APRSpot vs APRSSwift
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
APRSpot
Broadcast your location to the global APRS network and see nearby stations in real-time. Features include smart beaconing, live map, and APRS text messaging. Offers privacy controls and a demo mode for exploration.
- Position beaconing (smart, periodic, one-tap)
- Background beaconing
- Live map of nearby stations
- APRS text messaging
- Dynamic Island & Lock Screen Live Activity
- Privacy controls
- Demo mode
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APRSpot puts your station on the APRS map. Beacon your position to the worldwide APRS-IS network — you'll show up on aprs.fi and in every other APRS client — and watch the stations around you move in real time, right from your iPhone. FEATURES • Smart, periodic, or one-tap position beacons • Background beaconing — drive with the screen off and keep showing on the map • Live map of nearby stations with native APRS symbols • Station list sorted by distance, with speed, course and last-heard • APRS text messaging with delivery acknowledgements • Dynamic Island & Lock Screen Live Activity for your beaconing session • Activity log of raw APRS-IS traffic • Privacy controls: position ambiguity, optional course/speed and altitude • Block and report stations • Free — no ads, no account, no tracking TRY IT WITHOUT A LICENCE Tap "Try the demo" on the welcome screen to explore the whole app with simulated stations and messages — no callsign or network required. FOR LICENSED OPERATORS APRS is amateur radio. Transmitting your position requires a valid amateur-radio callsign (APRSpot does not fill in your APRS-IS passcode automatically, you will need to enter it manually in the Settings section). APRSpot uses background location to beacon your position to the APRS-IS amateur-radio network while you travel, even with the screen off. APRSpot is internet-only (APRS-IS) — no radio or TNC hardware required. 73!
APRSSwift
Track and message on the APRS network with your amateur radio callsign. View nearby stations on a live map, exchange text messages, and decode various packet types. Supports multiple connection methods and includes an Apple Watch app.
- Live APRS map with station tracking
- Two-way APRS messaging
- Full packet decoding
- Multiple connection methods
- Apple Watch app integration
- SmartBeaconing for adaptive beaconing
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APRSSwift brings the Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) to your Apple devices — a native, universal amateur-radio app for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. Report your position to the APRS network, watch nearby stations move on a live map, read a real-time packet log, and exchange APRS text messages — all with your own callsign. FEATURES • Live map with APRS symbols, station tracks, and your own location • Connect via APRS-IS (Internet), a TCP KISS TNC, a Bluetooth TNC (Mobilinkd), or the built-in AFSK sound modem (1200 baud — no extra hardware) • Full packet decoding: position, Mic-E, compressed, objects, items, status, weather, messages, and telemetry • SmartBeaconing — adaptive beacon rate based on speed and turns • Two-way APRS messaging with acknowledgements • Station list with distance, favorites, and proximity alerts • Maidenhead grid locator, metric or imperial units, and dead reckoning • Post APRS objects, send status reports, and view weather & telemetry charts • Apple Watch app: beacon, grid, and nearby stations on your wrist APRSSwift is designed for licensed amateur radio operators. A valid callsign is required; your APRS-IS passcode is generated automatically from it. 73!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: APRSpot at none against APRSSwift's 3. On price, rating, 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
Both are free to download. APRSSwift sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. APRSpot asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for APRSpot against 5.0 for APRSSwift. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 2 respectively.
APRSpot ships an update every 4 days, APRSSwift every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | APRSpot | APRSSwift |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (5 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 5 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days — better | Every 5 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 7 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Razvan Zeces | Sevket Bugra CANATA |
In-app purchases
APRSpot
No in-app purchases
APRSSwift
- Small Support$0.99
- Medium Support$9.99
- Large Support$99.99









