HAM QuickLog vs SDR
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
HAM QuickLog
This app offers rapid logging for amateur radio operators, featuring customizable templates and offline tools. It allows for direct logging on mobile devices, eliminating the need for later transcription, and can generate printable PDF logs.
- Lightning-fast contact logging
- Purpose-built logging templates
- Offline utility tools
- Home screen widget
- PDF log creation
- ADIF import/export
- One-tap callsign lookup
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Log contacts in seconds, not minutes. HAM QuickLog is the complete HAM radio app combining lightning-fast logging with 11 built-in tools, perfect for casual operators, POTA activators, contesters and SWLs. Why operators choose HAM QuickLog: * Purpose-built templates: HF, SWL, Contest, POTA, minimal and Full templates show only the fields you need * Lightning-fast entry: Auto-fill some fields, field copying, and smart defaults minimize typing * Works anywhere: Includes several online and 6 fully offline tools (Grid Calculator, Azimuth Calculator, Q-Codes, UTC Clock, ITU Prefixes, My Grid & Location) * Zero paper in the field: Log directly on your iPhone or iPad, no transcribing later Home Screen Widget: See your latest QSOs and log stats at a glance — right from your Home Screen. No need to open the app. PDF creation: Generate a clean, printable PDF of your log. Print it directly from the app or share it — perfect for club submissions, personal archives or Field Day documentation. Built-in HAM Tools: * DX Cluster * Contest Calendar * Grid & Azimuth Calculators * QRZ & HamQTH Browsers * SOTA Cluster * Q-Codes Reference * ITU Callsign Prefixes * UTC Clock * And more Professional features: * Full ADIF import/export * Automatic duplicate checking (Contest mode) * One-tap callsign lookup (QRZ & HamQTH) * Dedicated SWL template * Works on iPhone and iPad Perfect for: * Quick portable logging on iPhone or iPad * POTA activators logging from parks * Contest operators needing speed * Field Day operations * SWLs tracking what they hear * Home station everyday logging Whether you're activating a park, working a contest, or enjoying casual QSOs, HAM QuickLog keeps you on the air - not buried in paperwork.
SDR
Control your Icom radio remotely from your iPhone. View spectrum scope, waterfall, and access all radio controls over Wi-Fi or the internet. Supports various Icom models and includes features for ham radio operators.
- Spectrum scope and waterfall display
- Full radio control
- Remote operation over Wi-Fi/internet
- FT8-Improved and JS8 modes
- CW decoder and keyer
- Speech transcription and translation
- Logbook with ADIF import/export
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Your Icom radio on your iPhone: at home over Wi-Fi or from anywhere over the internet. Made by a ham, for hams, with personal support included. SDR-Control Mobile shows the spectrum scope and waterfall of your Icom radio with all its controls. No extra hardware or software needed. WORKS WITH ■ IC-705 (Wi-Fi) ■ IC-7610, IC-7760, IC-9700, IC-7300 MK2 and the IC-R8600 receiver (radio on your network by cable) The app connects over the network only. The older IC-7300 (without MK2) has no network connection and can't be used. OPERATE ■ Spectrum scope and waterfall with band plan, DX Cluster and FT8 spots ■ Two VFOs, filters, preamp, attenuator, NB, NR, notch, AGC and more ■ Compact floating panels: tuning, PTT, CW, memories, macros, Command Bar, DTMF, RIT / ∆TX, D-Star ■ Your iPhone as microphone and speaker; the radio keeps playing in the background ■ Ready for iPhone Duo: the iPhone screens when folded, the large radio screen when open MODES ■ FT8-Improved with AutoAnswer and AutoCQ, plus the classic FT8 ■ JS8 keyboard chat ■ CW with decoder, keyer and CW keyboard ■ Speech: incoming voice transcribed and translated, your typed text sent as speech ■ SSTV, HF-Fax, APRS, WSPR and D-Star FT8-Improved, JS8, Speech and WSPR need iOS 26. TOOLS ■ Logbook with ADIF import and export, shared via iCloud with SmartSDR, FT-Control, TS-Control and K4-Control, on iPhone, iPad and Mac ■ DX Cluster, POTA, PSK Reporter, Call Lookup, Band Plan, Network Stats, Memories, Scanning ■ Controllers: MIDI, CTR2, HaliKey, Pryme, Flic ■ 4O3A Genius devices and Ultra Beam antennas MADE BY A HAM Made by Marcus, DL8MRE, who has been developing apps for Apple devices since 2009 and uses this app every day in his own shack, where all supported radios are on the desk. Personal online support and a detailed manual are included. Updates with new modes and features are free: no subscription, no in-app purchases. WHAT YOU NEED ■ One of the radios above, connected to your network ■ An iPhone with iOS 18 or later ■ For use over the internet: access to your home network from outside (see the manual) Manual: https://go-to.me/sdrcontrol-mobile-manual More apps: https://ham-radio-apps.com SDR-Control is developed independently and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Icom.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: HAM QuickLog at $2.99 against SDR's $44.99. HAM QuickLog also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and device support (3 vs 1). SDR's advantage is ratings volume (72 vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
HAM QuickLog costs $2.99 and SDR $44.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
HAM QuickLog holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SDR has 72 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of HAM QuickLog's written reviews are positive against 84% of SDR's.
HAM QuickLog ships an update every 5 weeks, SDR every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | HAM QuickLog | SDR |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 — better | $44.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | 4.6 (72 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 91.7% of reviews — better | 84.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 72 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 63 MB | 55 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Mircules | Marcus Roskosch |
Customer experience
HAM QuickLog
SDR
Bugs and requests
HAM QuickLog
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
SDR
Reported bugs
12 issues- Dialogs do not scale with larger text setting
- Frequency display overlaps buttons
- FT8 decoding issues (lower signal levels than WSJTX)
- App crashes and leaves radio in transmit
- Logbook export not functional after update
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- Function button for horizontal scrolling not fully displayed
- FT8 decode is useless and unreliable
- Messed up radio, requiring reset
- RX audio unusable outside home network (prior to 1.5.1)
- Struggles with audio RX packets on remote cellular networks
- Cannot work over mobile data with certain carriers (EE)
- FT8 alerts sound but don't display
Requested features
14 requests- Develop for IC-7800
- CarPlay support
- Apple Watch add-on
- Windows version
- JS8call support
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- More digital modes
- Display memory bank names
- Initiate memory scan from app
- WSPR implementation
- Tool for WSPR
- More FT8/FT4 features (e.g., setting transmit frequency directly in FT8 view)
- Send image to unit
- KISS TNC support
- Control digital modes (reflectors, etc.)
In-app purchases
HAM QuickLog
No in-app purchases
SDR
No in-app purchases









