# aprs.fi vs HamTraqr

The clearest difference is price: HamTraqr at Free against aprs.fi's $6.99. HamTraqr also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). aprs.fi's advantage is ratings volume (1.2K vs 1) and chart position (#21 vs unranked). On update cadence, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

HamTraqr holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: aprs.fi has 1.2K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

aprs.fi ships an update fortnightly, HamTraqr every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | aprs.fi | HamTraqr |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $6.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aprsfi/id922155038/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamtraqr/id6808391462/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 70.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#21** | — |
| Size | 28 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [GainIO](https://appshunter.io/developer/922155037) | [Doug Kaye](https://appshunter.io/developer/6780990815) |

## What reviewers say

### aprs.fi

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

**Currently charting:** #21 Top Paid · 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


### HamTraqr

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamtraqr/id6808391462)

This app displays the live locations of event participants, including volunteers and aid stations, on a map. It allows users to share their own position, send messages, and receive broadcasts, all while keeping their data private and managed by their club's server.

**Highlights:** Live participant map, Share phone as tracker, Direct and broadcast messaging, Attach photos to messages, Spoken message alerts, Apple Watch companion app

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is aprs.fi free?

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

### Is HamTraqr free?

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

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

HamTraqr is rated higher. aprs.fi averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while HamTraqr averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

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

Neither aprs.fi nor HamTraqr shows ads.

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

aprs.fi ships an update fortnightly, and HamTraqr every 11 days. Most recently, aprs.fi was updated on October 20, 2026 and HamTraqr on October 10, 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.*