Comparison

Wifi Rig CTRL vs CloudSatellite

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

Head to head
About

Wifi Rig CTRL

Features
Read full description

WifiRigCTRL is an iPhone / iPad app for remotely operating your amateur-radio transceiver via a Raspberry Pi or ICOM CI-V (Wi-Fi / Bluetooth). Features: - Real-time RX frequency, mode and S-meter display - Change frequency, mode, power, squelch and filter width - RX audio playback through the speaker (with noise reduction) - PTT on/off and microphone transmit - CW Morse send and receive-decode (BLE / USB-NCM keyers) - RTTY AFSK transmit/receive (on-device software modem or via the Raspberry Pi's minimodem, with spectrum display) - FT8 / FT4 receive-decode and transmit - Automatic FT8 all-decode log to ~/ALL.TXT (WSJT-X compatible) - Band Scope (CAT single-sweep / native ICOM CI-V scope, with POTA/SOTA spots overlaid) - APRS beacon transmit (GPS) - QSO log (ADIF export, POTA/SOTA references) - Operating-location (JCC/JGC, grid) registration and operating sessions - eQSL auto-upload, Smart Ham Log integration, PSKReporter spotting - Band memory, POTA/SOTA spot integration (SP2ALART) - Multiple profiles, API-key auth, WireGuard VPN - Direct Wi-Fi / Bluetooth CI-V to Icom IC-705 / IC-9700 - One-tap Raspberry Pi SSH setup β–  Requirements (Important) This app does not work on its own. You need one of the following, owned by you: A Raspberry Pi Zero 2W that is already set up (connected to your radio, with Hamlib/FastAPI installed), or An IC-705 or IC-9700 (for a direct CI-V connection) Connect either one to the same Wi-Fi network as your iPhone. Setup instructions and firmware for the Raspberry Pi are available on GitHub: https://github.com/ji1ore/M5CoreHamCAT β–  Intended Users This app is for licensed amateur radio operators who have a compatible radio setup. *This app contains no ads and no usage tracking. All data it collects is used only on your device and is never sent to an external server.

About

CloudSatellite

Features
Read full description

CloudSatellite brings satellite pass predictions, live tracking, antenna rotator control, radio frequency coordination and audio decoding together for satellite observers and amateur radio operators. SATELLITE LOOKUP AND PASS PREDICTIONS Find satellites by name or NORAD ID and view orbital information and amateur radio frequencies. Predict pass times, duration, azimuth and maximum elevation for your observing location. LIVE POSITIONS AND TRACKING Use the orbit map and sky view to follow satellite positions, paths and directions relative to your location. ROTATOR AND RADIO CONTROL Connect compatible antenna rotators, amateur radio transceivers or SDR devices for manual control and automatic tracking. Coordinate uplink and downlink frequencies and compensate for Doppler shift as the satellite moves. NEW: CUSTOM EPHEMERIS Import TLE and OMM JSON orbital data and manage custom ephemeris for satellite lookup, position calculations and tracking plans. NEW: SSDV AUDIO DECODING Receive live audio or process audio files to decode supported SSDV signals and reconstruct images for viewing and further processing. AUDIO AND SIGNAL TOOLS On supported devices and connections, view audio spectra and waterfall displays, record audio, and send, receive and manage SSTV images. PERSONAL SETTINGS Save favorite satellites and customize observing locations and prediction ranges. Available in Simplified Chinese, English, Japanese, Spanish, German, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian and French. Equipment control and audio features require compatible hardware and connection settings. Availability depends on the device and platform. MEMBERSHIP Monthly and annual auto-renewable subscriptions unlock all satellites in the app and custom ephemeris features. Prices are shown on the purchase screen. Payment is charged to your Apple Account after purchase confirmation. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled. Manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple Account subscription settings. Terms of Use / EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Wifi Rig CTRL4 screens
CloudSatellite4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Wifi Rig CTRL at none against CloudSatellite's 2. Wifi Rig CTRL also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks). CloudSatellite's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. CloudSatellite sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Wifi Rig CTRL asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Wifi Rig CTRL ships an update every 2 days, CloudSatellite every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Β· 3 level
Wifi Rig CTRL versus CloudSatellite: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWifi Rig CTRLCloudSatellite
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 days β€” betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo β€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod, Mac β€” better
Requires iOS17.015.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size17 MB37 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperJIRO UENOι’–ιΎ™ 刘

In-app purchases

None

Wifi Rig CTRL

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

CloudSatellite

Subscriptions2
  • δΌšε‘˜θΏžη»­εŒ…ζœˆ(1δΈͺ月)$19.991 Month
  • δΌšε‘˜θΏžη»­εŒ…εΉ΄(1εΉ΄)7 Days trial$99.001 Year

Questions

Is Wifi Rig CTRL free?
Wifi Rig CTRL is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is CloudSatellite free?
CloudSatellite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Wifi Rig CTRL or CloudSatellite have ads?
Neither Wifi Rig CTRL nor CloudSatellite shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Wifi Rig CTRL or CloudSatellite?
Wifi Rig CTRL ships an update every 2 days, and CloudSatellite every 3 weeks. Most recently, Wifi Rig CTRL was updated on October 28, 2026 and CloudSatellite on October 29, 2026.

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