# HamSat vs BetterGecko

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BetterGecko at none against HamSat's 1. BetterGecko also leads on iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.4). HamSat's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs fortnightly). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HamSat sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. BetterGecko asks for nothing beyond the download.

HamSat ships an update every 2 days, BetterGecko fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HamSat | BetterGecko |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamsat-ham-satellite-tracker/id6762450814/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **5** | — |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 11 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.4 | **17.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vasco Barreiros](https://appshunter.io/developer/1451715392) | [Kobus Marneweck](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895538609) |

## What reviewers say

### HamSat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamsat-ham-satellite-tracker/id6762450814)

Track satellite passes with real-time azimuth, elevation, and Doppler-corrected frequencies. Features an Apple Watch companion for wrist-based aiming and pass tracking, and allows users to stamp photos with operational data.

**Highlights:** Apple Watch companion for pass tracking and antenna aiming, Live sky dome with real-time satellite arcs, Aim mode with phone compass and haptic feedback, Doppler-corrected frequencies for operating during passes, Photo stamping with callsign, grid, satellite, and UTC time, Offline satellite tracking and propagation, Geostationary satellite tracking

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HamSat Pro | $9.99 | one-time |


### BetterGecko

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bettergecko/id6767593766)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HamSat free?

HamSat is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is BetterGecko free?

BetterGecko is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do HamSat or BetterGecko have ads?

Neither HamSat nor BetterGecko shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HamSat or BetterGecko?

HamSat ships an update every 2 days, and BetterGecko fortnightly. Most recently, HamSat was updated on October 25, 2026 and BetterGecko on October 19, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*