Packet Commander vs SDS Remote
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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/
SDS Remote
Control and monitor your Uniden SDS150 & SDS200 ham scanners remotely over your local network. View live scanner displays, control keypads, volume, and squelch from another room. Stream audio and log transmissions with Pro features.
- Live scanner display mirroring
- Remote keypad, volume, and squelch control
- Save and sync scanner configurations
- Live audio streaming (Pro)
- Multi-scanner monitoring (Pro)
- Transmission logging with recordings (Pro)
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SDS Remote puts your Uniden SDS150 & SDS200 on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. See the live scanner display—system, department, talkgroup, frequency, and signal—while you work the keypad, volume, and squelch from another room. Your scanner stays where it is. You don't have to. THREE WAYS TO CONNECT • SDS200 over Ethernet, on your network • SDS150 over Bluetooth, no network needed • Through a hub: leave one device at home with your scanners and connect to it from anywhere, including on cellular WHAT YOU GET • Live display mirroring of your SDS150 & SDS200 • Save scanners by name, host, and port • iCloud sync of your scanner list across your Apple devices • Free to start with one scanner; Pro unlocks more PRO FEATURES • Remote keypad, volume, and squelch control • Live audio streaming from the scanner to your device • Listen from anywhere through a hub—the one setup where scanner audio reaches you on cellular • Now Playing on the Lock Screen and in Control Center—channel and system as they change, with play/pause from headphones or your car's controls • Choose how scanner audio shares with your music: take over, or mix and duck it while the scanner talks • Multi-view: monitor up to four scanners in a 2×2 layout • Transmission logging with optional recordings and on-device captions • Web Remote: drive your scanners from a browser on your network • Display Layout editor for building screens and sending them to the radio • Elgato Stream Deck control on iPad • Unlimited scanners IN THE CAR Mix and Duck keeps your music playing and turns it down while the scanner talks. Boost lifts quiet traffic over road noise, and Keep Display Awake stops the screen dimming on a dash mount. Built for listeners who already run a scanner on the desk—and want the same view and control from the couch, the shop, the car, or anywhere else. PRIVACY BY DESIGN We run no servers and your scanner traffic never passes through us. A hub is simply a second copy of this app on a device you own, talking directly to your other devices over a connection secured by a pairing code. Transmission logs and recordings stay on your device, and captions are produced on-device—no audio is ever uploaded. Subscriptions are handled through your Apple ID. REQUIREMENTS A Uniden SDS200 connected by Ethernet to your network, or a Uniden SDS150 paired over Bluetooth. Listening away from home additionally needs a second device left at home running SDS Remote as a hub, with Pro on both. Free includes one scanner and iCloud sync. Pro is an optional auto-renewable subscription with a free trial (see in-app details). Subscriptions renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period in your Apple ID settings.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: SDS Remote at every 10 days against Packet Commander's every 2 months. Packet Commander's advantage is ratings volume (44 vs 3) and iOS requirement (18.2 vs 26.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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
Both are free to download. Packet Commander sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per year and SDS Remote sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Packet Commander against 5.0 for SDS Remote. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Packet Commander has 44 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
Packet Commander ships an update every 2 months, SDS Remote every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Packet Commander | SDS Remote |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (44 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 44 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 10 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.2 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 20 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Island Magic Co. | mobiadroit, llc |
Customer experience
Packet Commander
SDS Remote
In-app purchases
Packet Commander
- Yearly Subscription$8.991 Year
- One-Time Purchase$24.99
SDS Remote
- Pro - Monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
- Pro - Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year









