Comparison

HAMRS Pro vs Packet Commander

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

HAMRS Pro

This is a portable logging application designed for amateur radio enthusiasts participating in outdoor activities. It simplifies the process of recording contacts during events like POTA and SOTA.

Highlights
  • Portable logging
  • POTA support
  • SOTA support
  • Field Day logging
  • Simple interface
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

A simple amateur radio logger designed specifically for portable activities, like Parks on the Air (POTA), Summits on the Air (SOTA) Field Days, etc.

About

Packet Commander

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
Read full description

Packet Commander brings a classic terminal experience for packet radio to your iPhone or iPad. Try it free. The download includes 5 full connection sessions so you can explore the features and confirm compatibility before purchasing. After that, a purchase is required to continue connecting. Note: An amateur radio license is required to operate on the air. Powerful Terminal • Full-screen terminal for interacting with packet nodes and BBS over amateur radio • Classic color themes inspired by iconic computers • Adjustable fonts and layout for readability and screen efficiency • YAPP protocol support for file transfers • Dictation-ready for composing messages hands-free • Smart filename selection — double tap to highlight and copy Smarter Packet Connections • Location-aware digipeater routing: automatically recalls the last-used path at each location • Seamless iCloud sync for nodes and digipeaters across all your devices • Compatible with popular packet node software including BPQ32, URONode, and others Over-the-Air Monitor Connect to your radio and decode over-the-air traffic in real time. AX.25 frames are decoded and presented in an easy-to-read format. • Filter traffic to display exactly what you’re looking for • Search by address or content • Export the log to a file for later analysis Works with the Gear You Love • Auto-discovery of Bluetooth and TCP TNCs, including Dire Wolf on DigiPi • Automatic frequency set/restore on supported radios • Built-in, high-performance 1200 baud AFSK software modem • Optimized for VHF/UHF packet at both 1200 and 9600 baud Compatible with the Following Radios and TNCs: Radios with Built-in TNCs (Auto-sets and restores frequency on those radios) · BTECH UV-PRO, UV-50PRO · VERO VR-N76, VR-N7600 · RADIODITY GA-5WB, DB50-B · Kenwood TH-D74*, TH-D75* · PicoAPRS V4 *Requires B.B. Link Bluetooth adapter Portable KISS TNCs · Mobilinkd TNC3, TNC4 · LiNK500 TNC · DigiPi · Dire Wolf Software TNC Audio Interfaces (Using built-in software modem) · Digirig Lite · Digirig VOX PTT Cable · AIOC (All-In-One Cable) Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

HAMRS Pro3 screens
Packet Commander4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Packet Commander at 100% against HAMRS Pro's 54%. Packet Commander also leads on price (Free vs $1.99) and rating (4.9 vs 3.2). HAMRS Pro's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On ads and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Packet Commander is free to download; HAMRS Pro costs $1.99 up front. Packet Commander sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per year. HAMRS Pro asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Packet Commander holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 44 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of HAMRS Pro's written reviews are positive against 100% of Packet Commander's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HAMRS Pro ships an update every 3 weeks, Packet Commander every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
HAMRS Pro versus Packet Commander: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHAMRS ProPacket Commander
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating3.2 (14 ratings)4.9 (44 ratings) — better
Positive reviews53.8% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1444 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#151 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 — better18.2
Further details — not scored
Size138 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCabin Interactive, LLCIsland Magic Co.

Customer experience

HAMRS Pro

All ratings14 ratings
Positive57.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative42.9%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive53.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative46.2%

Packet Commander

All ratings44 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

HAMRS Pro

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Packet Commander

Subscriptions1
  • Yearly Subscription$8.991 Year
One-time1
  • One-Time Purchase$24.99

Questions

Is HAMRS Pro free?
HAMRS Pro costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Packet Commander free?
Packet Commander is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, HAMRS Pro or Packet Commander?
Packet Commander is rated higher. HAMRS Pro averages 3.2 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Packet Commander averages 4.9 from 44 ratings.
Do HAMRS Pro or Packet Commander have ads?
Neither HAMRS Pro nor Packet Commander shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HAMRS Pro or Packet Commander?
HAMRS Pro ships an update every 3 weeks, and Packet Commander every 2 months. Most recently, HAMRS Pro was updated on October 1, 2026 and Packet Commander on September 21, 2026.

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