Comparison

TERMinator vs Echo

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

Head to head
About

TERMinator

Connect to Bulletin Board Systems and SSH servers with a retro terminal client. Experience authentic CP437 ANSI art rendering, classic fonts, and ZMODEM file transfers. Manage your connections with a phonebook and quick connect options.

Highlights
  • Telnet and SSH connections
  • CP437/ANSI art rendering
  • Classic bitmap fonts
  • ZMODEM file transfer
  • Scrollback history
  • Phonebook management
Features
Read full description

TERMinator is a retro BBS terminal client for iOS. Connect to Bulletin Board Systems and SSH servers with authentic CP437 ANSI art rendering, multiple classic fonts, and ZMODEM file transfers. Features: - Telnet and SSH connections - Pixel-perfect CP437/ANSI art with Metal rendering - Multiple screen modes (80x25, 80x40, 80x50, 132x25, 132x50) - Classic bitmap fonts including IBM VGA, Topaz, and more - ZMODEM file upload and download - Scrollback history - Session logging - Phonebook with drag-to-reorder and thumbnails - Quick Connect buttons for favorite BBSes - Zoom and pan controls - Clickable URL detection - Export/import BBS lists

About

Echo

Tune into thousands of remote radio servers worldwide from your iPhone or iPad. Explore shortwave broadcasts, aviation communications, and more with a global interactive map and advanced tuning features. Enjoy uninterrupted background audio and a privacy-first experience.

Highlights
  • Global interactive map and search
  • Support for multiple SDR architectures
  • Scanner mode and OpenMHz archives
  • Pro-level tuning and analytics
  • Offline frequency library and logging
  • Uninterrupted background audio
  • Privacy-first design
Features
Read full description

Echo is the ultimate, natively-built iOS client for tuning into remote radio servers. Listen to anything, from anywhere. Dive into international shortwave broadcasts from Asia, monitor aviation communications over the Atlantic, discover mysterious numbers stations, or tune into distant FM stations across the globe, all from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac with Apple silicon. Featured in Radio World, on RTL-SDR.com, and in the SWLing Post. Radio World's Nick Langan praised Echo's "thoughtfully designed interface," said he has "loved using" the app, and later described Echo Pro's transcription as "very responsive." Designed for radio enthusiasts and curious listeners alike, Echo is a powerful aggregator that connects you to nearly 3,000 community-hosted Software Defined Radio (SDR) receivers. By integrating these reliable streams into a dedicated native environment, Echo delivers true background audio, high-performance mapping, and features that are difficult to achieve in a standard web browser. KEY FEATURES Global Interactive Map & Search Visually browse thousands of remote SDR servers worldwide using our smooth, native MapKit clustering engine, or instantly search nearly 3,000+ receivers by name or location. Unmatched SDR Compatibility Seamless support for KiwiSDR, OpenWebRX, WebSDR, and FM-DX Webserver architectures. Want to listen to a private node? Add your own unlisted servers with custom URL entry. Scanner Mode Automatically cycle through station lists at set intervals. Advanced Tuning & Analytics • Smart Manual Tuner: Instantly tune by entering kHz or MHz; Echo intelligently detects the band format. • Audio Engine Passthrough: Interfaces directly with server-side signal processors for broad compatibility with waterfall rendering, plugins, and decoding extensions. • Intelligent Profile Switching: Automatically switches to the correct server band profile as you tune on supported networks. Offline Frequency Library & Logging Search an offline, built-in EIBI database of over 9,000 global shortwave and utility frequencies. Save and log your favorite stations to your local device. Uninterrupted Background Audio Keep listening when your screen is locked or while using other apps. Our custom audio bridge intercepts complex SDR streams to provide true iOS background playback and lock-screen controls. ECHO PRO Take Echo further with recording, live transcription, translation, and iCloud sync. • Record the Airwaves: Record live radio and revisit important moments anytime. • Live Transcription: Turn live radio into on-screen text as you listen. • Translation: Transcribe foreign-language broadcasts and translate them into readable English. • iCloud Sync: Sync recordings, transcripts, translations, notes, favorites, saved servers, and supported settings across your Apple devices. Echo Pro requires a monthly or annual subscription. Privacy First Zero tracking. No analytics, no proprietary tracking servers, and no ad IDs. Your listening activity is not tracked. Echo Pro syncs supported data through your private iCloud account. Built with speed, aesthetics, and privacy in mind, Echo ensures a fast, premium listening experience. Start exploring the airwaves today! VoiceOver & Accessibility Support • Station cards, player, recording, and scanner controls announce meaningful context to VoiceOver • Scanner controls (play/pause/skip/favorite) are fully labeled and navigable • Station changes, server connections, and scanner state are announced in real-time • Reduce Transparency support: glass effects swap to solid backgrounds when enabled • Reduce Motion support: animations are simplified when enabled in iOS settings • Decorative elements hidden from assistive technology for a cleaner navigation experience Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

TERMinator2 screens
Echo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TERMinator at none against Echo's 2. Echo's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 67%) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model 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. Echo sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. TERMinator asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Echo holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 36 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of TERMinator's written reviews are positive against 100% of Echo's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TERMinator ships an update every 8 days, Echo every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
TERMinator versus Echo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTERMinatorEcho
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (9 ratings)4.9 (36 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings936 — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size120 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPhil WhittemoreMark Garrison Jr.

Customer experience

TERMinator

All ratings9 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative11.1%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

Echo

All ratings35 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews20 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

TERMinator

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Echo

Subscriptions2
  • Echo Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Echo Pro Annual$39.991 Year

Questions

Is TERMinator free?
TERMinator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Echo free?
Echo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, TERMinator or Echo?
Echo is rated higher. TERMinator averages 4.6 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Echo averages 4.9 from 36 ratings.
Do TERMinator or Echo have ads?
Neither TERMinator nor Echo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TERMinator or Echo?
TERMinator ships an update every 8 days, and Echo every 9 days. Most recently, TERMinator was updated on October 31, 2026 and Echo on November 5, 2026.

Other comparisons