# Packet Commander vs HamSat

The clearest difference is update cadence: HamSat at every 2 days against Packet Commander's every 2 months. Packet Commander's advantage is ratings volume (44 vs 3) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Packet Commander sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per year and HamSat sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Packet Commander holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. 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.

Packet Commander ships an update every 2 months, HamSat every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Packet Commander | HamSat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packet-commander/id6743951365/reviews)** | [4.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamsat-ham-satellite-tracker/id6762450814/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **44** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 10 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.2** | 26.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Island Magic Co.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1529387252) | [Vasco Barreiros](https://appshunter.io/developer/1451715392) |

## 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 |


### HamSat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamsat-ham-satellite-tracker/id6762450814)

Track satellite passes with real-time azimuth, elevation, and Doppler-corrected frequencies. Features an Apple Watch companion for wrist-based aiming and pass tracking, and allows users to stamp photos with operational data.

**Highlights:** Apple Watch companion for pass tracking and antenna aiming, Live sky dome with real-time satellite arcs, Aim mode with phone compass and haptic feedback, Doppler-corrected frequencies for operating during passes, Photo stamping with callsign, grid, satellite, and UTC time, Offline satellite tracking and propagation, Geostationary satellite tracking

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HamSat Pro | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Packet Commander free?

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

### Is HamSat free?

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

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

Packet Commander is rated higher. Packet Commander averages 4.9 out of 5 from 44 ratings, while HamSat averages 4.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Packet Commander or HamSat have ads?

Neither Packet Commander nor HamSat shows ads.

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

Packet Commander ships an update every 2 months, and HamSat every 2 days. Most recently, Packet Commander was updated on September 21, 2026 and HamSat on September 11, 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.*