# Packet Commander vs AllStar Node Control

The clearest difference is price: Packet Commander at Free against AllStar Node Control's $0.99. Packet Commander also leads on iOS requirement (18.2 vs 26.5). AllStar Node Control's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (daily vs every 2 months). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Packet Commander is free to download; AllStar Node Control costs $0.99 up front. Packet Commander sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per year. AllStar Node Control asks for nothing beyond the download.

Packet Commander ships an update every 2 months, AllStar Node Control daily. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Packet Commander | AllStar Node Control |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| 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 | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 10 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.2** | 26.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Island Magic Co.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1529387252) | [JONATHAN MARK SCHULMAN](https://appshunter.io/developer/6773455174) |

## 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 |


### AllStar Node Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/allstar-node-control/id6800192244)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Packet Commander free?

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

### Is AllStar Node Control free?

AllStar Node Control costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Packet Commander or AllStar Node Control have ads?

Neither Packet Commander nor AllStar Node Control shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Packet Commander or AllStar Node Control?

Packet Commander ships an update every 2 months, and AllStar Node Control daily. Most recently, Packet Commander was updated on September 21, 2026 and AllStar Node Control on September 24, 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.*