2Dig Plain comparisons of crane signalling and jobsite communication tools

Clear-Com alternatives in 2026

Compare Clear-Com alternatives for crane crews, from phone browser signals to wireless headsets. OperatorLink, Zello, Eartec, Setcom, CrewPlex and Peak PTT.

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

Clear-Com alternatives for crane crews run from phone browser signals to wireless headsets to dedicated radios. The six below cover different ways to run communication on a lift.

OptionOwn feeCard payment
EartecPrice not published [1]Not published
SetcomPrice not published [2]Not published
CrewPlexPrice not published [3]Not published
OperatorLinkCurrently free, no paid plan built yet [4]Not published
ZelloZello Work $8.00 per user per month, or $6.80 with annual subscription [5]Not published
Peak PTTPTT-84G radio 229, 19.95 activation, 24.95 per month unlimited push-to-talk [6]Not published

Clear-Com and the alternatives on this page

Clear-Com offers wired and wireless intercom systems for real-time professional communication. [7] Clear-Com has provided broadcast solutions globally since 1968. [7] The company serves the broadcast production market, covering theatre, performance art centers, cruise ships, festivals, ceremonies, corporate events, A-list award shows, and rentals. [7] Clear-Com also serves the military, aerospace, and government market, with communication solutions for command and control, training and simulation, testing and evaluation, and net-centric communications. [7] Its industrial and critical communications market covers marine and offshore, medical, power and utilities, oil and gas, public safety, transportation, and retail. [7] Those are the facts about Clear-Com on this page, and they describe the markets the company states it serves. A crew should match a tool to the phones and gear already on site, the size of the crew, and what the whole crew pays over a season. The alternatives below each handle coverage, pricing, and hardware in their own way, and this page gives the facts a reader can use to weigh them.

Eartec: hands-free wireless headsets for the lift

Both the EPak and PRO16 systems allow users to connect and communicate simultaneously on the same setup. [1] More crew members can be added to a system at any time. [1] The EPak beltpack weighs 2.5 oz and is worn clipped to clothing or tucked inside a pocket. [1] The Lazer-Pro headset links to the radio by Bluetooth without wires. [1] All Eartec headsets include noise-canceling microphone technology to filter out background machinery noise. [1] A set can be returned for a full refund within 30 calendar days of receipt, provided the items are returned undamaged. [1] [1]

Setcom: full-duplex wireless with no push-to-talk

The LiberatorMAX system requires no console mounting, no intercom cable runs, and no soldering or cable crimping. [2] Headsets pair by being set to the same channel, with no pairing step. [2] The fixed mobile radio system uses one base station to connect up to seven wireless headsets. [2] Setcom describes the LiberatorMAX as its least costly wireless solution for work teams of two or more people. [2] The System 977 with the LiberatorMAX Wireless Headset supports hands-free, full duplex, and integration into mobile radios. [2]

CrewPlex: scalable hands-free crew communication

CrewPlex provides full-duplex, hands-free communication that can be integrated with mobile two-way communications. [3] The company has provided communication solutions for more than 30 years. [3] CrewPlex products are backed by a two-year warranty. [3] The small system is described as dependable and affordable hands-free communication for small crews. [3] The large system is described as scalable full-duplex hands-free communication. [3] CrewPlex can be scaled from small crews to large crews and offers optional integration with two-way radios for multi-site communication. [3] A full range of headset options is offered. [3]

OperatorLink: phone browser signals of STOP, HOLD and SLOW

OperatorLink is made by the team that publishes this site. It shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew, and passes button presses, chat and voice between phones in a phone browser. [4] STOP releases every held direction on every phone and shows a full-screen alert to everyone else. [4] HOLD and SLOW stay on for everyone in the jobsite and are cleared when the last person leaves. [4] Holding a move button keeps sending that move to the other phones; if it stops arriving for 2 seconds, they drop it. [4] One-tap radio-style calls such as Go Ahead, Copy That and All Clear are sent as chat messages. [4] Anyone who joins can take part in a voice call run from the phone browser. [4] The person who starts a jobsite shares a link or QR code, and the crew joins from it. [4] A jobsite link stops working 12 hours after the first person joins it. [4] A jobsite with nobody in it is wiped after 3 idle hours. [4] On Android browsers signals such as STOP make the phone buzz; iPhone Safari ignores the buzz. [4] The app can be added to a phone's home screen as a standalone app. [4] OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. [4] It runs in a phone browser with no app install. [4] Button presses, chat and voice pass between phones in a browser. [4]

