# Ham Radio Reference vs RepeaterBook

The clearest difference is price: RepeaterBook at Free against Ham Radio Reference's $1.99. RepeaterBook also leads on rating (4.2 vs 3.7) and ratings volume (247 vs 14). Ham Radio Reference's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (10.1 vs 15.0). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

RepeaterBook is free to download; Ham Radio Reference costs $1.99 up front. RepeaterBook sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $14.99 per year. Ham Radio Reference asks for nothing beyond the download.

RepeaterBook holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: RepeaterBook has 247 ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 69% of Ham Radio Reference's written reviews are positive against 67% of RepeaterBook's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ham Radio Reference | RepeaterBook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.7 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ham-radio-reference/id521128828/reviews) | **[4.2 (247 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/repeaterbook/id606820166/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 14 | **247** |
| Positive reviews | **68.8% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 6 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.1** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SnecaDev](https://appshunter.io/developer/458346072) | [Nicolas Associates Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/606820189) |

## What reviewers say

### Ham Radio Reference

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ham-radio-reference/id521128828)

Access essential amateur radio information on the go. Quickly find Q signals, grid squares, band plans, Morse code, and phonetic alphabets. Includes electronic formulas and calculators for common radio calculations.

**Highlights:** US & Canadian Amateur Band Limits, Country Codes, Band Plans (ARRL, ARC, IARU), Q Codes, Grid Square and Location, Morse Code, Electronic Formulas and Calculators

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### RepeaterBook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/repeaterbook/id606820166)

Access a comprehensive, offline directory of amateur radio repeaters worldwide. Search by various criteria, view detailed information including distance and bearing, and easily submit updates. Optimized for both phones and tablets.

**Highlights:** Offline repeater directory, Worldwide coverage, Comprehensive search options, Distance and bearing display, Submit updates, Portrait/Landscape views

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Access | $14.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient repeater search functionality
- 📱 Works offline with downloaded database
- 🗺️ Location-based repeater discovery
- 👍 Free application with no cost
- 🔄 Regular database updates maintained

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Location detection issues and inaccuracies
- ❌ Missing repeaters in database
- 📱 iOS version has more issues than Android
- 🔍 Inconsistent data between app and website
- ❓ Confusing interface for new users

**Reported bugs**

- Location services showing repeaters hundreds of miles away
- App not displaying any repeaters despite correct filters
- iOS version showing incorrect frequency data
- Recent update losing user data and settings
- Location feature not finding nearby repeaters

**Requested features**

- Map display of repeater locations
- Field name labels for repeater details
- Coverage range information for repeaters
- GMRS channel display alongside frequency
- Dark mode support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ham Radio Reference free?

Ham Radio Reference costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is RepeaterBook free?

RepeaterBook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Ham Radio Reference or RepeaterBook?

RepeaterBook is rated higher. Ham Radio Reference averages 3.7 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while RepeaterBook averages 4.2 from 247 ratings.

### Do Ham Radio Reference or RepeaterBook have ads?

Neither Ham Radio Reference nor RepeaterBook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ham Radio Reference or RepeaterBook?

Ham Radio Reference ships an update every 3 weeks, and RepeaterBook every 3 weeks. Most recently, Ham Radio Reference was updated on October 23, 2026 and RepeaterBook on November 1, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*