Comparison

mPing vs HamStudy.org

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

Head to head
About

mPing

Become a citizen scientist and help researchers study severe weather by reporting precipitation types. Your observations contribute to improving weather detection algorithms and understanding precipitation patterns.

Highlights
  • Report precipitation types
  • Contribute to weather research
  • Track winter precipitation
  • Report hail size
  • Provide ground-truth data
  • View radar data comparison
Read full description

The NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory and The University of Oklahoma's Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies needs your help with severe weather research! The Meteorological Phenomena Identification Near the Ground project (mPING) needs you, the Citizen Scientist, to watch and report on precipitation. mPING is looking for volunteers of all ages and backgrounds to make observations - teachers, classes, families, everyone, and anyone! This app is your portal for providing observations to researchers at NSSL. Your reports will help them develop and refine algorithms that use the newly upgraded dual-polarization NEXRAD radars to detect and report on the type of precipitation that you see falling. To do a good job, we need tens of thousands of observations from all over the US. We can succeed only with your help. mPING volunteer observers can spend as much time as they want, from a little to a lot, making observations. The basic idea is simple: NSSL will collect radar data from NEXRAD radars in your area along with sounding data from our models during storm events, and use your data to develop and validate new and better algorithms. We have two focus areas: winter precipitation types, such as rain, freezing rain, drizzle, freezing drizzle, snow, graupel, ice pellets, mixed rain and snow, mixed ice pellets and snow and even observations of “none” when the precipitation has stopped, even if only briefly. Why? Because the radars cannot see close to the ground at far distances and because automated surface sensors are only at airports. But the people affected by winter weather are everywhere so we need you to tell us what is happening where you are. But we need more than winter weather details: when there are thunderstorms, we need to know if hail falls and, if it does, how big it is. Measuring with a ruler is best but, whatever you do, stay safe. All you need to do is use this app to select the precipitation type. Tell us what is hitting the ground. NSSL scientists will compare your report with what the radar has detected and what our models think the atmosphere is doing, and use it to develop new technologies and techniques to determine what kind of precipitation such as snow, ice, rain or hail and its size is falling where.

About

HamStudy.org

This app offers an intelligent study mode that tracks your progress and focuses on areas where you struggle. It allows you to tailor your study to specific chapters and topics from license manuals, with explanations for difficult questions. Practice exams are also available.

Highlights
  • Intelligent study algorithms
  • Vetted user-submitted explanations
  • Infinite practice exams
  • Study all US Amateur Radio question pools
  • International question pools
  • Multi-user support
  • Cross-device progress sync
Features
Read full description

HamStudy is not your typical study app. Most study apps focus on practice exams, which is like studying for your math test by trying 20% of the questions on repeat. Study smarter with HamStudy. Instead of taking practice tests with random questions over and over, our intelligent Study Mode tracks your progress as you move through the questions—what you’ve seen, what you haven’t, and where you’re struggling—and focuses your study on the questions you need to see most. Full statistics are provided along the way, giving you insight into how many times you’ve gotten a question right or wrong as well as your overall study progress. Don’t worry, you can still take practice exams whenever you want. You won’t find a better tool to use alongside your favorite learning material. Through collaboration with some of the most recognized names in amateur radio, HamStudy allows you to simply choose from a selection of license manuals, then instantly adapts so you can match your study to the chapters, topics, and sections you’re used to†. Want to study just the questions from chapters 4 and 5? No problem. And when a question trips you up, just tap the Explain button to understand what you missed, review formulas, and read helpful study tips. Features: • HamStudy's intelligent study algorithms work with you to ensure you learn the questions, tracking your progress and adjusting the pace to keep you challenged but not frustrated. • Vetted user-submitted explanations help you avoid the pitfall of just memorizing answers. • Infinite practice exams. Fun fact: it takes around 70 practice exams before you’ll see every Technician question just once. Study more, test less! • Study all current US Amateur Radio question pools: Technician, General, and Amateur Extra. Updates are downloaded automatically, and new pools are always included free when they are revised every four years. • English and Spanish translations included for US Amateur Radio pools. • Includes an ever-growing selection of international question pools, such as Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and Argentina. • Supports multiple users on the same device, each with independent study history. • Sync your progress across all devices and study online with a free hamstudy.org account. • Share your progress with friends, instructors, or other HamStudy.org users and help each other keep progressing towards that next license exam! HamStudy is proud to be sponsored by Icom. † Disclaimer: HamStudy does not contain the actual instructional material from linked books, but works great with the book sitting on the table next to you! Images, names, and trademarks used with permission.

