Comparison

FT Ham vs SimpleCW

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

Head to head
About

FT Ham

Decode and transmit FT8/FT4 amateur radio signals directly from your mobile device. Features real-time decoding, automatic QSO sequencing, and an integrated logbook with ADIF export. All processing is done offline and locally on your device.

Highlights
  • Real-time FT8/FT4 decoding
  • Offline audio transmission
  • Automatic QSO sequencing
  • Live waterfall display
  • Integrated logbook with ADIF export
  • Customizable message composer
Features
Read full description

FT Ham – FT8/FT4 Decoder & Audio Transmitter for Amateur Radio FT Ham puts a complete FT8/FT4 decoder and audio encoder/transmitter in your pocket. Decode, reply, and log QSOs directly from your iPhone — all in real time, fully offline. What the app does for you: - Live Waterfall: frequency vs time spectrogram with color intensity and vertical labels for each decoded signal. - Real-time Decoding: receive FT8 and FT4 audio via microphone or connected audio interface and see callsigns, reports, and SNR instantly. - Transmit (Encode & Play): generate FT8/FT4 audio for CQ, reports, RRR, and 73, aligned to correct UTC slots and played through speaker or radio interface. - Auto QSO Sequencing: detects CQ, prepares replies, respects UTC timing and even/odd cycles, retries if needed, and can complete QSOs automatically. - Manual Control Always Available: full manual message selection and intervention at any point. - Predefined Messages & Composer: CQ, DX→ME, reports, RRR, and 73 — automatically filled with your callsign and locator, fully customizable. - Logbook & ADIF Export: automatically log completed QSOs and export to standard ADIF for external logging software. - Contact Map: visualize logged QSOs and geographic coverage in a single view. Privacy & Safety: - All decoding and signal processing runs entirely on your device. No internet connection required. - FT Ham does not collect or share personal data. All settings and logs remain local on your device. - Audio output may be connected to external radios; always comply with local amateur radio regulations. - Payments are handled by Apple or third-party services; FT Ham never receives payment details. Legal & Licenses: - FT Ham code is released under the MIT License. - Third-party library licenses are included in-app.

About

SimpleCW

Features
Read full description

Read Morse and digital-mode signals from audio with SimpleCW (formerly HamChat). Tune one receiver, watch the waterfall, and follow decoded text in the transcript. CW includes automatic tone acquisition or manual tuning, Otsu and Bayesian decoders, a live keying trace, speed estimates, and input-level feedback. An optional on-device ML CW decoder is included with Premium Modes Unlock on iOS 18 or later and macOS 15 or later. Decoder results depend on signal quality and sending style; Otsu is the default. Receive CW, PSK31/63, MFSK, Olivia, and RTTY. Classical receive in every mode and CW transmit remain free. A three-minute trial lets you try other transmit modes. The existing one-time Premium Modes Unlock purchase adds unlimited digital-mode transmit and the optional ML CW decoder. Use the microphone or a compatible audio interface. On Mac, System Audio can receive audio from other software with the appropriate system permission. Audio processing stays on the device. Copy or share the resulting transcript.

Screenshots

FT Ham4 screens
SimpleCW4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: FT Ham at every 5 days against SimpleCW's every 5 weeks. 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. FT Ham sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and SimpleCW sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FT Ham ships an update every 5 days, SimpleCW every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
FT Ham versus SimpleCW: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFT HamSimpleCW
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (3 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS16.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPABLO TURRION SAN PEDROJeroen Rombouts

In-app purchases

4 purchases

FT Ham

One-time4
  • Donation of 0.99 €$0.99
  • FT Ham premium access$1.99
  • Donation of 2,99 €$2.99
Show 1 more
  • Donation of 4,99 €$3.99
1 purchases

SimpleCW

One-time1
  • Unlock TX Modes$2.99

Questions

Is FT Ham free?
FT Ham is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SimpleCW free?
SimpleCW is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do FT Ham or SimpleCW have ads?
Neither FT Ham nor SimpleCW shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FT Ham or SimpleCW?
FT Ham ships an update every 5 days, and SimpleCW every 5 weeks. Most recently, FT Ham was updated on September 16, 2026 and SimpleCW on September 21, 2026.

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