Comparison

Magic PTT vs GLPSKHeatmap

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

Head to head
About

Magic PTT

This app provides a push-to-talk radio network for various users, enabling live voice communication over a global network. It features channels, private rooms, radio bridges, live captions, and contact management. Users can also share photos and access weather alerts.

Highlights
  • Push-to-talk voice communication
  • Global radio network
  • Channels and private rooms
  • Live captions in 25 languages
  • Contact management and notes
  • Live map with grid squares
  • Chat and photo sharing
Features
Read full description

Magic PTT is a push-to-talk radio network for people who like a radio in their hand: hams, GMRS and CB operators, preppers, truckers, boaters, off-grid families, and anyone who wants to stay in contact when it matters. Press to talk. Members on the channel hear you live over Nexus, our voice network with servers in the USA and Europe and failover that just happens. WHAT YOU GET • Channels and private rooms. Join the Home channel, the International channel, or a My Room a net admin has set up for your group. • Radio bridges. Some rooms carry real Brandmeister DMR talkgroup traffic and AllStarLink nodes, so there is always something to hear. • Live captions in 25 languages. Pick your language once in Settings and every transmission arrives as text in it, translated automatically. • Operators roster. See who is on, who is talking, and star the people you want to find again. • Magic Book. Your contact book. Confirm a two-way key, keep notes, and message from a station card. Hams export ADIF from Logbook. • Magic Grid. Opt-in grid squares on a live map. Never GPS, and gone the moment you disconnect. • Chat and photos with member-to-member translation. • Storm Watch weather alerts and the World Net Clock on the Stage desk. • The Slammer. A moderated net with a sense of humour: rule-breakers do a little time. HARDWARE WE ACTUALLY DRIVE Bluetooth speaker-mics with their own PTT button key Magic PTT directly: BTech BS-22 and BS-50, TidRadio Q2L, Inrico B01 and B02. Voice rides normal Bluetooth audio. The iPhone Action Button can be set to toggle PTT. ONE NETWORK, EVERY SCREEN The same station on your iPhone, on your computer with Magic PTT Desktop, and in any browser. Your settings, contacts and rooms follow you. MEMBERSHIP Magic PTT is a member network. New accounts are approved at the Welcome Desk, usually the same day. Voice on public channels is live and unrecorded; private rooms are ephemeral unless the room owner enables recording with everyone's consent. Built by one person, with the members telling us what to build next. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://magicptt.com/legal/privacy

About

GLPSKHeatmap

Features
Read full description

PSK Heatmap fetches real-time spot data from PSK Reporter (pskreporter.info) and renders a propagation heatmap centered on your Maidenhead grid locator. Key Features: • Globe map showing TX (transmit) and RX (receive) spots in real time • Band filter: 160m, 80m, 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, 10m • Heat-chart with spot count and unique station count per band x distance bin • Delta column shows change from previous fetch (spot count & station count) • Auto-refresh at configurable intervals (5-60 min); resumes on foreground • GPS-assisted grid locator detection • Quick links to ionospheric weather sites (NOAA, Solar Ham, etc.) Ideal for ham radio operators planning DX contacts or monitoring band conditions. Data source: open data provided by PSK Reporter (pskreporter.info). Internet connection required.

Screenshots

Magic PTT4 screens
GLPSKHeatmap4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: GLPSKHeatmap at none against Magic PTT's 4. GLPSKHeatmap also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 3 days). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Magic PTT sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per month. GLPSKHeatmap asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Magic PTT ships an update every 3 days, GLPSKHeatmap daily. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Magic PTT versus GLPSKHeatmap: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMagic PTTGLPSKHeatmap
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 daysDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB2 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperDominic LanducciJIRO UENO

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Magic PTT

Subscriptions2
  • Magic PTT membership$3.491 Month
  • Magic PTT membership (yearly)$27.991 Year
One-time2
  • Radio look pack$9.99
  • Custom Magic PTT ID$16.99
None

GLPSKHeatmap

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Magic PTT free?
Magic PTT is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is GLPSKHeatmap free?
GLPSKHeatmap is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Magic PTT or GLPSKHeatmap have ads?
Neither Magic PTT nor GLPSKHeatmap shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Magic PTT or GLPSKHeatmap?
Magic PTT ships an update every 3 days, and GLPSKHeatmap daily. Most recently, Magic PTT was updated on October 31, 2026 and GLPSKHeatmap on October 31, 2026.

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