Comparison

HamBand vs DXLens

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

Head to head
About

HamBand

This app provides amateur radio operators with real-time HF band condition assessments using live solar weather data. It offers band ratings, a greyline visualizer, and trend charts to help predict propagation. An Apple Watch companion app is also available for quick access to information.

Highlights
  • Real-time HF band condition ratings
  • Greyline visualizer for propagation
  • 7-day trend charts for solar data
  • Live Solar Flux Index and K-Index
  • Apple Watch companion app and complication
  • No subscriptions, accounts, or ads
Features
Read full description

HamBand - HF Band Conditions HamBand gives amateur radio operators instant, real-time HF band condition assessments based on live solar weather data from NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center. Whether you're heading out for a Parks on the Air (POTA) activation, setting up for Field Day, or just checking conditions from the shack, HamBand tells you what the bands are doing right now - no account, no setup, no clutter. Band Conditions Get instant Good, Fair, or Poor ratings for the five primary HF bands - 10m, 15m, 20m, 40m, and 80m - based on real solar physics. Ratings are calculated from the Solar Flux Index (SFI) and K-Index using band-specific propagation thresholds. Greyline Visualizer Watch the day/night terminator move across a live world map in real time. When your QTH sits on the greyline, low-band DX on 160m, 80m, and 40m lights up — so instead of guessing when that sweet spot rolls through, you can see it coming. 7-Day Trend Charts Track how solar conditions have evolved over the past week with interactive K-Index and SFI trend charts. Spot incoming geomagnetic storms before they kill your signal. Live Solar Data See the current Solar Flux Index, K-Index, and last updated time at a glance. Tap either metric for a plain-English explanation of what it means for your operating. Apple Watch Companion Check band conditions right from your wrist. The Apple Watch app and complication keep key solar indices and band ratings accessible without touching your phone - perfect when both hands are on the antenna. Pull to Refresh Always fetching fresh data directly from NOAA. No subscriptions, no accounts, no ads. HamBand is built by KD3CLW, a licensed amateur radio operator in western Pennsylvania. 73 de KD3CLW

About

DXLens

Explore shortwave radio broadcasts with this comprehensive guide. Discover schedules, understand reception conditions, and access public SDR receivers. Log your reception and set alerts for your favorite stations.

Highlights
  • Shortwave broadcast schedules
  • On Air broadcast views
  • Station search and filtering
  • Interactive maps and station details
  • Reception forecasts and reliability
  • Access to public SDR receivers
  • Reception logbook and alerts
Read full description

DXLens is a shortwave listening companion designed to help listeners explore broadcast schedules, understand reception conditions, and access compatible public SDR receivers. Key features: • Shortwave schedules compiled from multiple established sources • On Air views for broadcasts scheduled at the current time • Search and filtering by station, frequency, language, band, target area, and source • Interactive maps, station details, and transmitter information • Reception forecasts, modeled path reliability, and propagation context • Access to compatible public KiwiSDR receivers • Support for compatible personal rtl_tcp receivers • Favorites, saved receivers, alerts, and a reception logbook • Home Screen widgets • Optional iCloud synchronization for supported user data • Manual location selection when location access is not granted All features in this release are available without a subscription or in-app purchase. No account or sign-in is required. DXLens provides schedule-based guidance and transparent reception information. It does not claim to measure live signal strength unless data is obtained from an actual receiver. Some features require an internet connection. Public SDR availability depends on third-party receiver operators and network conditions. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://dxlens.app/privacy

Screenshots

HamBand4 screens
DXLens4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: HamBand at 5.0 against DXLens's 3.0. DXLens's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

HamBand holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
HamBand versus DXLens: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHamBandDXLens
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better3.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews—50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings22
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 10 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB160 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTAYLOR JOHN TRANSUEMuayyad Qalalwah

Customer experience

HamBand

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

DXLens

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

None

HamBand

No in-app purchases

None

DXLens

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HamBand free?
HamBand is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DXLens free?
DXLens is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, HamBand or DXLens?
HamBand is rated higher. HamBand averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while DXLens averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.
Do HamBand or DXLens have ads?
Neither HamBand nor DXLens shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HamBand or DXLens?
HamBand ships an update every 10 days, and DXLens every 10 days. Most recently, HamBand was updated on October 19, 2026 and DXLens on October 15, 2026.

Other comparisons