Push-to-talk apps for crane crews for rigging supervisors in 2026

Push-to-talk apps compared for rigging supervisors: OperatorLink, Zello, Voxer, GroupTalk, Peak PTT, VoicePing.

By 2Dig · 2026-10-12

2Dig is published by the makers of OperatorLink, which is compared here alongside other tools.

Rigging supervisors compare push-to-talk tools here: OperatorLink, Zello, Voxer, GroupTalk, Peak PTT, and VoicePing.

A rigging supervisor directs the crew that attaches and guides loads, checks that each lift is rigged right, and works the lift plan with the signal person and the operator. The tools they need carry direction signals and hold them steady, pass voice for check-ins, and keep groups separate so crews do not talk over one another. OperatorLink shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew in a phone browser ^[1]. HOLD and SLOW stay on until the last person leaves, and STOP releases every held direction on every phone with a full-screen alert ^[1]^[1]. OperatorLink is free to use, and no paid plan is built yet ^[1]. Zello Work costs $8.00 per user per month, or $6.80 with an annual subscription ^[2]. Voxer's Personal plan is free ^[3]. GroupTalk offers a free 14-day trial ^[4]. Peak PTT radio service is $24.95 per month per radio ^[5]. VoicePing's Standard plan costs $2 per user per month, billed annually ^[6]. Compare how long a signal stays up, who can join, coverage, and price.

Option	Up-front cost	Monthly cost	Device and join
OperatorLink	Free, no paid plan built yet ^[1]	Free ^[1]	Phone browser, no app install; crew joins from a shared link or QR code ^[1]^[1]
Zello	Free 14-day trial, no credit card required ^[2]	From $8.00 per user per month, $6.80 with annual subscription ^[2]	Runs on iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac ^[7]
Voxer	Personal plan free ^[3]; 14-day business trial ^[8]	Not published	Not published
GroupTalk	14-day free trial ^[4]	Not published	Private cloud or on-premises deployment ^[4]
Peak PTT	$229 per radio plus $19.95 activation fee ^[9]	$24.95 per month per radio for unlimited nationwide push-to-talk ^[5]	LTE radio hardware transmitting over AT&T's nationwide network ^[9]
VoicePing	Enterprise plan price by contacting sales ^[6]	Standard $2 per user per month; Plus $4 per user per month, billed annually ^[6]^[6]	Walkie talkie app for Android, iOS and desktop ^[10]

What rigging supervisors need from push-to-talk apps for crane crews

A rigging supervisor directs the crew that attaches and guides loads, checks that each lift is rigged right, and works the lift plan with the signal person and the operator. The supervisor stays in voice contact across the jobsite, sends direction that stays visible until it is registered, and keeps separate workgroups apart. A missed or faded call can stop a lift mid-swing. The tools they need carry one or two strong direction signals and hold them steady, pass voice for check-ins, and run more than one group so the signal crew and the rigging crew do not talk over one another. Crew members keep gloves on and eyes on the load, so the tool needs large buttons and clear alerts. A rigging supervisor should compare how each tool passes a signal, how long a signal stays up, who can join, what each person must do to get started, and whether the tool reaches the parts of the site where the crew works.

OperatorLink for rigging supervisors

OperatorLink is made by the team that publishes this site. It runs in a phone browser, so no app install is needed. ^[1] It passes button presses, chat and voice between phones in a browser. ^[1] STOP releases every held direction on every phone and shows a full-screen alert to everyone else. ^[1] HOLD and SLOW stay on for everyone in the jobsite and are cleared when the last person leaves. ^[1] Holding a move button keeps sending that move to the other phones; if it stops arriving for 2 seconds, they drop it. ^[1] One-tap radio-style calls such as Go Ahead, Copy That and All Clear are sent as chat messages. ^[1] Anyone who joins can take part in a voice call run from the phone browser. ^[1] The person who starts a jobsite shares a link or QR code, and the crew joins from it. ^[1] A jobsite link stops working 12 hours after the first person joins it. ^[1] A jobsite with nobody in it is wiped after 3 idle hours. ^[1] OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. ^[1]

Zello for rigging supervisors

Zello Work costs $8.00 per user per month, or $6.80 with an annual subscription. ^[2] Education and non-profit organizations get an additional 10% off annual subscriptions, for 25% total. ^[2] Zello supports payment by wire transfer, ACH, or check besides credit card. ^[2] Zello Work subscriptions can be changed or cancelled any time without penalty. ^[2]

Voxer for rigging supervisors

Voxer's Personal plan is free. ^[3] Voxer offers a 14-day free trial for business. ^[8] Voxer integrates with Procore contacts to create groups. ^[11] Beyond those points the facts say little more, so a rigging supervisor should ask Voxer directly what devices it supports and what its paid plans cost per user.

