Comparison

BitAxe Guardian vs RigRef

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

Head to head
About

BitAxe Guardian

Monitor and manage your BitAxe solo mining hardware remotely without needing a VPN. Receive instant alerts, optimize performance, and automate actions to protect your devices and maximize efficiency from anywhere.

Highlights
  • Remote fleet control
  • Real-time push notifications
  • Always-on metrics and charts
  • Pool latency tracking
  • Automation guardrails
  • Overclock setting adjustments
Features
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BitAxe Guardian helps you monitor and manage your BitAxe solo mining fleet from anywhere, without a VPN. The always-on Gateway handles continuous monitoring and automation. The mobile app gives you instant visibility, alerts, and controls so you can protect miners, optimize performance, and react fast. Monitor an unlimited number of devices on your local network for free. Upgrade to connect the always-on Gateway for remote access, alerts, automation, and deeper metrics. Companion Gateway app runs continuously in the background of your Mac / Windows / Linux computer. Features: โ€ข Remote fleet control through a secure Gateway connection. โ€ข Real-time push notifications for thermal issues, best difficulty hits, block found events, and more. โ€ข Always-on metrics and charts for hashrate, temperature, and efficiency. โ€ข Pool latency tracking to compare pools and make smarter switching decisions. โ€ข Automation guardrails that run even when your phone is closed or you're unavailable. Hanging at the beach? Adjust & automate your overclock settings! Riding transit? Get notified of your new best difficulty record! Travelling overseas? Automate your fleet to adjust tuning or switch pools if stale share rate spikes! Automation examples: โ€ข Prevent device damage by responding to temperature spikes instantly. โ€ข Adjust overclocking based on real-time metrics. โ€ข Switch between pools automatically based on performance. โ€ข Trigger safe auto-restarts and recovery routines when needed. Compatible with all BitAxe devices running AxeOS firmware. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

RigRef

Features
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RigRef is the offline quick-reference and toolkit your two-way radio forgot to include. When you can't remember which menu unlocks the keypad, sets a repeater offset, or turns on the weather alert โ€” and there's no signal to look it up โ€” RigRef has the answer, saved on your phone. 36 RADIOS, 980+ HOW-TO CARDS Step-by-step instructions for the radios people actually own: Baofeng UV-5R, UV-82, UV-9R Plus, BF-F8HP, AR-5RM; Quansheng UV-K5/K6 (including egzumer custom firmware); Yaesu FT-60R, FT-65R, FT-4XR, VX-6R, FT-70D, FT5D, FT3D; Icom IC-V86, IC-T10, ID-52; Kenwood TH-K20A, TH-D74A; GMRS from BTECH, Wouxun, Radioddity and Midland; DMR from AnyTone, TYT and more. Every card lists the exact buttons and menu items. Search across every radio at once ("how do I scan?") or browse one radio by category โ€” power, memory channels, tones, repeaters, scanning, digital, and more. OFFLINE TOOLKIT On-device tools that work with no signal: - RF calculators: antenna length, coax loss, repeater offset, SWR/return loss, power & ERP, DC voltage drop, range/line-of-sight, grid square, and battery life. - A contact (QSO) logbook with one-tap ADIF export. - A channel/memory editor that validates entries and imports/exports CHIRP CSV to program your radio. - An ICS-205 net log to build a comms plan and track check-ins. - Repeaters Near Me: sort imported repeaters by distance and bearing using GPS and the compass. - A tone generator: DTMF, 1750 Hz tone burst, CTCSS and reference tones. - A camera scanner that reads a printed frequency list into editable channels. WORKS WHEN NOTHING ELSE DOES Everything is stored on your device. No account, no sign-in, no internet required. EMERGENCY & PREPAREDNESS FREQUENCIES A bundled, offline list of common US frequencies โ€” FRS, GMRS, MURS, CB, marine, NOAA weather, and ham calling channels โ€” with notes on what needs a license. REPEATERS, OFFLINE Import a CHIRP/CSV repeater list (export from RepeaterBook in CHIRP format) and browse it offline with band and mode filters. Data courtesy of RepeaterBook.com. FIELD COMMS PLANNER Build the channels your team will actually use on a trip or operation, then share them phone-to-phone with no internet (Supporter feature). Receiving a plan is always free. READABLE IN THE FIELD Field Mode bumps the text size for gloves, bright sun, or shaky hands โ€” free for everyone. FREE, WITH AN OPTIONAL SUPPORTER UNLOCK All reference content and tools are free, forever. An optional Supporter unlock adds color themes, alternate app icons, a red Night Vision mode, and over-the-air plan sending. Tips are welcome but never required. IMPORTANT RigRef is a quick reference, not a substitute for your radio's manual. Procedures vary by firmware and region โ€” always confirm against your actual radio. Transmitting on some services requires a license; you are responsible for operating legally. 73!

Screenshots

BitAxe Guardian4 screens
RigRef4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: BitAxe Guardian at 15.1 against RigRef's 17.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. BitAxe Guardian sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and RigRef sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard1 real difference ยท 7 level
BitAxe Guardian versus RigRef: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBitAxe GuardianRigRef
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews0.0% of reviewsโ€”
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysโ€”
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumโ€”
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 โ€” better17.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size51 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTyler RuetzFredy Soussou

In-app purchases

3 purchases

BitAxe Guardian

Subscriptions3
  • BitAxe Guardian Solo$1.991 Month
  • BitAxe Guardian Multi$2.991 Month
  • BitAxe Guardian Pro$4.991 Month
1 purchases

RigRef

One-time1
  • RigRef Supporter$2.99

Questions

Is BitAxe Guardian free?
BitAxe Guardian is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is RigRef free?
RigRef is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do BitAxe Guardian or RigRef have ads?
Neither BitAxe Guardian nor RigRef shows ads.

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