Walkie-talkies and two-way radios: every type compared
I compare walkie-talkies and two-way radios of every kind: PMR446, FRS and GMRS for trips and the outdoors, DMR and licensed radios for work. Each guide shows which radios can talk to each other and how to set them up.
Walkie-talkies for home and outdoors
Popular walkie-talkies
Business two-way radios
Popular business radios
Quick answers
Do I need a license for a walkie-talkie?
Most walkie-talkies for families need no license: PMR446 in Europe and the UK (0.5 W) and FRS in the US (2 W). GMRS in the US needs a license that costs $35 for 10 years and has no exam. Radios on business frequencies need a license in the US, the UK and Germany.
How far do walkie-talkies really reach?
Two people at head height reach about 0.8-1.3 km (0.5-0.8 miles) across open land with a 0.5 W PMR446 radio and about 1.6-2.7 km (1-1.7 miles) with a 4 W licensed radio. The 35 miles on the box needs a clear view between two high points, such as a mountain and a valley.
What is the difference between FRS and GMRS?
FRS radios need no license and are limited to 2 W. GMRS radios need a $35 license that lasts 10 years and covers your family, and they allow 5 W hand-helds and repeaters. Both share the same 22 channels, so an FRS radio and a GMRS radio on channel 3 talk to each other.
Which walkie-talkies work in Europe and the UK?
PMR446 walkie-talkies need no license in the EU and the UK. The law caps them at 0.5 W with a built-in antenna, so makers claim 2-10 km, while regulators report a few hundred meters in a town and up to a few kilometers on open land. Buy a pack that matches the number of people, and set the same channel and code.
Can two radios of different brands talk to each other?
Two walkie-talkies talk when they are on the same channel and the same tone (CTCSS or DCS), or when the code is off on both. Tones 1-38 carry the same numbers on Motorola, Midland, Uniden and Rocky Talkie, while DCS numbers differ by brand. A privacy code only filters what a radio plays, so anyone with the code off still hears you.
Walkie-talkie channels and privacy codes: FRS, GMRS and PMR446 →
Is digital radio better than analog?
A digital two-way radio (DMR) fits two talk paths into one 12.5 kHz channel, adds text and radio IDs, and makers claim about a third more battery life, for example 26.5 hours against 19.5 on the Motorola R2. Analog radios still work, and a dual-mode radio can use both. You can move to digital one channel at a time.