OperatorLink vs Crewplex in 2026
How OperatorLink and Crewplex compare for crane crews: what each does, what it costs, and what to check before you choose.
2Dig is published by the makers of OperatorLink, which is compared here alongside other tools.
OperatorLink puts STOP, HOLD and SLOW on a phone screen and passes chat and voice between phones in a browser, and is free. [1] Crewplex describes full-duplex, hands-free communications that can be integrated with mobile two-way communications. [2] Its prices are not published.
| Option | How the crew uses it | Own price |
|---|---|---|
| Crewplex | Full-duplex, hands-free communication that can be integrated with mobile two-way communications. [2] | not published |
| OperatorLink | Phones show STOP, HOLD and SLOW and pass chat and voice in a browser. [1] | free, no paid plan yet [1] |
The short answer
For a crane crew member, OperatorLink shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew, and passes button presses, chat and voice between phones in a phone browser. [1] Crewplex describes scalable full-duplex hands-free communication for large crews. [2] In plain terms, OperatorLink puts the signal on a phone screen and lets the crew tap quick calls and talk on their own phones. [1] Crewplex describes scalable hands-free talk built for large crews. [2] If the crew already carries phones and wants the STOP, HOLD and SLOW states visible to everyone, OperatorLink's claims point that way. [1]
What Crewplex is built for
Crewplex describes its large system as scalable full-duplex hands-free communication. [2] These are the points its own pages set out about what it does. [2]
What OperatorLink is built for
OperatorLink is made by the team that publishes this site. For a crane crew member, OperatorLink shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew, and passes button presses, chat and voice between phones in a phone 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]
Pricing and fees
OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. [1] Because there is no price, no setup fee or per-use card fee is stated for OperatorLink. [1] Crewplex does not state prices on the pages used here, so its system costs are not published. The price of Crewplex hardware is not published on the pages used here. Neither page names a card payment service for the crane crew member to connect.
Setting it up on a jobsite
OperatorLink runs in a phone browser with no app install. [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] The app can be added to a phone's home screen as a standalone app. [1] On Android browsers signals such as STOP make the phone buzz; iPhone Safari ignores the buzz. [1] The pages used here give no setup steps for Crewplex, so how the crew moves onto it is not stated.
Things to check before you choose
Will every crew member already carry a phone, or do you need headset hardware? OperatorLink needs a phone browser; does the jobsite have a phone signal that lasts through the shift? OperatorLink jobsite links stop working 12 hours after the first person joins [1]; does the crew need more than that for a full shift? What does Crewplex's warranty cover, and how is a claim handled? If multi-site talk matters, ask Crewplex how its mobile two-way communications integration works. Ask how each tool behaves if a phone drops out mid-lift.
How to choose
If the crew wants the STOP, HOLD and SLOW states shown on every phone and quick chat and voice without headsets, OperatorLink's claims point that way. [1] If the crew wants scalable hands-free talk for a large crew, the Crewplex source describes it. [2] If the crew wants to talk with a different site, ask Crewplex how its mobile two-way communications work across sites. Ask about it directly. If the crew brings its own phones and wants no install, OperatorLink runs in a browser. [1] If a job has no spare budget, OperatorLink is currently free, while Crewplex does not publish a price. [1]
Frequently asked questions
Does Crewplex let a crew talk hands-free?
Crewplex describes scalable full-duplex hands-free communication for large crews. [2] Its large system is described as enabling large crews that need scalable full-duplex hands-free communication. [2] Its pages do not state the price of any setup.
Can OperatorLink be used without installing an app?
Yes. OperatorLink runs in a phone browser with no app install. [1] The crew joins from a link or QR code that the person who starts the jobsite shares. [1] The app can be added to a phone's home screen as a standalone app. [1]
How long does an OperatorLink jobsite link last?
An OperatorLink 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] Before a long shift, a crew member should check whether that window covers the whole day, since the source does not say a longer option exists.
What hands-free options does Crewplex describe?
Crewplex's pages describe scalable full-duplex hands-free communication for large crews. [2] Ask the maker which of its described options fit the crew's jobs. Ask what Crewplex charges for its hands-free communication, since prices are not published on the pages used here.
Is OperatorLink free?
Yes in its current state. [1] OperatorLink is free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. [1] Because there is no price, no per-crew or card payment fee is listed for OperatorLink. [1] No monthly or per-use cost is published, so a crew member can expect no charge for now. [1]
OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. [1]
Try OperatorLinkSources
Related comparisons
- Crane communication headsets compared
- Crane communication headsets for operators
- Crane communication headsets for lift directors in 2026
- Crane communication headsets for rigging supervisors in 2026
- Crane communication headsets for signal persons and riggers
- Crane communication headsets for site safety managers in 2026
- Crane communication headsets for tower crane operators in 2026
- Clear-Com alternatives in 2026
- Clear-Com vs Crewplex Comparison in 2026
- Clear-Com vs David Clark Company in 2026