Comparison

ZoneMap vs Echo

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ZoneMap

Read full description

Ditch the messy folded PDFs, tiny spreadsheet cells, and coffee-stained channel sheets. ZoneMap is a fast, offline-first radio reference, tactical mapping, and field comms toolkit built for first responders, wildland fire personnel, incident comms technicians (COMT/COML), ham radio operators, and scanner hobbyists. Keep your plans organized, searchable, and rock-solid—from the staging area to the backcountry dead zones. ZERO CELL SERVICE? NO PROBLEM Incidents rarely happen next to a cell tower. ZoneMap is 100% offline-first. Your entire channel directory, tactical maps, and RF toolset load instantly with zero latency—no loading spinners, no timeouts, and zero dependence on cellular data. HIGH-STRESS CHANNEL READABILITY Stop squinting at 8-point font in the dark. • Crystal-Clear Lineups: View channel numbers, band, digital modes (P25, DMR, mixed), frequencies, tones (CTCSS/DCS/NAC), power levels, and operational notes on clean, color-coded cards. • Scan Lists & Favorites: Star critical tactical nets or local repeaters for quick one-tap monitoring. • Automated ICS Imports: Parse ICS-204 and ICS-205 documents directly into live, interactive channel zones. TACTICAL MAPS, GEOPDF & GPS Turn your device into a full offline tactical GIS viewer: • GeoPDF Support: Import georeferenced maps from CalTopo, Avenza, Gaia GPS, or OnX. Run them as custom basemaps or layered overlays. Use the on-map fine-tuning tool to nudge or stretch GeoPDF boundaries to match live GPS. • Vector Layers: Drop in KML, KMZ, GPX tracks, and GeoJSON overlays with zero network overhead. • Universal Coordinate Converter: Instantly convert coordinates between DD, DMM, DMS, UTM, USNG, MGRS, Maidenhead Grid, Plus Codes, and GARS. BUILT-IN FIELD & RF TOOLKIT Leave the reference binders and cheat sheets behind: • Incident Forms: Fill, sign, and export official-layout ICS-214 Unit Logs and ICS-213 General Messages straight to PDF. • Fire Weather: Sling psychrometer Relative Humidity (RH) and Dew Point calculator with real-time hazard ratings. • Ham & RF Calculators: Antenna wire cut lengths (dipoles, EFHW, J-pole), VSWR & return loss, coax loss, dBm/watt conversions, OET 65 RF exposure distances, battery run-time budgets, and intermod product checks. • Tone & Audio Suite: Interactive DTMF keypad with playback, Morse code audio trainer (with Farnsworth timing), two-tone sequential paging alerts, and CTCSS/DCS reference lists. • Live Lookups: Satellite pass tracking with Doppler curves, solar weather band conditions, and callsign lookups (cached for offline field use). AGENCY & TEAM DEPLOYMENT Managing comms for mutual-aid strike teams or larger incidents? • Instant QR & Link Setup: Field crews scan a single QR code to download official lineups and incident forms instantly. • Multi-Agency Support: Connect up to 4 agencies simultaneously without numbering conflicts. • Free for Field Responders: Field operators access official agency plans, incident overlays, and custom agency forms completely free via simple Access Codes—no personal subscription required. Get your comms organized. Download ZoneMap today. Note: Advanced individual features and personal cloud sync require a ZoneMap subscription. Field users connecting via agency access codes do not require a subscription. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Echo

Tune into thousands of remote radio servers worldwide from your iPhone or iPad. Explore shortwave broadcasts, aviation communications, and more with a global interactive map and advanced tuning features. Enjoy uninterrupted background audio and a privacy-first experience.

