IOTExplorer vs Ham Engineering
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
IOTExplorer
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IOTExplorer — Zero-Configuration IoT Device Discovery for iOS & iPadOS Instantly discover and manage every IO-TEQ device on your network from your iPhone or iPad. IOTExplorer uses intelligent UDP broadcast scanning to find devices the moment they come online — no manual setup, no IP addresses to remember, no configuration files to maintain. Whether you're checking a few sensors in the field or managing an IoT fleet on the go, IOTExplorer gives you a mobile-first experience purpose-built for iOS and iPadOS. REAL-TIME DISCOVERY & MONITORING IOTExplorer continuously scans your local network, detecting devices as they appear, tracking IP changes, monitoring firmware versions, and reporting online/offline status in real time. Reachability is determined by subnet — so you always know which devices are on your network. TWO VIEW MODES • Grid — Card-based layout for quick visual scanning • List — Sortable, filterable list for fast device lookup BUILT-IN NETWORK DIAGNOSTICS No need to switch to another app. IOTExplorer includes tools right inside: • Ping with latency results • Port scanner for TCP connectivity (HTTP, HTTPS, SSH, Telnet, Modbus) • Reachability test for instant connectivity checks DEVICE MANAGEMENT & ORGANIZATION • Favorites for quick access to frequently used devices • Find Me to physically locate devices with visual/audio indicators • Temporary IP assignment for field configuration • Network configuration (IP, subnet, gateway, DHCP) for supported devices • Device history — chronological log of discovery, updates, disappearances, and network changes OPTIMIZED FOR IPAD On iPad, IOTExplorer uses a split-view layout: device list on the left, detail panel on the right. Multi-column grids and adaptive layouts make it easy to work with many devices on a larger screen. DEEP iOS INTEGRATION IOTExplorer is built with SwiftUI and feels right at home on your device: • Native tab navigation (Discover, Favorites, History) • Pull-to-refresh for manual discovery refresh • Search and filter by device type • System, Light, and Dark mode support • Local Network permission for discovery SUPPORTS 11 IO-TEQ DEVICE FAMILIES IOT-PCM, IOT-AT, SPX5-MODBUS, IOT-DI-600, IOT-DURO-1, IOT-eqOS, IOT-IPS-GTW, IOT-IPS-ANCHOR, IOT-BB, IOT-EIO, and IOT-IRIS — each with tailored actions and capabilities (Find Me, Temp IP, Web, Net Config where supported).
Ham Engineering
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Ham Engineering is the engineering bench for amateur radio — antenna and feedline maths, circuit design, propagation and a deep reference library, all completely offline. No account, no ads, no tracking, and not a single network call. ANTENNAS • Half-wave dipole with adjustable k (velocity) factor, quarter-wave and 5/8-wave verticals, ground-plane radials, end-fed half-wave, random wire, full-wave loop and a 3-element Yagi estimator • Matching: L-network, Pi-network, quarter-wave transformer, balun/unun ratios and stub matching • Antenna Lab — a live elevation radiation-pattern plot with directivity, realized gain, takeoff angle, beamwidth, front-to-back, mismatch loss, feedline loss and system gain, each explained • Grid Compass that rotates with your phone, showing beam bearing and distance from your grid to a target grid • Antenna gallery — every common type drawn as scalable vector art, with what it is, what it is for and what to watch out for FEEDLINES & RF • Coax loss by cable type, frequency and run length; velocity-factor electrical length • SWR from forward/reflected power, plus return loss and mismatch loss • Antenna A/B comparison and receiver noise-floor estimation • RF power conversions: dBm, watts, ERP and EIRP • Propagation: free-space path loss, radio horizon and Fresnel-zone clearance • NanoVNA and tinySA quick-start guides, and a coax + connector gallery CIRCUITS • Ohm's law, series/parallel resistance, voltage dividers, RC and RL time constants • Reactance, LC resonance, Q and bandwidth, stored energy • RC and LC filter cutoffs, a constant-k Pi/T filter designer, a bandpass/notch calculator and a Butterworth low-pass designer • Resistor, capacitor and inductor code decoders, an AWG wire table and a 555 timer calculator • A live RLC resonance lab and a 50-part component gallery REFERENCE & EXTRA • Filterable amateur band plan for ITU Regions 1, 2 and 3 • Unit converters including watts, dBm and microvolts • Comparison tables for coax, connectors, antennas and batteries • Tools-and-gear and rig-controls galleries — what every knob and button is called across manufacturers • Maidenhead grid tools and great-circle beam headings • 300+ searchable tips, 40+ formulas, a rich glossary and a constants reference • Curated external links to major retailers, brands and references BUILT FOR THE BENCH • Nearly 200 illustrations drawn as scalable vector art — nothing to download, everything sharp at any size • Works fully offline. The app makes no network calls at all • Export any panel or diagram as a theme-aware image to share or file • An (i) explanation on every panel — this is a tool and a guide, not a quiz • Light and dark themes, adjustable font size, weekly tips and in-app version history • Your callsign, grid and email stay on your device and are never transmitted PERFECT FOR • Licensed operators designing, building and tuning antennas • Anyone putting up a first dipole or vertical and wanting the numbers right • Homebrewers and kit builders working with filters, matching and components • SWLs and newcomers who want the reference material without the exam drill • Club elmers and anyone teaching antenna and RF fundamentals PRIVACY • Your callsign, grid and email are stored only on your device. • No account, no sign-up, no ads, no analytics SDKs, no advertising ID and no tracking of any kind. 73 de A41UX Yousuf AL Balushi — Unixeer, Oman
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: IOTExplorer at daily against Ham Engineering's every 3 weeks. Ham Engineering's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.2). 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
IOTExplorer ships an update daily, Ham Engineering every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | IOTExplorer | Ham Engineering |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Daily — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 18.2 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 21 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Angel Oberto | Yousif AL Balushi |
In-app purchases
IOTExplorer
No in-app purchases
Ham Engineering
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is IOTExplorer free?
Is Ham Engineering free?
Do IOTExplorer or Ham Engineering have ads?
Which is updated more often, IOTExplorer or Ham Engineering?
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