Comparison

AimSat vs DXLens

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

Head to head
About

AimSat

Features
Read full description

Point your phone - or your antenna - at any satellite in real time. AimSat gives you live azimuth and elevation for over 50 satellites: the International Space Station, MUOS military UHF birds, WGS broadband relays, amateur AMSAT passes, weather satellites, and more. WHAT IT DOES - Live sky position (azimuth + elevation) updated every second from your GPS - SGP4/SDP4 orbital propagation - the same math NASA uses, running on-device - Antenna alignment mode: hold your phone like a tray, tilt it up, and the crosshair tells you exactly where to point - Pass notifications: get alerted before a satellite rises over your horizon - Garmin watch support: az/el values mirror to your wrist hands-free - Filter by category: ISS, Amateur, Weather, GEO, MUOS, WGS - Pin, hide, and sort satellites to match your workflow - Full ground-track map with sub-satellite point AIMSAT PRO Upgrade once ($2.99) and unlock the 7-day pass planner - see every satellite window for the full week ahead, export passes to your calendar, and plan before you're in the field. No subscription, ever. BUILT FOR OPERATORS Whether you're a ham radio operator chasing FM satellites, a SATCOM technician aligning a terminal, or just someone who wants to wave at the ISS - AimSat has the precision you need without the bloat you don't. PRIVACY Your location never leaves your device. No accounts, no analytics, no tracking. Orbital data is fetched from CelesTrak and Space-Track; everything else runs offline. Map data (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, under the Open Database License (ODbL).

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

AimSat3 screens
DXLens4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: AimSat at daily against DXLens's every 10 days. AimSat also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AimSat ships an update daily, DXLens every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 12, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
AimSat versus DXLens: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAimSatDXLens
PriceFreeFree
Rating—3.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyDaily — betterEvery 10 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB160 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperZACHARY AARON CALDWELLMuayyad Qalalwah

In-app purchases

None

AimSat

No in-app purchases

None

DXLens

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is AimSat free?
AimSat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DXLens free?
DXLens is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do AimSat or DXLens have ads?
Neither AimSat nor DXLens shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AimSat or DXLens?
AimSat ships an update daily, and DXLens every 10 days. Most recently, AimSat was updated on September 12, 2026 and DXLens on September 10, 2026.

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