Packet Commander vs Offline Repeater Pro
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/
Offline Repeater Pro
Easily find and program amateur radio and GMRS repeaters into your compatible radio via Bluetooth. Offers offline maps and repeater data, with optional in-app purchases for advanced programming features. Ideal for radio operators on the go.
- Find repeaters by GPS or location
- Browse offline map and database
- Program radios via Bluetooth
- Custom repeater entry
- Bulk programming
- Simplex preset loading
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Offline Repeater Pro finds the amateur radio and GMRS repeaters near you and programs them into your radio over Bluetooth (programming requires an in-app purchase). No internet connection is needed once the app is installed. FREE: finding and browsing repeaters, the offline map, and custom repeaters. REQUIRES IN-APP PURCHASE: everything under "Program your radio" below. Choose Yearly Access ($9.99/year, auto-renewing subscription) or Lifetime Access ($29.99, one-time, no recurring charge). FIND REPEATERS • Search by GPS, by a grid square you type in, or by latitude and longitude • Look up any repeater in the database by callsign, city, county, state, or frequency • Filter by Amateur, GMRS, or both • See the distance, the bearing, and a live compass to each repeater • Browse an offline vector map, including a nationwide view, with no data connection • Over 14,000 repeaters in the bundled offline database PROGRAM YOUR RADIO (REQUIRES IN-APP PURCHASE) • One tap to program a repeater into your radio over Bluetooth • Bulk program across any of the radio's channel groups • Program up to the closest 180 repeaters in one pass • Choose the exact channel slot each repeater goes into • Rename the radio's channel groups from the app • Load a built-in simplex preset: FRS and GMRS calling channels, MURS, the 2m and 70cm national calling frequencies, and marine channel 16 • Hand enter or edit any channel: frequency, offset, tone, bandwidth, power • Save a dated backup of the whole radio before you make changes, and restore or delete any backup later YOUR DATA STAYS ON YOUR DEVICE • Add and edit your own custom repeaters, stored locally • No account, no ads, no analytics, no tracking • Nothing you enter and nothing the app reads from your phone is ever sent anywhere, except through Apple's own purchase system when you buy programming access Built for hams and GMRS operators who want a fast, reliable way to load repeaters into a compatible radio without wrestling with spreadsheets or CHIRP config files. Especially handy when you are traveling or somewhere without a signal. COMPATIBLE RADIOS BTECH UV-Pro, BTECH UV-50PRO, Vero VR-N76, Vero VR-N7600. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: Packet Commander at 48 against Offline Repeater Pro's 2. Offline Repeater Pro's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.2). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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 Offline Repeater Pro sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. 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 Offline Repeater Pro. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Packet Commander has 48 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.
| Parameter | Packet Commander | Offline Repeater Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (48 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 48 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 18.2 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 73 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Island Magic Co. | robert russo |
In-app purchases
Packet Commander
- Yearly Subscription$8.991 Year
- One-Time Purchase$24.99
Offline Repeater Pro
- Yearly Access$9.991 Year
- Lifetime Access$29.99
Questions
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