# Packet Commander vs HAMSignal

Packet Commander and HAMSignal both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Packet Commander's written reviews are positive against 0% of HAMSignal's. Packet Commander also leads on ratings volume (44 vs 1). HAMSignal's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, rating, 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. HAMSignal asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Packet Commander against 5.0 for HAMSignal. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Packet Commander has 44 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Packet Commander's written reviews are positive against 0% of HAMSignal's.

Packet Commander ships an update every 2 months, HAMSignal every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Packet Commander | HAMSignal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packet-commander/id6743951365/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamsignal/id6760658659/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **44** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 10 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.2 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Island Magic Co.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1529387252) | [Stephen Thorn](https://appshunter.io/developer/1878690071) |

## 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 |


### HAMSignal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamsignal/id6760658659)

This app provides real-time solar weather data and forecasts specifically for amateur radio operators. It alerts users to improving band conditions, offers propagation tools, and includes a QSO logbook with solar data. Designed to help operators maximize their on-air time.

**Highlights:** Real-time K-index, SFI, and A-index updates, Band opening push notifications, 27-day solar forecast, Grey zone and terminator overlay, PSK Reporter live data, QSO logbook with solar conditions, Contest mode dashboard

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Packet Commander free?

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

### Is HAMSignal free?

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

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

HAMSignal is rated higher. Packet Commander averages 4.9 out of 5 from 44 ratings, while HAMSignal averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Packet Commander or HAMSignal have ads?

Neither Packet Commander nor HAMSignal shows ads.

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

Packet Commander ships an update every 2 months, and HAMSignal every 2 weeks. Most recently, Packet Commander was updated on October 8, 2026 and HAMSignal on October 9, 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.*