Greyline FT8 vs FT8 Hero Remote
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Greyline FT8
This app provides a portable digital ham radio experience for field operations on iOS devices. It automates callsign lookups, displays real-time spot data, and offers automated calling or manual control for QSOs. Features include intelligent frequency selection, audio delay adjustment, and direct logging to QRZ.
- Field-ready digital ham radio
- Automated callsign and DXCC lookups
- Real-time PSK Reporter spot data
- Automated CQ Gatherer and Hunter modes
- Intelligent automatic frequency selection
- Direct-to-QRZ logging and ADI export
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Greyline FT8 is a highly portable, capable amateur radio app designed specifically for field operation with an iOS device. I designed this app because I got very used to my full-stack FT8 solution: GridTracker, WSJT-X, PSK Reporter, WRL Desktop, several browser tabs, and more. But I didn't want the bulk and weight of a full Windows PC in the field. At the same time, while there are excellent and lightweight FT8 iOS solutions out there, they were lacking features I really wanted. Greyline is everything you need and nothing you don't. It automatically locates your grid square, performs callsign and calling station DXCC lookups (internet access required), and can even show you real-time spot data from PSK Reporter. Want to adjust your directional antenna? Now you've got the info you need to do it! Greyline also incorporates automated calling features. Gatherer mode calls CQ, responds to the first reply it gets, finishes the QSO and returns to calling CQ all without your input. On the other side of things, Hunter mode listens for CQ calls and pounces on them, finishing a QSO then returning to the live band to find the next. Or, take control of the conversation yourself with standard mode. That's the experience you're already used to from WSJT-X and other digital mode apps. Some other noteworthy features are: - Intelligent automatic free frequency selection - Dynamically adjusted audio delay for virtually drift-free message timing - PSK Reporter integrated Live Spots - Direct-to-QRZ, WRL and private Cloudlog logging and ADI export - Configurable waterfall settings - CQ addendums - CQ filtering for contesting and general courteous operation - Configurable retransmissions - Intelligent log recovery (didn't get that last 73 but want to log the contact anyway? Now you can!) - Log import and export - Antenna tuning - POTA Autospotting - One touch POTA activation and POTA.app-compatible ADIF export - Multiple POTA activation support - And so much more! Greyline uses audio VOX and not serial PTT. Most radios support this with simple cabling or an audio interface like a Digirig. For helpful tips on cabling and configuring popular radios, visit the Support URL below. Built by a ham, for hams, I'm very open to your feedback and hope Greyline can be your field companion. Want to share your own Field Notes (https://greylineft8.com/fieldnotes.html)? Email me at support@greylineft8.com!
FT8 Hero Remote
Control your FT8 radio station remotely from your iPhone or iPad. See decoded stations, manage calls, and log contacts from anywhere, ensuring your radio stays safely in your shack. Requires a paired desktop application.
- Remote radio operation
- Live decoded station display
- Initiate CQ calls
- Respond to CQ calls
- Band and mode selection
- Log QSO confirmation
- Live waterfall display
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FT8 Hero Remote is the iPhone and iPad remote for the FT8 Hero desktop app. Operate your own FT8 station from anywhere while the radio stays in the shack. The FT8 Hero desktop app runs beside WSJT-X on the shack computer and relays what the radio hears. This app shows it to you live: every decoded station, who is calling CQ, who is calling you, the band, the mode, the period clock — and takes back what you tap. • Tap a CQ to answer it. WSJT-X arms the transmitter and Auto Seq runs the contact. • CALL CQ presses WSJT-X's own Tx 6. STOP TX is never refused. • Band Activity and Rx Frequency lists, exactly as WSJT-X shows them. • Change band and mode, select any of the six messages, Monitor, Decode, Tune. • Confirm WSJT-X's Log QSO dialog from wherever you are. Contacts go to your QSL World logbook and, with a key, to QRZ Logbook. • A live picture of the waterfall. • Safety built in: a dropped connection halts the transmitter, only one operator at a time, and nothing keys the radio without a paired device. Pair once by scanning the QR code the desktop app shows. No account, no port forwarding, no dynamic DNS: the shack dials out, the phone dials in, and they meet at the relay. Requires the free FT8 Hero desktop app for Mac, Windows or Linux from ft8hero.com, running beside WSJT-X 2.5 or later (or JTDX). Five contacts are free; after that a licence from ft8hero.com keeps the station on the air.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: FT8 Hero Remote at Free against Greyline FT8's $3.99. FT8 Hero Remote also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 4 days) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.5). Greyline FT8's advantage is ratings volume (15 vs 1). On rating, 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
FT8 Hero Remote is free to download; Greyline FT8 costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Greyline FT8 against 5.0 for FT8 Hero Remote. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Greyline FT8 has 15 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Greyline FT8 ships an update every 4 days, FT8 Hero Remote daily. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Greyline FT8 | FT8 Hero Remote |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.9 (15 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 90.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 15 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days | Daily — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 26.5 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | JONATHAN MARK SCHULMAN | iDream Interactive |
In-app purchases
Greyline FT8
No in-app purchases
FT8 Hero Remote
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Greyline FT8 free?
Is FT8 Hero Remote free?
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