audio Morse Training: Practice receiving Morse code by ear with clear, adjustable audio tones. Morse tones are "shaped" with a raised cosine filter for easy listening. Morse Decoding Tool: Automatically decode received audio or flashlight Morse code messages using a Goertzel decoding algorithm. This tool also helps you check your sending accuracy. Sending Tool: Type text to send messages in Morse code by sound or flashlight. Reference: Access a complete listing of International Morse Code characters for quick reference. The Morse sending, decoding the reference features are free, always. You get three hours of complimentary access to our Learning & Improving features. To unlock unlimited access to everything, you can purchase a one-time upgrade for a small fee directly in the app. This helps us keep the app running smoothly and develop even more great features.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Morse Maven at Free against ACARS's $2.99. Morse Maven also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.0) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 12 months). ACARS's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (6.0 vs 15.6). On ratings volume, 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
Morse Maven is free to download; ACARS costs $2.99 up front. Morse Maven sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ACARS asks for nothing beyond the download.
Morse Maven holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of ACARS's written reviews are positive against 50% of Morse Maven's.
ACARS ships an update every 12 months, Morse Maven every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and August 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ACARS | Morse Maven |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.0 (14 ratings) | 4.5 (6 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 41.4% of reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 14 — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 6.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 46 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Black Cat Systems | Dragon Technology Ltd |
Customer experience
ACARS
Morse Maven
In-app purchases
ACARS
No in-app purchases
Morse Maven
- Morse Maven Learning Upgrade$4.99









