Comparison

iFTx vs Echo

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

Head to head
About

iFTx

This app enables seamless communication using FT8 and FT4 digital modes directly from your iOS device. Enjoy portable digital connections, effortless operation with a user-friendly interface, and reliable performance for global contact.

Highlights
  • FT8 and FT4 digital modes
  • Portable digital communication
  • Global operator connections
  • User-friendly interface
  • Integrated QSO logging
Features
Read full description

Introducing iFTx: The Essential iOS App for FT8 and FT4 Digital Modes! - Seamlessly Engage: iFTx brings FT8 and FT4 digital modes to your iOS device, enabling convenient and portable digital communication. - Anytime, Anywhere: Enjoy the flexibility to connect with operators globally from the comfort of your iOS device. - Effortless Operation: Navigate the user-friendly interface for quick setup and real-time messaging. - Reliable Performance: Experience clear signals and adapt to changing propagation conditions with ease. - Log Your Success: Keep track of your contacts effortlessly with integrated QSO logging.

About

Echo

Tune into thousands of remote radio servers worldwide from your iPhone or iPad. Explore shortwave broadcasts, aviation communications, and more with a global interactive map and advanced tuning features. Enjoy uninterrupted background audio and a privacy-first experience.

Highlights
  • Global interactive map and search
  • Support for multiple SDR architectures
  • Scanner mode and OpenMHz archives
  • Pro-level tuning and analytics
  • Offline frequency library and logging
  • Uninterrupted background audio
  • Privacy-first design
Features
Read full description

Echo is the ultimate, natively-built iOS client for tuning into remote radio servers. Listen to anything, from anywhere. Dive into international shortwave broadcasts from Asia, monitor aviation communications over the Atlantic, discover mysterious numbers stations, or tune into distant FM stations across the globe, all from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac with Apple silicon. Featured in Radio World, on RTL-SDR.com, and in the SWLing Post. Radio World's Nick Langan praised Echo's "thoughtfully designed interface," said he has "loved using" the app, and later described Echo Pro's transcription as "very responsive." Designed for radio enthusiasts and curious listeners alike, Echo is a powerful aggregator that connects you to nearly 3,000 community-hosted Software Defined Radio (SDR) receivers and OpenMHz archives. By integrating these reliable streams into a dedicated native environment, Echo delivers true background audio, high-performance mapping, and features that are difficult to achieve in a standard web browser. KEY FEATURES Global Interactive Map & Search Visually browse thousands of remote SDR servers worldwide using our smooth, native MapKit clustering engine, or instantly search nearly 3,000+ receivers by name or location. Unmatched SDR Compatibility Seamless support for KiwiSDR, OpenWebRX, WebSDR, and FM-DX Webserver architectures. Want to listen to a private node? Add your own unlisted servers with custom URL entry. Scanner Mode & OpenMHz Automatically cycle through station lists at set intervals. Listen directly to public safety, fire, and EMS radio systems via vast OpenMHz archives. Advanced Tuning & Analytics • Smart Manual Tuner: Instantly tune by entering kHz or MHz; Echo intelligently detects the band format. • Audio Engine Passthrough: Interfaces directly with server-side signal processors for broad compatibility with waterfall rendering, plugins, and decoding extensions. • Intelligent Profile Switching: Automatically switches to the correct server band profile as you tune on supported networks. Offline Frequency Library & Logging Search an offline, built-in EIBI database of over 9,000 global shortwave and utility frequencies. Save and log your favorite stations to your local device. Uninterrupted Background Audio Keep listening when your screen is locked or while using other apps. Our custom audio bridge intercepts complex SDR streams to provide true iOS background playback and lock-screen controls. ECHO PRO Take Echo further with recording, live transcription, translation, and iCloud sync. • Record the Airwaves: Record live radio and revisit important moments anytime. • Live Transcription: Turn live radio into on-screen text as you listen. • Translation: Transcribe foreign-language broadcasts and translate them into readable English. • iCloud Sync: Sync recordings, transcripts, translations, notes, favorites, saved servers, and supported settings across your Apple devices. Echo Pro requires a monthly or annual subscription. Privacy First Zero tracking. No analytics, no proprietary tracking servers, and no ad IDs. Your listening activity is not tracked. Echo Pro syncs supported data through your private iCloud account. Built with speed, aesthetics, and privacy in mind, Echo ensures a fast, premium listening experience. Start exploring the airwaves today! VoiceOver & Accessibility Support • Every button, control, and station card announces meaningful context to VoiceOver • Scanner controls (play/pause/skip/favorite) are fully labeled and navigable • Station changes, server connections, and scanner state are announced in real-time • Reduce Transparency support: glass effects swap to solid backgrounds when enabled • Reduce Motion support: animations are simplified when enabled in iOS settings • Decorative elements hidden from assistive technology for a cleaner navigation experience Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

iFTx4 screens
Echo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Echo at Free against iFTx's $1.99. Echo also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.2) and update cadence (weekly vs every 6 months). iFTx's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On ratings volume, ads, 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

Echo is free to download; iFTx costs $1.99 up front. Echo sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. iFTx asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Echo holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 70 and 33 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of iFTx's written reviews are positive against 100% of Echo's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iFTx ships an update every 6 months, Echo weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
iFTx versus Echo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriFTxEcho
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating4.2 (70 ratings)5.0 (33 ratings) — better
Positive reviews71.8% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings70 — better33
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChristoph NadigMark Garrison Jr.

Customer experience

iFTx

All ratings70 ratings
Positive75.7%
Neutral18.6%
Negative5.7%
Written reviews85 reviews
Positive71.8%
Neutral18.8%
Negative9.4%

Echo

All ratings33 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews18 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

iFTx

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Echo

Subscriptions2
  • Echo Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Echo Pro Annual$39.991 Year

Questions

Is iFTx free?
iFTx costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Echo free?
Echo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, iFTx or Echo?
Echo is rated higher. iFTx averages 4.2 out of 5 from 70 ratings, while Echo averages 5.0 from 33 ratings.
Do iFTx or Echo have ads?
Neither iFTx nor Echo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iFTx or Echo?
iFTx ships an update every 6 months, and Echo weekly. Most recently, iFTx was updated on October 16, 2026 and Echo on October 12, 2026.

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