Comparison

HamsterDB vs Ham Listening

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

Head to head
About

HamsterDB

Features
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HamsterDB is the ultimate private database for amateur radio operators on iPhone. Keep track of every Ham Radio station you’ve worked and every contact you’ve made β€” all stored securely on your device with zero data sharing. Add a new station and HamsterDB instantly queries HamCall.net to auto-fill the operator’s name, location, and license class. Need the email address that HamCall doesn’t provide? Simply look it up on QRZ.com, copy the details, and paste into the QRZ field β€” HamsterDB intelligently maps everything into the right places. Once your stations are in the database you can view them instantly sorted by Call Sign, Name, or Date Created, in ascending or descending order. Export the entire database to a clean JSON file for backup or sharing with other hams. Import works just as easily, so clubs and friends can exchange logs in seconds. All data lives locally in SwiftData on your iPhone. There are no accounts, no cloud sync, no analytics, and no third-party data collection β€” your logbook stays completely private. Key Features β€’ Automatic HamCall.net callsign lookup β€’ QRZ.com paste-in support (captures email & extra fields) β€’ Sort & filter by Call Sign, Name, or creation date β€’ Ascending / descending order control β€’ Full JSON export & import for easy sharing β€’ Built-in comprehensive help system (CTHelp) β€’ Beautiful, intuitive iPhone-native interface β€’ Works offline after initial lookups Whether you chase DX, contest, ragchew, or just like keeping an accurate station log, HamsterDB turns your iPhone into a powerful, portable, private Ham Radio database. Privacy is built in from the ground up β€” your contacts and station data never leave your device. Download HamsterDB today and take control of your amateur radio logbook.

About

Ham Listening

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Ham Listening turns your phone into a window on the world's radio. Browse hundreds of public KiwiSDR receivers around the globe and tune the shortwave and amateur bands live β€” no radio, no antenna and no licence required. LISTEN ANYWHERE β€’ Browse hundreds of public KiwiSDR receivers hosted by operators worldwide β€’ Pick a receiver by country, then by source β€” or let "Best available" jump to the strongest open one β€’ Receivers near your grid are sorted first once you enter your locator β€’ Hear CW, SSB and distant broadcasters, and find out how the bands really sound from another continent β€’ A bundled receiver list means the picker still works when the live directory is having a bad day TUNE LIKE A RADIO β€’ A live waterfall with a fixed centre cursor β€” drag the waterfall under it to tune, pinch to zoom, tap to jump β€’ AM, LSB, USB, CW and NFM demodulation, each with the right passband applied for you β€’ A band-plan overlay showing what each part of the band is for, in IARU Region 1, 2 or 3 β€’ An S-meter and a live audio-FFT spectrum for receivers that offer no wideband waterfall β€’ Save frequency marks and jump straight back to them β€’ Direct frequency entry, step keys and adjustable volume BUILT TO KEEP PLAYING β€’ Audio keeps running when you switch apps or lock the screen β€’ Reconnects gracefully on its own when a stream drops β€’ Works over Wi-Fi or mobile data, and runs on modest data using compressed audio β€’ Remembers the receiver, frequency and mode you were last on β€’ Light and dark themes, adjustable font size, weekly tips and in-app version history β€’ No account, no sign-up, no ads, no analytics and no tracking PERFECT FOR β€’ Shortwave listeners and DXers with no antenna space β€’ Licensed operators checking how their band sounds from the other side of the world β€’ Anyone curious about radio who does not own a receiver β€’ Travellers, apartment dwellers and anyone in a high-noise location β€’ Teachers and clubs demonstrating HF propagation live PRIVACY β€’ Your callsign, grid and email are stored only on your device. β€’ 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 β€” Unixeer, Oman

Screenshots

HamsterDB3 screens
Ham Listening4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Ham Listening at every 3 weeks against HamsterDB's every 2 months. Ham Listening also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HamsterDB ships an update every 2 months, Ham Listening every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
HamsterDB versus Ham Listening: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHamsterDBHam Listening
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod β€” better
Requires iOS18.015.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size7 MB22 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGale WolfenbargerYousif AL Balushi

In-app purchases

None

HamsterDB

No in-app purchases

None

Ham Listening

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HamsterDB free?
HamsterDB is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ham Listening free?
Ham Listening is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do HamsterDB or Ham Listening have ads?
Neither HamsterDB nor Ham Listening shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HamsterDB or Ham Listening?
HamsterDB ships an update every 2 months, and Ham Listening every 3 weeks. Most recently, HamsterDB was updated on October 7, 2026 and Ham Listening on September 29, 2026.

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