OpenMHz vs command_line
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
OpenMHz
Access live police and fire radio broadcasts from across the United States. Enjoy an ad-free experience with a 30-day archive to review past transmissions. Explore over 225 city, county, and state radio systems.
- Live police and fire radio streams
- 30-day transmission archive
- Over 225 US radio systems
- Ad-free experience
- No in-app purchases
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Listen live to Police and Fire radios from across the US. - Ad Free and no in-app purchases required! - Scroll back in time, with a 30 day archive. - Over 225 city, county and state radio systems! It is recorded using a Software Defined Radio, so unlike a scanner, all of the channels are captured and the each transmission is saved invdividually
command_line
A fast, terminal-style client for reading and participating in Hacker News discussions. Offers a focused interface with features like offline caching and story saving. Premium unlocks account actions and advanced tools for deeper engagement.
- Terminal-inspired interface
- Browse all story types
- Threaded comment discussions
- Search Hacker News
- Save stories with bookmarks
- Offline caching
- Account sign-in and participation
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command_line is a fast, terminal-style Hacker News client built for readers who want speed, focus, and real participation. Browse top stories, new stories, best stories, Ask HN, Show HN, jobs, polls, profiles, and full discussion threads in a clean mobile experience designed to feel quick, dense, and intentional. Unlike many read-only Hacker News apps, command_line is built for both reading and doing. Free users can browse and read comfortably, while premium unlocks account-based actions and power-user tools. FREE FEATURES • Read Hacker News with a fast, terminal-inspired interface • Browse Top, New, Best, Ask HN, Show HN, Jobs, and Polls • Open full story discussions with threaded comments • Search Hacker News stories and discussions • Save stories with bookmarks for later • Use offline-friendly caching for faster repeat visits • View user profiles and activity • Enjoy a focused dark interface designed for mobile reading PREMIUM FEATURES • Sign in to your Hacker News account • Upvote stories and comments • Reply to discussions • Submit posts • Manage your account session from the app • Access RSS tools and advanced power-user features WHY command_line Most Hacker News clients feel outdated, slow, or limited. command_line was rebuilt to feel fast on every revisit, not just the first load. It combines quick browsing, cached reading, dense threaded discussions, and a terminal-style design that stands out from generic news apps. Whether you just want a better way to read Hacker News on mobile or a premium tool for participating in the community, command_line is built to help you move through the news quickly and stay close to the conversation. SUBSCRIPTION / PURCHASE INFO Premium is available as an optional monthly, yearly, or lifetime upgrade. Reading remains free. Premium unlocks account actions and advanced features such as sign-in, voting, replying, posting, and RSS tools. Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription anytime in your App Store account settings.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: command_line at 5.0 against OpenMHz's 4.0. OpenMHz's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 15 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. command_line sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. OpenMHz asks for nothing beyond the download.
command_line holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OpenMHz has 164 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.
OpenMHz ships an update every 9 days, command_line every 15 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | OpenMHz | command_line |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (164 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 58.1% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 164 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days — better | Every 15 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | #76 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 39 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | Luke Berndt | Daniel Shaw |
Customer experience
OpenMHz
command_line
Bugs and requests
OpenMHz
Reported bugs
12 issues- App freezes and requires force restart
- Archive feature doesn't properly reset when disabled
- Blank screen with no content loading
- Data stuck on old timestamps and not updating
- Logs not displaying or showing blank screens
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- App crashes when minimized and reopened
- Specific channels (Charlotte NC, Sacramento) not updating
- Audio plays out of order with incorrect timestamps
- Talk groups disappearing from feeds
- Spotty and breaking audio feeds
- Loading spinner stuck indefinitely
- App won't open or crashes on startup
Requested features
12 requests- Ability to bookmark or favorite systems and talk groups
- Custom group creation and naming
- Search functionality for talk groups instead of scrolling
- Background audio playback when screen is locked
- iPad landscape mode support
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- Save user preferences and last selected channels
- CarPlay support
- Map view with icons and geolocation
- Day/date indicators in archive listings
- Feedback/support contact option within app
- Meridian Mississippi frequencies
- Real-time audio instead of delayed playback
command_line
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
OpenMHz
No in-app purchases
command_line
- Premium Monthly$4.991 Month
- Premium Yearly$39.991 Year
- Premium Lifetime$99.99
Questions
Is OpenMHz free?
Is command_line free?
Which has better reviews, OpenMHz or command_line?
Do OpenMHz or command_line have ads?
Which is updated more often, OpenMHz or command_line?
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