Comparison

APRSpot vs APRS World

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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!

About

APRS World

Visualize the global amateur radio network on a live map. Track stations, view weather data, send messages, and transmit over the air using a TNC. Offers CarPlay integration and track logging.

Highlights
  • Live global APRS map
  • Station tracking and history
  • Weather and telemetry data
  • APRS messaging (send/receive)
  • Apple CarPlay integration
  • GPS track logging
  • RF transmission via TNC
Features
Read full description

APRS World shows the global APRS amateur radio network on a live map. Follow stations as they move, read weather and telemetry, send and receive APRS messages, and transmit over the air through your own TNC. Made for licensed radio amateurs. Viewing the map needs no license or account; transmitting needs a valid amateur radio license. FEATURES • Live map: stations from around the world appear as soon as they are heard, with their APRS symbols. • Station pages: callsign, symbol, path, speed, course, comment, last heard time and packet history. • Weather and telemetry: wind, temperature, pressure and telemetry channels next to each position. • Messages: send and receive APRS messages with any callsign, with delivery status. • Apple CarPlay: the stations around you on the car screen, lists of nearby and followed stations, directions to any station, even a moving one, and a beacon button that sends your position once or automatically while you drive. • Track Logger: record your GPS track on the phone and export it as GPX. • Eleven languages: Turkish, English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese and Dutch. • Dark and light themes. RF (TRANSMIT FROM YOUR PHONE) APRS World can send real APRS packets through equipment you already own: • Bluetooth LE KISS TNC: pair it and send beacons and messages over the air. • TCP KISS: connect to Direwolf or another KISS server on your local network to receive and transmit. Transmitting straight from the phone's audio output (AFSK) is not available in this version. PRIVACY • Your location is read only after you allow it. It is used to center the map, show distances, give directions in CarPlay and send beacons when you choose to. • APRS messages and beacons go to the public APRS-IS network and anyone can see them. That is how APRS works. • No ads, no selling of location data, no third-party tracking. • Crash reports are sent to Sentry so we can fix bugs. PREMIUM Premium unlocks extra features. Prices are shown in the app. The free version has no ads. REQUIREMENTS • An amateur radio license is required to transmit. The map and receiving messages work without one. • Transmitting over RF needs a KISS TNC (Bluetooth LE or TCP). Many handheld radios have one built in. aprs.world Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://aprs.world/privacy APRS World Premium is an auto-renewable subscription, offered as a monthly or a yearly plan. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless it is cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel it at any time in your App Store account settings.

Screenshots

APRSpot4 screens
APRS World3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: APRSpot at none against APRS World's 3. APRSpot also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs weekly) and ratings volume (5 vs 1). APRS World's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ads 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. APRS World sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. APRSpot asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for APRSpot against 5.0 for APRS World. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: APRSpot has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

APRSpot ships an update every 4 days, APRS World weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 4 level
APRSpot versus APRS World: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAPRSpotAPRS World
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (5 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Number of ratings5 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB60 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRazvan ZecesOGUZ HAN

In-app purchases

None

APRSpot

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

APRS World

Subscriptions3
  • APRS World Premium Monthly$1.991 Month
  • APRS World Premium Yearly$4.991 Year
  • APRS World Premium Supporter$14.991 Year

Questions

Is APRSpot free?
APRSpot is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is APRS World free?
APRS World is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, APRSpot or APRS World?
APRSpot and APRS World are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 5 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do APRSpot or APRS World have ads?
Neither APRSpot nor APRS World shows ads.
Which is updated more often, APRSpot or APRS World?
APRSpot ships an update every 4 days, and APRS World weekly. Most recently, APRSpot was updated on October 25, 2026 and APRS World on October 29, 2026.

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