# ThinLine Radio Scanner vs DispatchLink

The clearest difference is ads: DispatchLink at none against ThinLine Radio Scanner's shown. DispatchLink also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5). ThinLine Radio Scanner's advantage is ratings volume (327 vs 2) and update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ThinLine Radio Scanner sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and DispatchLink sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

DispatchLink holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ThinLine Radio Scanner has 327 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 68% of ThinLine Radio Scanner's written reviews are positive against 50% of DispatchLink's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ThinLine Radio Scanner ships an update weekly, DispatchLink monthly. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | ThinLine Radio Scanner | DispatchLink |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (327 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thinline-radio-scanner/id6740734031/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dispatchlink-utah-scanner/id6744593929/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **327** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **68.4% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 89 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Thinline Dynamic Solutions](https://appshunter.io/developer/1791342220) | [Nathan Hayes](https://appshunter.io/developer/1635687426) |

## What reviewers say

### ThinLine Radio Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thinline-radio-scanner/id6740734031)

Listen to live public safety radio transmissions from scanner networks worldwide. This app connects you to third-party servers broadcasting police, fire, EMS, and emergency communications. Customize your listening with talkgroup management, favorites, and advanced controls.

**Highlights:** Real-time audio streaming, Multi-scanner support, Talkgroup management, Favorites system, Transmission history, Alert system

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Thinline Radio Ad Free | $1.99 | per month |
| Thinline Radio Ad Free+Alerts | $1.99 | per month |
| Ai Alert Summary Digest | $2.99 | per month |
| Scanner and Alerts | $6.99 | per month |


### DispatchLink

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dispatchlink-utah-scanner/id6744593929)

Listen to live public-safety radio channels across Utah, with real-time incident summaries and mapping. Understand what you're hearing with plain-English explanations and track events as they unfold.

**Highlights:** Live police, fire, and EMS radio streams, Real-time incident summaries, Interactive incident map, Aviation radio monitoring, Unit tracking, Transmission console

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium Access | $9.99 | per month |
| Annual Premium Access | $79.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ThinLine Radio Scanner free?

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

### Is DispatchLink free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ThinLine Radio Scanner or DispatchLink?

DispatchLink is rated higher. ThinLine Radio Scanner averages 4.5 out of 5 from 327 ratings, while DispatchLink averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do ThinLine Radio Scanner or DispatchLink have ads?

ThinLine Radio Scanner shows ads; DispatchLink does not.

### Which is updated more often, ThinLine Radio Scanner or DispatchLink?

ThinLine Radio Scanner ships an update weekly, and DispatchLink monthly. Most recently, ThinLine Radio Scanner was updated on October 30, 2026 and DispatchLink 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.*