# Radio Messenger vs Handi

Radio Messenger and Handi both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Radio Messenger's written reviews are positive against 50% of Handi's. Handi's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Radio Messenger sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Handi asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Radio Messenger against 5.0 for Handi. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 4 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Radio Messenger's written reviews are positive against 50% of Handi's.

Radio Messenger ships an update every 3 weeks, Handi every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Radio Messenger | Handi |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/radio-messenger/id6730110865/reviews) | [5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handi-talky-commander/id6786154035/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 39 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Island Magic Co.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1529387252) | [Ylian Saint-Hilaire](https://appshunter.io/developer/6786138083) |

## What reviewers say

### Radio Messenger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/radio-messenger/id6730110865)

Communicate off-grid using amateur radio frequencies. Send messages, files, photos, and locations without cellular service. Supports APRS and enhanced direct messaging modes.

**Highlights:** Off-grid messaging, APRS messaging, Enhanced messaging, Location sharing, Offline maps, File and image sharing, Identity verification

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Radio Messenger Plus Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Radio Messenger Plus Yearly | $14.99 | per year |


### Handi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handi-talky-commander/id6786154035)

This app serves as a central hub for amateur radio operators, enabling them to connect their transceivers to mobile devices. It facilitates radio programming, messaging, mapping, and packet-radio communications.

**Highlights:** Radio channel management, APRS messaging, Winlink email, Packet terminal, Interactive map, File exchange

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Radio Messenger free?

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

### Is Handi free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Radio Messenger or Handi?

Radio Messenger and Handi are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 6 and 4 ratings respectively.

### Do Radio Messenger or Handi have ads?

Neither Radio Messenger nor Handi shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Radio Messenger or Handi?

Radio Messenger ships an update every 3 weeks, and Handi every 2 days. Most recently, Radio Messenger was updated on October 7, 2026 and Handi on October 14, 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.*