Compare Client Programs
| Programs (Download)-> Features below | Outpost | AirMail | WoAD | Pat | RadioMail | Paclink-Unix | Paclink | Winlink Express |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TELNET | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AX.25 PACKET | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| PACTOR 1-3 | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| PACTOR 4 | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| ARDOP | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
| VARA HF and VARA FM | No | No | Yes, limited | Yes, limited | Yes, limited | No | No | Yes. VARA is speed-limited unless licensed. |
| Password-protected Secure Login | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Supports B2F protocol & mail attachments | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sound card | Yes with AGWPE | Yes with AMPE or AGWPE | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Most any TNC (Packet) | Yes | Limited Yes with AMPE and AGWPE |
Yes | Yes KISS (Linux only) Most w/transparent mode |
Yes, KISS | Yes | Yes KISS and AGWPE |
Yes KISS |
| Simultaneous sessions in different modes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes w/session queue | No | No | No | No |
| Peer-to-peer contacts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, outbound | No | No | Yes |
| Manual "Keyboard" connections | Yes with included terminal | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes with included terminal | Yes with included terminal |
| Supported OS, CPU | Any | Win95 & up | Android 4.1 & up | Linux, Mac OSX, Android (amd64, 386, arm, arm64), Win64/386, *BSD (amd64, 386, arm), Solaris (amd64) | iOS | Linux, FreeBSD, x86, x86_64, MIPS, ARM | Windows 8 & up | Windows 8 & up Fast CPU needed for soundcard modes. |
| Recommended uses | Single-user, EmComm on packet networks |
Single-user, Routine, Maritime |
Single-user, Routine, EmComm | Single-user, Limited EmComm |
Single-user | Casual single-user, Limited EmComm |
Single-user, Multi-user, Routine, EmComm |
Single-user, Multi-user/multi-account, Routine, Maritime, EmComm |
| Tactical address support | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Message precedence support | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| HTML/CSS Forms creation & content-only transport | Msg forms w/ variable font size |
No | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Radio-only forwarding network support | No | No | --- | Limited Can't update MPS |
No | No | Yes | Yes |
| RMS Relay support | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Message preview/choose downloads | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Built-in message editing & administration | Yes | Yes Also uses any e-mail client |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Uses e-mail client | Uses any e-mail client | Yes |
| Attached documents | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Address book | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Packet connection scripting for node/digi navigation | Yes | Yes, limited | Yes, unlimited | No | No | Yes | Yes, unlimited | Yes, unlimited |
| WL2K Catalog Support (WX and Help bulletins) |
No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Multi-user | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Yes, unlimited POP/SMTP server LAN support |
Yes |
| Variable font size | No | Yes | Yes | per e-mail client | Yes | No | ||
| KISS TNC support for low-cost TNCs and radios with built-in TNCs | No | Yes | Yes Linux only |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Automatic gateway polling | No | No | Yes | Yes, using cron | Yes | Yes, using script, cron | Yes, VHF and Telnet | Yes, VHF and Telnet |
| AGWPE Support | Yes | Yes with AMPE | No | No | No | Yes | No | |
| Multi-language | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | |
| Ease of setup | Easy | Easy, depending on use. Configuration complicated | Easy | Moderate | Easy | Difficult for Linux noobs | Moderate | Easy |
| Author | Jim Oberhofer, KN6PE | Jim Corenman, KE6RK | Andrew Walker, VA7YAA | Martin Hebnes Pedersen, LA5NTA | Island Magic Co. | Basil Gunn, N7NIX | Winlink Development Team | Winlink Development Team |
| Update support | 1-2x/year | Infrequent | Manual, frequent | As needed, email announcement | Automatic | As needed, small user group | Automatic, frequent | Automatic, frequent |
| Release State Beta versions may be unstable |
Mature, Stable | Mature, Stable | Stable | Unstable | Stable | Pre-release, Stable | Mature, Stable | Mature, Stable |
| Cost | Free. | Free. | Free | Free | $ | Free. | Free. Donation optional. | Free or $24 (purchase registration key to support the Winlink system), gentle nagware. |
| Info/Download link | Outpost | AirMail | WoAD | Pat | RadioMail | Paclink-Unix | Paclink | Winlink Express |
| Support Group | Contact author | Contact author | Click here | Click here | Click here | Click here | Click here | Click here |
Visit the Winlink Downloads Site for another way to obtain Winlink software.
Please email the WEBMASTER with any inaccuracies you spot here. Thanks!
Other User and Accessory Programs
(All listed programs are Windows programs.)
- ICOM Marine Radio Control Program - Make your Icom Marine HF SSB radio as easy to use as a ham radio. Supports IC-M710, M700Pro, M710RT, M802.
- RMS Link Test - Test your computer and local network easily for required open ports for Winlink programs. Included with all client programs produced by the Winlink team. Download (User Programs folder).