GroupTalk for rigging supervisors

GroupTalk offers a free 14-day trial. ^[4] The page also offers a sales contact. ^[12] NCC, Entry, Veidekke, and YIT are named as construction companies that have chosen GroupTalk. ^[12] For a rigging supervisor, the fit to check is how many separate groups can run at once so the signal crew and the rigging crew do not talk over one another.

Peak PTT for rigging supervisors

Peak PTT transmits voice over AT&T's nationwide LTE network ^[9]. The PTT-84G is priced at $229, with a $19.95 activation fee and $24.95 per month for unlimited push-to-talk, with no contracts. ^[9] Peak PTT describes its pricing as a predictable flat monthly rate per device. ^[9] The company's toll-free number is 855-600-6161. ^[9] A rigging supervisor who already issues radios can compare this per-radio price against app plans that bill per user.

VoicePing for rigging supervisors

VoicePing's Standard plan costs $2 per user per month, billed annually. ^[6] The Plus plan costs $4 per user per month, billed annually. ^[6] The Enterprise plan's price is available by contacting sales for a price estimate. ^[6]

Matching the tool to the job

Holding a direction until every person registers it suits the supervisor's job: OperatorLink keeps STOP, HOLD and SLOW on for everyone until the last person leaves. ^[1] A full-screen STOP alert on every phone gives a clear way to halt a lift. ^[1] A supervisor who needs to check in can send one-tap radio-style replies without typing. ^[1] A rigging supervisor who works with a lone or out-of-sight crew member can look for a tool with a personal alarm; ask GroupTalk how its alerts reach colleagues. A supervisor who wants voice check-ins between lifts can price Zello per user. ^[2] A supervisor who already carries radios can use Peak PTT's flat per-radio rate and its toll-free support line. ^[9]^[9] A supervisor on a short job can use OperatorLink, whose link or QR code the crew joins from and which works for 12 hours. ^[1]^[1]

Questions to ask before you choose

Does a direction stay on every screen until each person confirms it, or does it clear the moment a finger lifts? Can a crew member join from a link, or does a manager need to set up accounts and groups first? What happens to a signal when a phone loses connection for a few seconds? On which devices can each person receive the tool, and are they the phones the crew already carries? Is the coverage enough for the parts of the site where the crew works, or are there dead spots? How many groups can run at once so the signal crew and the rigging crew do not talk over one another? Who pays, and is the price per user or per radio, and does it change on an annual plan? How long does a free trial run, and what must be shared to start one?

Frequently asked questions

Can push-to-talk apps pass crane direction signals on a phone?

A push-to-talk tool carries voice, and some also pass direction signals. OperatorLink shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew in a phone browser; HOLD and SLOW stay on until the last person leaves, and STOP releases every held direction with a full-screen alert. ^[1]^[1]^[1] Ask each provider how far its tools reach on the site and how long a direction stays visible before relying on one.

Is there a free push-to-talk app for a crane crew?

Yes. OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. ^[1] Voxer's Personal plan is free. ^[3] GroupTalk offers a free 14-day trial. ^[4] Compare how long a signal stays visible and who can join before relying on any free option.

What does push-to-talk cost per month for a rigging supervisor?

Zello Work costs $8.00 per user per month, or $6.80 with an annual subscription. ^[2] VoicePing's Standard plan costs $2 per user per month, and the Plus plan $4 per user per month, both billed annually. ^[6]^[6] Peak PTT charges $24.95 per month per radio, on top of a $229 per-radio price and a $19.95 activation fee. ^[5]^[9] OperatorLink is currently free, with no paid plan built yet. ^[1] Voxer and GroupTalk pricing is not published here, so ask them what they charge per user.

Can a rigging supervisor hold a STOP that everyone on the crew sees?

Some tools keep a direction visible rather than drop it when a finger lifts. OperatorLink keeps STOP, HOLD and SLOW on for everyone in the jobsite and clears them when the last person leaves, and STOP releases every held direction and shows a full-screen alert to everyone else. ^[1]^[1] For other tools, ask how long a direction stays on screen and whether it clears when the person stops holding it.

What device is needed for push-to-talk?

OperatorLink runs in a phone browser with no app install and can be added to a phone's home screen. ^[1]^[1] Peak PTT uses LTE radio hardware rather than a phone. ^[9] Check which devices the rest of the crew already carries, and ask each provider what its tool runs on before the crew relies on it.

OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. ^[1]

Try OperatorLink