# SWLtools vs FT Ham

The clearest difference is review sentiment: FT Ham at 100% against SWLtools's 0%. FT Ham also leads on price (Free vs $3.99) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 months). SWLtools's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

FT Ham is free to download; SWLtools costs $3.99 up front. FT Ham sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. SWLtools asks for nothing beyond the download.

SWLtools ships an update every 2 months, FT Ham every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SWLtools | FT Ham |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[4.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ft-ham-ft8ft4-transceiver/id6755367558/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **4** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 5 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Stefano Rampazzo](https://appshunter.io/developer/396660919) | [PABLO TURRION SAN PEDRO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1853443733) |

## What reviewers say

### SWLtools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swltools/id6618146941)

Enhance your shortwave listening with this app that decodes on-air text modes like Morse, RTTY, and WEFAX. It also features spectrum analysis, audio recording, and is optimized for portable use with specific receivers.

**Highlights:** Decode Morse, RTTY, WEFAX, and ACARS, Real-time spectrum and spectrogram display, Audio recording and storage, Save and share decoded text, Optimized for Belka receiver, ACARS position mapping

**In-app purchases:** none


### FT Ham

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ft-ham-ft8ft4-transceiver/id6755367558)

Decode and transmit FT8/FT4 amateur radio signals directly from your mobile device. Features real-time decoding, automatic QSO sequencing, and an integrated logbook with ADIF export. All processing is done offline and locally on your device.

**Highlights:** Real-time FT8/FT4 decoding, Offline audio transmission, Automatic QSO sequencing, Live waterfall display, Integrated logbook with ADIF export, Customizable message composer

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Donation of 0.99 € | $0.99 | one-time |
| FT Ham premium access | $1.99 | one-time |
| Donation of 2,99 € | $2.99 | one-time |
| Donation of 4,99 € | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SWLtools free?

SWLtools costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is FT Ham free?

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

### Do SWLtools or FT Ham have ads?

Neither SWLtools nor FT Ham shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SWLtools or FT Ham?

SWLtools ships an update every 2 months, and FT Ham every 5 days. Most recently, SWLtools was updated on October 12, 2026 and FT Ham on October 20, 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.*