# RF vs Packet Commander

The clearest difference is price: Packet Commander at Free against RF's $0.99. Packet Commander also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 8 months). RF's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.2). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Packet Commander is free to download; RF costs $0.99 up front. Packet Commander sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per year. RF asks for nothing beyond the download.

RF ships an update every 8 months, Packet Commander every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RF | Packet Commander |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[4.9 (48 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packet-commander/id6743951365/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **48** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 6 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Julien Geissbuehler](https://appshunter.io/developer/1762554076) | [Island Magic Co.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1529387252) |

## What reviewers say

### RF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rf-calc/id647697327)

**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 RF free?

RF costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Packet Commander free?

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

### Do RF or Packet Commander have ads?

Neither RF nor Packet Commander shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RF or Packet Commander?

RF ships an update every 8 months, and Packet Commander every 2 months. Most recently, RF was updated on October 26, 2026 and Packet Commander on October 30, 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.*