Comparison

Carrier Wave vs Wifi Rig CTRL

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

Head to head
About

Carrier Wave

This application is a modern QSO logger for amateur radio operators, designed for fast and reliable contact logging from any location. It offers seamless syncing with popular services, real-time monitoring, and advanced features like AI-powered transcription.

Highlights
  • Fast command-driven logging
  • Sync contacts to QRZ, POTA, Ham2K
  • Real-time POTA and RBN monitoring
  • POTA activation management
  • AI-powered CW transcription
  • iCloud sync
  • Detailed statistics
Features
Read full description

Carrier Wave is a fast, modern QSO logger for amateur radio operators. Log contacts from the field or the shack, sync to your favorite services, and track your progress - all from your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch. KEY FEATURES - Fast command-driven logging with quick-entry shortcuts and keyboard accessory bar - Sync contacts to QRZ, Parks on the Air (POTA), and Ham2K LoFi - Real-time POTA and Reverse Beacon Network (RBN) spot monitoring with map view - POTA activation management with rove support, auto-spotting, and two-fer parks - CW recording and AI-powered transcription with karaoke-style playback - iCloud sync across all your devices - Automatic and manual database backups with iCloud Drive mirroring - ADIF import and export - Detailed statistics: bands, modes, DXCC entities, grids, states, parks - Social activity feed with friends list and on-air notifications - Apple Watch companion with live session updates and solar conditions - Landscape and iPad layouts with resizable sidebar panes - Accessibility: VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, and Reduce Motion support Carrier Wave is built for operators who want a fast, reliable logger that stays out of their way. Whether you are activating a park, chasing DX, or working a contest, it is designed to keep up with you.

About

Wifi Rig CTRL

Features
Read full description

【WireGuard VPN セットアップ改善】 ・セットアップ中に IP アドレスを変更しても API キー設定が確実に完了するよう修正 ・sudo パスワード入力欄を復活(SETUP Pi 未実施の Pi にも対応) ・API キー設定を sudo 不要の方式に変更(既存 Pi との互換性向上) 【FT8 改善】 ・CQ 送信を複数回行っても1回しか表示されなかった問題を修正 ・Update Pi 後に FT8 デコードが停止する問題を修正(SSE 再接続時に自動再開) ・mfsk-decode 未ビルド時のアラートが再接続後も消えない問題を修正 【Raspberry Pi セットアップ改善】 ・SETUP Pi 完了後に「次に UPDATE 画面で Update Pi を実行」と案内表示 ・Update Pi 実行時に mfsk-decode ビルドを自動開始(10〜20 分) ・アプリ内蔵ファイルを SFTP で直接 Pi に転送(GitHub 依存を排除) 【Pi API 更新(要 Update Pi)】 ・USB オーディオ音量初期化で "Master" コントロールにも対応(FT8 TX 出力改善) ・NOPASSWD 設定を強化(daemon-reload・mkdir・tee を追加)

Screenshots

Carrier Wave4 screens
Wifi Rig CTRL4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Wifi Rig CTRL at Free against Carrier Wave's $4.99. Wifi Rig CTRL also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.2). On 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

Wifi Rig CTRL is free to download; Carrier Wave costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Carrier Wave ships an update weekly, Wifi Rig CTRL every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Carrier Wave versus Wifi Rig CTRL: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCarrier WaveWifi Rig CTRL
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.217.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size60 MB15 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperJames VanaJIRO UENO

In-app purchases

None

Carrier Wave

No in-app purchases

None

Wifi Rig CTRL

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Carrier Wave free?
Carrier Wave costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Wifi Rig CTRL free?
Wifi Rig CTRL is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Carrier Wave or Wifi Rig CTRL have ads?
Neither Carrier Wave nor Wifi Rig CTRL shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Carrier Wave or Wifi Rig CTRL?
Carrier Wave ships an update weekly, and Wifi Rig CTRL every 2 days. Most recently, Carrier Wave was updated on October 1, 2026 and Wifi Rig CTRL on October 12, 2026.

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