# Packet Commander vs TERMinator

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TERMinator at none against Packet Commander's 2. TERMinator also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.2). Packet Commander's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 67%) and rating (4.9 vs 4.5). 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. TERMinator asks for nothing beyond the download.

Packet Commander holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Packet Commander has 44 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Packet Commander's written reviews are positive against 67% of TERMinator's.

Packet Commander ships an update every 2 months, TERMinator every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Packet Commander | TERMinator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packet-commander/id6743951365/reviews)** | [4.5 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/terminator-bbs-terminal/id6759012939/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **44** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 10 MB | 117 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.2 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Island Magic Co.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1529387252) | [Phil Whittemore](https://appshunter.io/developer/1876379185) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### TERMinator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/terminator-bbs-terminal/id6759012939)

Connect to Bulletin Board Systems and SSH servers with a retro terminal client. Experience authentic CP437 ANSI art rendering, classic fonts, and ZMODEM file transfers. Manage your connections with a phonebook and quick connect options.

**Highlights:** Telnet and SSH connections, CP437/ANSI art rendering, Classic bitmap fonts, ZMODEM file transfer, Scrollback history, Phonebook management

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Packet Commander free?

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

### Is TERMinator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Packet Commander or TERMinator?

Packet Commander is rated higher. Packet Commander averages 4.9 out of 5 from 44 ratings, while TERMinator averages 4.5 from 8 ratings.

### Do Packet Commander or TERMinator have ads?

Neither Packet Commander nor TERMinator shows ads.

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

Packet Commander ships an update every 2 months, and TERMinator every 8 days. Most recently, Packet Commander was updated on September 21, 2026 and TERMinator on September 13, 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.*