Echo vs SwissCell
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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" and called it an app he has "loved using." Designed for radio enthusiasts and curious listeners alike, Echo is a powerful aggregator that connects you to over 2,000 community-hosted Software Defined Radio (SDR) receivers and OpenMHz archives. By integrating these reliable streams into a dedicated native environment, Echo delivers true background audio, high-performance mapping, and features impossible to achieve with 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 2,000+ 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 & OpenMHz Automatically cycle through station lists at set intervals. Listen directly to public safety, fire, and EMS radio systems via vast OpenMHz archives. 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 100% 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 servers, and no ad IDs. Your logs and favorites remain stored locally on your device. Echo Pro recording sync uses 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 • Every button, control, and station card announces 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/
SwissCell
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Instantly identify Swisscom, Sunrise and Salt stations around you. Enjoy unparalleled fluidity, dynamic distance measurement and an integrated Speed Test. Designed for telecom professionals and Swiss precision enthusiasts.
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Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Echo at Free against SwissCell's $1.99. On update cadence, 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
Echo is free to download; SwissCell costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Echo ships an update every 9 days, SwissCell every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Echo | SwissCell |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $1.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (32 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 32 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days — better | Every 10 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 11 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Mark Garrison Jr. | Vincent Marie Joseph Tissot |
In-app purchases
Echo
No in-app purchases
SwissCell
No in-app purchases