Highlights
  • Global interactive map and search
  • Support for multiple SDR architectures
  • Scanner mode and OpenMHz archives
  • Pro-level tuning and analytics
  • Offline frequency library and logging
  • Uninterrupted background audio
  • Privacy-first design
Features
Read full description

Echo is the ultimate, natively-built iOS client for tuning into remote radio servers. Listen to anything, from anywhere. Dive into international shortwave broadcasts from Asia, monitor aviation communications over the Atlantic, discover mysterious numbers stations, or tune into distant FM stations across the globe, all from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac with Apple silicon. Featured in Radio World, on RTL-SDR.com, and in the SWLing Post. Radio World's Nick Langan praised Echo's "thoughtfully designed interface," said he has "loved using" the app, and later described Echo Pro's transcription as "very responsive." Designed for radio enthusiasts and curious listeners alike, Echo is a powerful aggregator that connects you to nearly 3,000 community-hosted Software Defined Radio (SDR) receivers. By integrating these reliable streams into a dedicated native environment, Echo delivers true background audio, high-performance mapping, and features that are difficult to achieve in a standard web browser. KEY FEATURES Global Interactive Map & Search Visually browse thousands of remote SDR servers worldwide using our smooth, native MapKit clustering engine, or instantly search nearly 3,000+ receivers by name or location. Unmatched SDR Compatibility Seamless support for KiwiSDR, OpenWebRX, WebSDR, and FM-DX Webserver architectures. Want to listen to a private node? Add your own unlisted servers with custom URL entry. Scanner Mode Automatically cycle through station lists at set intervals. Advanced Tuning & Analytics • Smart Manual Tuner: Instantly tune by entering kHz or MHz; Echo intelligently detects the band format. • Audio Engine Passthrough: Interfaces directly with server-side signal processors for broad compatibility with waterfall rendering, plugins, and decoding extensions. • Intelligent Profile Switching: Automatically switches to the correct server band profile as you tune on supported networks. Offline Frequency Library & Logging Search an offline, built-in EIBI database of over 9,000 global shortwave and utility frequencies. Save and log your favorite stations to your local device. Uninterrupted Background Audio Keep listening when your screen is locked or while using other apps. Our custom audio bridge intercepts complex SDR streams to provide true iOS background playback and lock-screen controls. ECHO PRO Take Echo further with recording, live transcription, translation, and iCloud sync. • Record the Airwaves: Record live radio and revisit important moments anytime. • Live Transcription: Turn live radio into on-screen text as you listen. • Translation: Transcribe foreign-language broadcasts and translate them into readable English. • iCloud Sync: Sync recordings, transcripts, translations, notes, favorites, saved servers, and supported settings across your Apple devices. Echo Pro requires a monthly or annual subscription. Privacy First Zero tracking. No analytics, no proprietary tracking servers, and no ad IDs. Your listening activity is not tracked. Echo Pro syncs supported data through your private iCloud account. Built with speed, aesthetics, and privacy in mind, Echo ensures a fast, premium listening experience. Start exploring the airwaves today! VoiceOver & Accessibility Support • Station cards, player, recording, and scanner controls announce meaningful context to VoiceOver • Scanner controls (play/pause/skip/favorite) are fully labeled and navigable • Station changes, server connections, and scanner state are announced in real-time • Reduce Transparency support: glass effects swap to solid backgrounds when enabled • Reduce Motion support: animations are simplified when enabled in iOS settings • Decorative elements hidden from assistive technology for a cleaner navigation experience Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

ZoneMap4 screens
Echo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Echo at every 9 days against ZoneMap's monthly. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. ZoneMap sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Echo sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ZoneMap ships an update monthly, Echo every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
ZoneMap versus Echo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterZoneMapEcho
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.9 (36 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—36 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.4 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size106 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNathan FilionMark Garrison Jr.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

ZoneMap

Subscriptions2
  • ZoneMap Pro Monthly (1 Month)1 Month trial$1.991 Month
  • ZoneMap Pro Annual (1 Year)1 Month trial$19.991 Year
2 purchases

Echo

Subscriptions2
  • Echo Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Echo Pro Annual$39.991 Year

Questions

Is ZoneMap free?
ZoneMap is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Echo free?
Echo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do ZoneMap or Echo have ads?
Neither ZoneMap nor Echo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ZoneMap or Echo?
ZoneMap ships an update monthly, and Echo every 9 days. Most recently, ZoneMap was updated on October 17, 2026 and Echo on October 24, 2026.

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