# PineTool vs Packet Commander

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PineTool at none against Packet Commander's 2. PineTool also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.2). Packet Commander's advantage is ratings volume (44 vs 11). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Packet Commander sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per year. PineTool asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for PineTool against 4.9 for Packet Commander. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 44 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

## The numbers

| Metric | PineTool | Packet Commander |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pinetool/id6448319330/reviews)** | [4.9 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packet-commander/id6743951365/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **44** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | — | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.2 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lachlan Bell](https://appshunter.io/developer/1260531873) | [Island Magic Co.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1529387252) |

## What reviewers say

### PineTool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pinetool/id6448319330)

This app connects to a specific soldering iron model via Bluetooth to display real-time temperature, power, and other operational data. Users can also adjust the iron's temperature set point directly from their device.

**Highlights:** Real-time tip temperature display, Live power value visualization, Temperature set point configuration, Voltage and handle temperature monitoring, Uptime and power source parameter display, Live charting of temperature and power

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Packet Commander

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packet-commander/id6743951365)

This app provides a classic terminal experience for packet radio communication on mobile devices. It offers powerful terminal features, smart connection management, and real-time over-the-air traffic monitoring. It's designed for amateur radio operators to connect with nodes, BBS, and decode traffic.

**Highlights:** Full-screen terminal for packet nodes and BBS, Classic color themes and adjustable layout, YAPP protocol support for file transfers, Location-aware digipeater routing, Seamless iCloud sync, Over-the-air traffic decoding, Auto-discovery of TNCs

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly Subscription | $8.99 | per year |
| One-Time Purchase | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PineTool free?

PineTool is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Packet Commander free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PineTool or Packet Commander?

PineTool is rated higher. PineTool averages 5.0 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Packet Commander averages 4.9 from 44 ratings.

### Do PineTool or Packet Commander have ads?

Neither PineTool nor Packet Commander shows ads.

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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.*