# Propagation Tools vs HamSat

The clearest difference is price: HamSat at Free against Propagation Tools's $0.29. HamSat also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 9 months). Propagation Tools's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.4). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

HamSat is free to download; Propagation Tools costs $0.29 up front. HamSat sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Propagation Tools asks for nothing beyond the download.

Propagation Tools ships an update every 9 months, HamSat every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Propagation Tools | HamSat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.29 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[4.5 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamsat-ham-satellite-tracker/id6762450814/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **6** |
| Positive reviews | — | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 26.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jeff Curtis](https://appshunter.io/developer/358219019) | [Vasco Barreiros](https://appshunter.io/developer/1451715392) |

## What reviewers say

### Propagation Tools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/propagation-tools/id6446221936)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### HamSat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamsat-ham-satellite-tracker/id6762450814)

Track satellite passes with real-time azimuth, elevation, and Doppler-corrected frequencies. Features an Apple Watch companion for wrist-based aiming and pass tracking, and allows users to stamp photos with operational data.

**Highlights:** Apple Watch companion for pass tracking and antenna aiming, Live sky dome with real-time satellite arcs, Aim mode with phone compass and haptic feedback, Doppler-corrected frequencies for operating during passes, Photo stamping with callsign, grid, satellite, and UTC time, Offline satellite tracking and propagation, Geostationary satellite tracking

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HamSat Pro | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Propagation Tools free?

Propagation Tools costs $0.29, with no in-app purchases.

### Is HamSat free?

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

### Do Propagation Tools or HamSat have ads?

Neither Propagation Tools nor HamSat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Propagation Tools or HamSat?

Propagation Tools ships an update every 9 months, and HamSat every 2 days. Most recently, Propagation Tools was updated on October 27, 2026 and HamSat on October 31, 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.*