Zello: phone and computer push-to-talk

Zello runs on iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac. [8] Zello Work costs 8.00 per user per month, or 6.80 with an annual subscription. [5] A free 14-day trial is offered with no credit card required. [5] Education and non-profit organizations get an additional 10% off annual subscriptions, for 25% total. [5] Subscriptions can be changed or cancelled at any time without penalty. [5] Zello supports payment by wire transfer, ACH, or check besides credit card. [5] A crew that cannot run a phone or computer app should check the coverage and pricing each option below states before comparing it to Zello.

Peak PTT: a dedicated push-to-talk radio on the cellular network

The PTT-84G radio costs $229, with a $19.95 activation fee and $24.95 per month for unlimited push-to-talk, with no contracts. [6] Core radio service is priced at $24.95 per month per radio for unlimited nationwide push-to-talk on Tier-1 U.S. carrier native SIMs. [9] An optional dispatch seat, a computer used to run dispatch from any PC instead of a base station, costs $12 per month per seat. [9] Both radios include access to a GPS Tracking Portal with 90-day location history, geofencing, and real-time crew visibility. [6] Both radios are backed by a lifetime hardware warranty with an active service plan. [6] PeakPTT transmits voice over AT&T's nationwide LTE network. [6] Same-business-day shipping is offered on most orders. [6] A crew should check on its own whether its site's coverage matches the network the radio uses before committing.

How to pick the right Clear-Com alternative

A crew starts with the phones and gear already on site. If the crew wants hands-free wireless headsets for the lift, Eartec states that both the EPak and PRO16 systems allow users to connect and communicate simultaneously on the same setup. [1] If the crew needs a scalable system for small or large groups, CrewPlex states it can be scaled from small crews to large crews and offers optional integration with two-way radios. If signals like STOP, HOLD and SLOW matter most and a browser app is acceptable, OperatorLink shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew, and passes button presses, chat and voice between phones in a phone browser. [4] It is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. [4] If the crew wants push-to-talk on phones and computers, Zello runs on iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac and states a per-user monthly price. If the priority is a dedicated radio rather than a phone app, Peak PTT states its hardware and monthly prices and its per-radio flat monthly rate. For any option, the crew should check what its own phones and network support before choosing.

Frequently asked questions

What does Zello Work cost?

Zello Work costs $8.00 per user per month, or $6.80 with an annual subscription. [5] Zello runs on iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac. [8] A free 14-day trial is offered with no credit card required. [5] A crew should check how many people need it and which devices they carry before choosing a plan of its own.

How many users can Eartec headsets handle?

Both the EPak and PRO16 Crane and Lift systems allow users to connect and communicate simultaneously on the same setup. [1] More crew members can be added to a system at any time. [1] The EPak beltpack weighs 2.5 oz, and all Eartec headsets include noise-canceling microphone technology to filter out background machinery noise. [1] [1]

How do Setcom headsets pair?

Headsets pair by being set to the same channel, with no pairing step. [2] One base station connects up to seven wireless headsets. [2]

What does OperatorLink cost?

OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. [4] It runs in a phone browser with no app install. [4] A crew should check on its own what the browser and each person's phone support before a shift.

Do the radio options need contracts?

Peak PTT states its PTT-84G service at $24.95 per month for unlimited push-to-talk, with no contracts. [6] Both radios include access to a GPS Tracking Portal with 90-day location history and real-time crew visibility. [6] A crew should confirm on its own whether its site's coverage matches the network the radio uses before committing. [6]

OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. [4]

Try OperatorLink

Sources

  1. Eartec, eartecindustrial.com/crane-lift, read 2026-10-08
  2. Setcom, setcomcorp.com/industry/crane, read 2026-10-08
  3. Crewplex, crewplex.com/applications/cranes, read 2026-10-08
  4. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  5. Zello, zello.com/pricing, read 2026-10-08
  6. Peak PTT, peakptt.com/pages/construction-companies, read 2026-10-08
  7. Clear-Com, clearcom.com, read 2026-10-09
  8. Zello, zello.com, read 2026-10-08
  9. Peak PTT, peakptt.com/pages/peak-push-to-talk-pricing-matrix, read 2026-10-08

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