Comparison

K3iNetwork vs iRat

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

Head to head
About

K3iNetwork

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K3iNetwork provides remote control of the Elecraft K3, K3S, KX3 or KX2 radios via a WiFi network and PC or Mac connected to the radio serial port. The user can control many functions of the K3, K3S, KX3 or KX2 radio using their iPhone. CW, RTTY and PSK31 QSOs are possible. The user can watch text from the radio VFO B window stream to their iPhone in the Terminal window, and send CW, RTTY, or PSK, as appropriate, in response. K3iNetwork has windows patterned after the Command Tester and Terminal windows of the Elecraft K3 Utility program. It provides similar functionality, and it can all be accomplished remotely using the iPhone. Once the user establishes communication with the K3, K3S, KX3 or KX2 via a WiFi network the iPhone is used to control the radio.

About

iRat

Features
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Transform your iPhone into a Smartpad/Mouse and control your Mac with your iPhone. Interface your iPhone as a trackpad for your Mac with basic and advanced features: Left/Right mouse click, scrolling up/down, drag/drop, resizing finger pinch, Command control, Tab, Loads of Features 1. Synch via "USB" 2. Choose to utilize Smartpad in "landscape or vertical" mode 3. Multiple background screen colors 4. Finger tracker option Download Instructions (2-Step) Step1. App Store download "iRat-Smartpad" to iPhone Step2. App Store download "iRat-Server" to MacBook Synch Instructions 1. Open App on Mac and Open App on iPhone 2. iPhone Choose settings "USB" click done

Screenshots

K3iNetwork4 screens
iRat4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: K3iNetwork at $3.99 against iRat's $11.99. iRat's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 7 months) and iOS requirement (12.2 vs 17.2). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

K3iNetwork costs $3.99 and iRat $11.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

K3iNetwork ships an update every 7 months, iRat every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and June 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences ยท 3 level
K3iNetwork versus iRat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterK3iNetworkiRat
Price$3.99 โ€” better$11.99
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsEvery 3 weeks โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.212.2 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size23 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMike Downs, ks7dSunya Garvin

In-app purchases

None

K3iNetwork

No in-app purchases

None

iRat

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is K3iNetwork free?
K3iNetwork costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is iRat free?
iRat costs $11.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do K3iNetwork or iRat have ads?
Neither K3iNetwork nor iRat shows ads.
Which is updated more often, K3iNetwork or iRat?
K3iNetwork ships an update every 7 months, and iRat every 3 weeks. Most recently, K3iNetwork was updated on October 1, 2026 and iRat on June 2, 2026.

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