Screenshots

mPing1 screens
HamStudy.org4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: mPing at Free against HamStudy.org's $3.99. mPing also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.4). HamStudy.org's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.0) and review sentiment (94% vs 56%). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

mPing is free to download; HamStudy.org costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

HamStudy.org holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HamStudy.org has 2.7K ratings behind it against 154, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of mPing's written reviews are positive against 94% of HamStudy.org's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

mPing ships an update every 6 months, HamStudy.org every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
mPing versus HamStudy.org: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametermPingHamStudy.org
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating4.0 (154 ratings)4.9 (2.7K ratings) — better
Positive reviews56.3% of reviews93.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1542.7K — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank—#5 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB30 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUniversity of Oklahoma (Information Technology)Signal Stuff

Customer experience

mPing

All ratings154 ratings
Positive76.0%
Neutral7.1%
Negative16.9%
Written reviews87 reviews
Positive56.3%
Neutral12.6%
Negative31.0%

HamStudy.org

All ratings2,655 ratings
Positive98.5%
Neutral0.6%
Negative1.0%
Written reviews189 reviews
Positive93.7%
Neutral2.6%
Negative3.7%

User reviews

mPing

From 154 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 💡 Useful for citizen science
  • 👍 Helpful for NWS
  • 👍 Fun to participate
  • 🚀 Quick and easy reporting

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App no longer works
  • 🐛 Reports fail constantly
  • 🐛 App freezes
  • 🐛 Lagging when choosing report type
  • 🐛 Useless for consumers

HamStudy.org

From 2.7K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great study tool
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Efficient way to prepare for exams
  • 🚀 Comprehensive coverage of exam material
  • 👍 Helpful explanations and hints

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional app freezes
  • 👎 Some explanations could be clearer
  • 🔋 Battery drain when using app extensively

Bugs and requests

mPing

Reported bugs

44 issues
  • App not working after iPhone update
  • App no longer works (iOS 26.2)
  • App doesn't work well with new iPhones
  • Reports fail constantly
  • Big lagging when choosing type of report
Show 39 more
  • Freezing completely when submitting report
  • Unable to view submitted reports
  • Issue with "Report Types", no dropdown menu
  • App has not been upgraded with recent iOS updates
  • All report submissions “fail to report”
  • Freezes and inability to select reports
  • “Report Submission Failed - Sorry, unable to submit your report!” message
  • Touching the Select Report Type button freezes the app
  • Unable to choose report type
  • Nothing happens when you try to report
  • App freezes after clicking “select report type”
  • MPING is broke
  • App no longer working for months
  • Stopped working
  • Stopped submitting reports
  • Failing to send
  • No longer allows submission of weather events
  • Won't let me send any reports
  • App won't allow submissions
  • Error when submitting reports
  • Failed to submit report message
  • Haven’t been able to submit report in awhile
  • Error message, app won't accept submission
  • Vulnerabilities preventing report submission
  • Stopped letting me submit
  • Bogus submissions disabled the app
  • Nothing was there when trying to select report type
  • Report can not be sent
  • Location function won't stay hooked up
  • Need to keep reinstalling to work
  • Zoom buttons show nothing but black screen
  • Pinch zoom map of reports slows and crashes occur
  • Latest version missing option for plain snow
  • New format isn't good, prefer black background
  • No option for snow, only snow/graupel
  • Older version ran fine, newer version unable to submit reports
  • Lettering and logos too large in newer version
  • No longer works on iOS 8.4.1
  • App doesn't work until upgraded to iOS 9.2.1

Requested features

18 requests
  • Option to report 'snow' alone
  • Add funnel and wall cloud reports
  • Add wind report system (tornadic and storm)
  • Add thunder/lightning reporting
  • Add earthquake reporting
Show 13 more
  • Add option to change location manually
  • Add snow quantity reporting
  • Add frost reporting
  • Add thunder reporting (not lightning)
  • Add high winds and speed reporting
  • Add smoke in reduced visibility report
  • Add state highway numbers to 'view reports'
  • Support for photos and video clips
  • Real-time reporting database
  • Local news feeds
  • Legend for map icons
  • Measurement of raindrop splash size
  • More detailed precipitation classification

HamStudy.org

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Email support not working
  • Occasional freezing or crashing

Requested features

4 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Ability to clear test history
  • More detailed performance analytics
  • Spell out acronyms and define technical terms

In-app purchases

None

mPing

No in-app purchases

None

HamStudy.org

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is mPing free?
mPing is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is HamStudy.org free?
HamStudy.org costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, mPing or HamStudy.org?
HamStudy.org is rated higher. mPing averages 4.0 out of 5 from 154 ratings, while HamStudy.org averages 4.9 from 2.7K ratings.
Do mPing or HamStudy.org have ads?
Neither mPing nor HamStudy.org shows ads.
Which is updated more often, mPing or HamStudy.org?
mPing ships an update every 6 months, and HamStudy.org every 3 weeks. Most recently, mPing was updated on October 9, 2026 and HamStudy.org on October 14, 2026.

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