Comparison

HamSat vs Handi

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

Head to head
About

HamSat

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
Read full description

HamSat is the satellite tracker built for amateur radio operators — with an Apple Watch companion on your wrist and, new in 2.1, a sked planner that finds the passes you and another operator can work together. NEW — SKED PLANNER (Pro) • Plan a contact, not just a pass: enter another operator's grid square and find every window where a satellite sees you both • Set a minimum elevation for each end of the link — a window only counts if it's workable at both stations • One tap adds the sked to your calendar with the overlap times, a 10-minute reminder, and the radio setup PLAN AHEAD • Pass predictions up to 7 days out • Add any pass to Apple Calendar — times, reminder, and frequencies in the notes. HamSat never reads your calendar. • Choose your pass-alert tone — including a CW "HI" in Morse APPLE WATCH (Pro) • Your next favorite pass on your wrist: live azimuth, elevation, Doppler-corrected frequencies, and a countdown to AOS • Guided wrist-aim — follow an arrow straight to the satellite and feel a haptic tap the instant you're locked on. Aim your antenna without looking at a screen, hands free for the radio. • Propagated on the watch itself, so it keeps tracking even when your phone is out of range PASS TRACKING • Live sky dome with the satellite's arc and a glyph riding it in real time • Fullscreen Live tracker — big AZ/EL, Doppler-corrected frequencies, landscape split-pane • Aim mode uses your phone's compass to show where you're pointing — no forced figure-8 calibration, just point and go • Apple Maps ground track with horizon footprint OPERATING DURING A PASS • Doppler-corrected RX (and TX for SSB/linear) dial frequencies, updated every second • 10-minute and AOS notifications that deep-link straight to the pass • Live Activity + Dynamic Island on the lock screen, elevation and azimuth ticking live • Bell badge on any pass you've set an alert for ROVER PROOF PHOTOS • Stamp a photo at your site with your callsign, grid, satellite, and UTC time — proof of where you were on the air • Fresh photo or one from your library; share to X, Messages, AirDrop — or submit for the AMSAT Rover Award ALWAYS OVERHEAD (free) • Lists any geostationary satellite in your sky — QO-100 (Es'hail 2) for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East • "Find it in the sky" — point your phone and check your line-of-sight to the bird is clear • No Pro required for geostationary satellites SATELLITE CATALOG • Friendly designations everywhere — SO-50, AO-91, RS-44, JO-97 — with launch names as subtitles • Search by name or NORAD ID • Curated radio data for the most-worked birds, plus live SatNOGS for the long tail — kept fresh by HamSat's catalog service • Filter by mode (FM, linear, beacon, data, telemetry) ACCURATE & OFFLINE • Full SGP4 propagation on-device — the model the pros use, so times and positions match apps like ISS Detector • Works completely offline — every pass, sky dome, ground track, and Doppler computed locally. No API keys, no rate limits. • Always-fresh orbital data via HamSat's catalog service, with direct CelesTrak/AMSAT fallback — or pin a source • Settings shows how fresh your orbital data is PRIVACY-FIRST • Your location stays on-device — nothing about you is sent to any server • Orbital data from public sources (CelesTrak, AMSAT, SatNOGS) • No accounts, no tracking, no ads HamSat Pro — the field operator's toolkit • Sked planner — mutual passes with any partner grid • Apple Watch tracking & guided wrist-aim • Fullscreen Live tracker with second-by-second Doppler (landscape split-pane) • Live in-pass Doppler — corrected RX/TX at AOS, max, and LOS • Overhead-now live tracker for your favorites • Unlimited scheduled alerts — not just three • Shareable Rover proof photos One-time purchase, no subscription. 73 — and good DX!

About

Handi

This app serves as a central hub for amateur radio operators, enabling them to connect their transceivers to mobile devices. It facilitates radio programming, messaging, mapping, and packet-radio communications.

Highlights
  • Radio channel management
  • APRS messaging
  • Winlink email
  • Packet terminal
  • Interactive map
  • File exchange
Features
Read full description

HTCommander is a comprehensive companion for amateur radio operators using EchoLink or supported Bluetooth-enabled transceivers. Connect your radio to your iPhone or iPad and manage programming, messaging, mapping, and packet-radio communications from one application. KEY FEATURES - Configure, organize, import, and export radio channels - Send and receive APRS messages - Inspect packet details and select APRS routing paths - Request weather reports and use supported APRS services - Display APRS stations and position reports on an interactive map - Compose, send, and receive Winlink email with attachments - Communicate through the packet terminal - Operate a built-in bulletin board system - Capture and decode received packets - Manage APRS, Winlink, and terminal contacts - Use supported radio GPS information - Exchange files over compatible packet-radio links SUPPORTED RADIOS HTCommander supports selected models from BTECH, Radioddity, Vero, and Radtel, including the UV-Pro, UV-50Pro, GA-5WB, DB50-B Mini, VR-N75, VR-N76, VR-N7500, VR-N7600, and RT-660. An amateur radio license is required to transmit. Operators are responsible for following local regulations, band plans, and licensing requirements.

Screenshots

HamSat4 screens
Handi4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Handi at 5.0 against HamSat's 4.4. Handi also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.4). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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. HamSat sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Handi asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Handi holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 4 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 50% and 50% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
HamSat versus Handi: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHamSatHandi
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (5 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings5 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 2 daysEvery 2 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS26.415.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB62 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVasco BarreirosYlian Saint-Hilaire

Customer experience

HamSat

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%

Handi

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

HamSat

One-time1
  • HamSat Pro$9.99
None

Handi

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HamSat free?
HamSat is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Handi free?
Handi is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, HamSat or Handi?
Handi is rated higher. HamSat averages 4.4 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Handi averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do HamSat or Handi have ads?
Neither HamSat nor Handi shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HamSat or Handi?
HamSat ships an update every 2 days, and Handi every 2 days. Most recently, HamSat was updated on October 17, 2026 and Handi on October 14, 2026.

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