# QRV vs Handi

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Handi at none against QRV's 3. Handi also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). QRV's advantage is review sentiment (82% vs 67%) and ratings volume (81 vs 5). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. QRV sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Handi asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for QRV against 5.0 for Handi. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: QRV has 81 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 82% of QRV's written reviews are positive against 67% of Handi's.

QRV ships an update weekly, Handi every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | QRV | Handi |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (81 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qrv-ham-radio-multitool/id6754951380/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handi-talky-commander/id6786154035/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **81** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **81.8% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 43 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Joseph Iannazzone](https://appshunter.io/developer/1554474189) | [Ylian Saint-Hilaire](https://appshunter.io/developer/6786138083) |

## What reviewers say

### QRV

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qrv-ham-radio-multitool/id6754951380)

This app consolidates essential ham radio tools for efficient operation and DX success. It provides real-time band conditions, callsign lookups, band plans, and built-in calculators. Available across multiple Apple devices, it offers cross-device sync and customizable alerts.

**Highlights:** Real-time band conditions, Universal callsign lookup, Cross-device sync, DXpedition calendar, POTA spots, Band plans, Built-in calculators

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| QRV Premium - Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| QRV Premium - Annual | $9.99 | per year |
| QRV Premium - Lifetime | $24.99 | one-time |


### Handi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handi-talky-commander/id6786154035)

This app enhances amateur radio operations by connecting your Bluetooth-enabled transceiver to your iPhone or iPad. It offers comprehensive features for programming, messaging, mapping, and packet-radio communications, including APRS and Winlink email.

**Highlights:** Radio channel management, APRS messaging, Winlink email, Packet terminal communication, Interactive mapping, File exchange

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is QRV free?

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

### Is Handi free?

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

### Which has better reviews, QRV or Handi?

Handi is rated higher. QRV averages 4.9 out of 5 from 81 ratings, while Handi averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do QRV or Handi have ads?

Neither QRV nor Handi shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, QRV or Handi?

QRV ships an update weekly, and Handi every 2 days. Most recently, QRV was updated on November 9, 2026 and Handi on November 5, 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.*