# niliBOX vs Packet Commander

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: niliBOX at none against Packet Commander's 2. niliBOX also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.2). Packet Commander's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Packet Commander sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per year. niliBOX asks for nothing beyond the download.

niliBOX ships an update every 4 months, Packet Commander every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | niliBOX | Packet Commander |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.9 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packet-commander/id6743951365/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **44** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 30 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 18.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Juan Carlos Prieto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1791415092) | [Island Magic Co.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1529387252) |

## What reviewers say

### niliBOX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nilibox/id6740749067)

**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 niliBOX free?

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

### Is Packet Commander free?

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

### Do niliBOX or Packet Commander have ads?

Neither niliBOX nor Packet Commander shows ads.

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

niliBOX ships an update every 4 months, and Packet Commander every 2 months. Most recently, niliBOX was updated on September 14, 2026 and Packet Commander on September 21, 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.*