# aprs.fi vs iTAK

The clearest difference is price: iTAK at Free against aprs.fi's $6.99. iTAK also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3). aprs.fi's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 3.6) and review sentiment (70% vs 41%). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

iTAK is free to download; aprs.fi costs $6.99 up front. aprs.fi sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. iTAK asks for nothing beyond the download.

aprs.fi holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: aprs.fi has 1.1K ratings behind it against 155, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of aprs.fi's written reviews are positive against 41% of iTAK's.

aprs.fi ships an update fortnightly, iTAK every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | aprs.fi | iTAK |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $6.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aprsfi/id922155038/reviews)** | [3.6 (155 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/itak/id1561656396/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 155 |
| Positive reviews | **70.4% of reviews** | 41.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#10** | #206 |
| Size | 28 MB | 276 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [GainIO](https://appshunter.io/developer/922155037) | [United States Department of the Army, TAK Product Center](https://appshunter.io/developer/1561656398) |

## What reviewers say

### aprs.fi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aprsfi/id922155038)

**Currently charting:** #10 Top Paid · Navigation, #186 Top Grossing · Navigation (US App Store)

Access real-time APRS position data, weather reports, and telemetry graphs globally. Offers route guidance, station tracking, and map filtering. Some advanced features require an in-app subscription.

**Highlights:** Real-time APRS position data, Route guidance and driving directions, Search callsigns and addresses, Track multiple stations, Filter map information, View weather and telemetry graphs, Beacon your position

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Extra features, monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Extra features, yearly | $6.49 | per year |
| Extra features, fair trade | $13.49 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Solid product
- 👍 Works great with external hardware
- 💡 Useful for public service events
- 🚀 Reliable way to participate in APRS network
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Beaconing issues (inconsistent timing, lack of smart beaconing)
- 🔒 Messaging requires subscription
- 💰 Expensive for limited functionality
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔒 Subscription required for full features

**Reported bugs**

- Beacon not clickable
- Freezing on settings screen
- Incompatible with older iOS versions
- Inconsistent behavior with VOX on radios

**Requested features**

- Offline maps support
- Ability to change nickname without creating new account
- Smart beaconing mode
- Bulk message deletion
- CarPlay support


### iTAK

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/itak/id1561656396)

**Currently charting:** #206 Top Free · Navigation (US App Store)

This app provides real-time collaborative mapping and team tracking. Share locations, sensor data, videos, and chat with your team. Supports online and offline mapping with various data formats.

**Highlights:** Real-time team tracking, Collaborative mapping, Online and offline mapping, KML/KMZ/GeoPDF overlay import, Chat and file sharing, Live video streaming, Navigation tools

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and intuitive user interface
- 🚀 Smooth performance when functioning properly
- 📍 Real-time location tracking works well
- 🔄 Good core TAK server connectivity
- 📦 Convenient data package sharing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- ❌ Significantly fewer features than ATAK Android version
- 🔌 Poor compatibility with ATAK ecosystem
- 🔋 Excessive battery drain
- 🗺️ Limited map options (Apple Maps only, outdated imagery)

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when exporting data packages
- App crashes when uploading files with local data
- App crashes when importing overlays
- App crashes when changing map types
- App crashes when creating missions

**Requested features**

- Meshtastic and LoRa device support
- GRG (Grid Reference Graphic) functionality
- Mesh network integration (GoTenna, Beartooth)
- Plugin support system
- Google Maps or alternative map providers


## Frequently asked questions

### Is aprs.fi free?

aprs.fi costs $6.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is iTAK free?

iTAK is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, aprs.fi or iTAK?

aprs.fi is rated higher. aprs.fi averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while iTAK averages 3.6 from 155 ratings.

### Do aprs.fi or iTAK have ads?

Neither aprs.fi nor iTAK shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, aprs.fi or iTAK?

aprs.fi ships an update fortnightly, and iTAK every 3 weeks. Most recently, aprs.fi was updated on September 25, 2026 and iTAK on September 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, aprs.fi or iTAK?

aprs.fi currently peaks at #10 in the App Store charts, and iTAK at #206. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*