# APRS Mobile vs Skyby

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Skyby at 86% against APRS Mobile's 44%. Skyby also leads on ratings volume (12 vs 1) and monetization model (freemium vs paid). APRS Mobile's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. APRS Mobile sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per year and Skyby sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

APRS Mobile holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Skyby has 12 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 44% of APRS Mobile's written reviews are positive against 86% of Skyby's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | APRS Mobile | Skyby |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aprs-mobile/id915387067/reviews)** | [4.6 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyby/id6763821459/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **12** |
| Positive reviews | 43.8% of reviews | **85.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Paid | **Freemium** |
| Size | 36 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +17 | 4+ |
| Developer | [OpenAPRS](https://appshunter.io/developer/360574557) | [StoryForward](https://appshunter.io/developer/509563620) |

## What reviewers say

### APRS Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aprs-mobile/id915387067)

This app provides Amateur Radio operators with a mobile interface to the Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS). It allows users to beacon their position, view other operators on a map, and access weather data. Non-amateur operators can also monitor APRS activity globally.

**Highlights:** Real-time position mapping, Beacon position in background, Supports SmartBeaconing, View weather station data, Callsign SSID support, Adjustable battery drain modes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| APRS Mobile Transmit | $1.99 | per year |
| APRS Mobile Transmit Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |


### Skyby

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyby/id6763821459)

Instantly identify commercial flights overhead without searching. Track airline, origin, destination, and aircraft type in real-time. Set alerts for specific planes or monitor your chosen airspace.

**Highlights:** Instant overhead flight identification, Real-time airline, origin, and destination, Aircraft type and altitude display, Inbound flight indicator, Customizable alerts for specific aircraft, Automatic logbook of flights

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Skyby Pro | $2.99 | per month |
| Skyby Pro Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| Skyby Founder Lifetime | $19.99 | one-time |
| Skyby Pro Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is APRS Mobile free?

APRS Mobile is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Skyby free?

Skyby is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, APRS Mobile or Skyby?

APRS Mobile is rated higher. APRS Mobile averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Skyby averages 4.6 from 12 ratings.

### Do APRS Mobile or Skyby have ads?

Neither APRS Mobile nor Skyby shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, APRS Mobile or Skyby?

APRS Mobile ships an update weekly, and Skyby weekly. Most recently, APRS Mobile was updated on November 1, 2026 and Skyby on October 31, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*