2Dig Plain comparisons of crane signalling and jobsite communication tools

ESChat vs Peak PTT in 2026

Compare ESChat and Peak PTT for a crane crew: what each does, its published prices, setup on a jobsite, and how to choose between them.

By 2Dig ยท

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

ESChat provides Push-to-Talk service for smartphone and IoT devices [1]. Peak PTT prices its PTT-84G radio for field voice [2]. ESChat's cited pages describe a cloud hosted service for $5.99 per user per month and a free 30-day trial [3] [1]. Peak PTT's cited pages describe predictable flat monthly pricing [2]. Which one fits depends on whether a crane crew wants a phone push-to-talk service or a dedicated radio.

OptionOwn feeCard fee
ESChatCloud Hosted Service $5.99 per user per month for commercial customers; free 30-day trial [3] [1]not published
Peak PTTPTT-84G $229, $19.95 activation, $24.95 per month unlimited PTT; flat monthly pricing [2] [2]not published
OperatorLinkFree to use; no paid plan is built yet [4]not published

The short answer

A crane crew member needs to get voice and clear communication to the crew while the crane moves. ESChat provides Push-to-Talk service for smartphone and IoT devices [1], and Peak PTT's sources describe a radio service priced for field crews [2]. ESChat's cited pages describe a cloud hosted service at $5.99 per user per month for commercial customers [3] and a free 30-day trial [1]. Peak PTT's cited pages describe predictable flat monthly pricing [2]. Its cited sources say nothing about signals on a jobsite, so a crew with that need should check it directly with Peak PTT.

What ESChat, Peak PTT is built for

The facts gathered for this page describe these things about ESChat and Peak PTT, all taken from their own pages. ESChat provides Push-to-Talk service for smartphone and IoT devices [1], and its Cloud Hosted Service costs $5.99 per user per month for commercial customers [3]. ESChat offers a free 30-day trial [1]. Peak PTT prices the PTT-84G radio at $229 with a $19.95 activation fee and $24.95 a month for unlimited PTT, with no contracts [2]. Peak PTT describes predictable flat monthly pricing [2] and lists a toll-free number, 855-600-6161 [2]. Those facts do not describe how either handles signals or stops on a jobsite, so this page does not say what they do for those jobs. A crew that wants push-to-talk voice should check with each provider how it works on a jobsite.

What OperatorLink is built for

OperatorLink is made by the team that publishes this site. For a crane crew member, it shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew, and passes button presses, chat and voice between phones in a browser [4]. A 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, and if the move stops arriving for 2 seconds, the other phones drop it [4]. One-tap messages such as Go Ahead, Copy That and All Clear are sent as chat [4]. Anyone who joins can take part in a voice call run from the phone browser [4].

Pricing and fees

ESChat's Cloud Hosted Service costs $5.99 per user per month for commercial customers [3], and ESChat offers a free 30-day trial [1]. Peak PTT prices the PTT-84G at $229 with a $19.95 activation fee and $24.95 a month for unlimited PTT, with no contracts [2], and describes predictable flat monthly pricing [2]. OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet [4]. The card fee is not published for any of the three options. A crew that expects to pay a card fee should ask each provider for it before choosing.

Setting it up on a jobsite

OperatorLink runs in a phone browser with no app install [4]. The person who starts a jobsite shares a link or QR code, and the crew joins from it [4]. Phones can add the app to their home screen as a standalone app [4]. A jobsite link stops working 12 hours after the first person joins [4], and a jobsite with nobody in it is wiped after 3 idle hours [4]. Button presses, chat and voice pass between phones in the browser [4]. The facts allowed on this page do not describe how ESChat or Peak PTT adds a crew or passes signals on a jobsite. A crew should confirm that with each provider before a shift.

Things to check before you choose

Does the crew want a phone push-to-talk service or a dedicated radio, and which does each provider actually support on a jobsite? Does a monthly price per user, or a one-time radio price plus a monthly rate, fit the crew's budget? Which signals does the crew need on a jobsite, and how will you test that each tool passes them before a lift? On Android browsers a signal such as STOP makes the phone buzz, but iPhone Safari ignores the buzz, so check whether a buzz alert matters for your crew [4]. Does a jobsite link that stops working 12 hours after the first person joins suit your shifts?

How to choose

If the crew needs a phone push-to-talk service, ESChat's page describes that for smartphones and IoT devices [1]. If the crew wants a dedicated radio, Peak PTT's page prices the PTT-84G for field use [2]. If the crew needs a stop that reaches every phone, OperatorLink's sources describe a STOP that releases every held direction and shows a full-screen alert to everyone else [4]. If the crew needs a free start with no paid plan, OperatorLink is currently free to use [4]. If the crew wants to try ESChat first, its page offers a free 30-day trial [1]. A crew that needs push-to-talk voice and signal handling at once should check each option against both needs, because no single source here covers both.

Frequently asked questions

Is ESChat free to try?

ESChat offers a free 30-day trial [1]. Its Cloud Hosted Service costs $5.99 per user per month for commercial customers [3]. The card fee is not published for any option on this page, so a crew that expects to pay one should check before choosing. Prices can change, so confirm the current terms with ESChat before a shift.

How much does the Peak PTT radio cost?

The PTT-84G radio is priced at $229 with a $19.95 activation fee and $24.95 a month for unlimited PTT, with no contracts [2]. Peak PTT describes predictable flat monthly pricing [2]. The card fee is not published for this option. Confirm the current terms with Peak PTT, including radio shipping and setup, before a shift.

Is OperatorLink free to use?

OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet [4]. The sources cited on this page give no price beyond that. The card fee is not published, so a crew that expects to pay one should check before choosing. Prices can change, so confirm the current terms with the product before a shift.

Do ESChat and Peak PTT run on phones?

ESChat provides Push-to-Talk service for smartphone and IoT devices [1]. Peak PTT's cited pages price a radio and describe flat monthly pricing [2], and the facts here do not say whether Peak PTT runs on a phone. A crew should check with Peak PTT how it can be used on a jobsite. ESChat's cited sources say nothing about signals on a jobsite.

How long does an OperatorLink jobsite link last?

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]. The person who starts a jobsite shares a link or QR code, and the crew joins from it [4]. A crew whose shift runs past 12 hours should start a new jobsite with a fresh link.

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

Try OperatorLink

Sources

  1. ESChat, eschat.com, read 2026-10-10
  2. Peak PTT, peakptt.com/pages/construction-companies, read 2026-10-08
  3. ESChat, eschat.com/pricing, read 2026-10-10
  4. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

Related comparisons