Comparison

Echo vs SwissCell

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

Head to head
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" 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/

About

SwissCell

Features
Read full description

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.

Screenshots

Echo4 screens
SwissCell4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Echo is free to download; SwissCell costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Echo versus SwissCell: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEchoSwissCell
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating5.0 (32 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings32 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 10 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMark Garrison Jr.Vincent Marie Joseph Tissot

In-app purchases

None

Echo

No in-app purchases

None

SwissCell

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Echo free?
Echo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SwissCell free?
SwissCell costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Echo or SwissCell have ads?
Neither Echo nor SwissCell shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Echo or SwissCell?
Echo ships an update every 9 days, and SwissCell every 10 days. Most recently, Echo was updated on September 25, 2026 and SwissCell on September 23, 2026.

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