2Dig Plain comparisons of crane signalling and jobsite communication tools

Eartec alternatives in 2026

Headset systems from Eartec compared with phone-based options Zello, Peak PTT, CrewPlex, GroupTalk and OperatorLink for crane crews.

By 2Dig ยท

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

Eartec makes headset gear worn on the body. [1] Crews that already carry phones often choose a phone-based option instead. This page compares Eartec with Zello, Peak PTT, CrewPlex, GroupTalk and OperatorLink, which is made by the team that publishes this site.

OptionWhat it offersCrew sizeMonthly costCard fee
EartecTwo crane and lift headset systems, EPak with Lazer-Pro and PRO16 with Monarch [2]; headsets with noise-canceling mics and Bluetooth links [3] [4]Multiple users connect and communicate at the same time on one setup [5]not publishednot published
ZelloPush-to-talk app, free for first responders [6], runs on iOS, Android, Windows and Mac [7]not published$8.00 per user per month, $6.80 a month billed yearly [8]not published
Peak PTT4G LTE push-to-talk radio at $229 plus a $19.95 activation fee [9]; GPS tracking portal [10]; lifetime hardware warranty [11]not published$24.95 per month per radio [12]not published
CrewPlexFull-duplex, hands-free headset systems [13] backed by a two-year warranty [14]Small crews, plus a larger system for 6 to 10 people [15] [16]not publishednot published
GroupTalkCloud push-to-talk with personal alarms and live location [17] [18]not publishednot published; free 14-day trial offered [19]not published
OperatorLinkPhone-browser tool showing STOP, HOLD and SLOW with chat and voice between phones [20]not publishedcurrently free to use, no paid plan built [21]not published

Why crane crews look past Eartec

Eartec gear is worn on the body, with a 2.5 oz beltpack clipped to clothing or tucked into a pocket. [1] The Lazer-Pro headsets carry an IP65 rating for dust and water resistance. [22] More crew members can be added to a system at any time. [23] The company says it has backed its gear with customer support for more than 60 years. [24]

That kind of dedicated headset gear suits a crew that is ready to wear it on the body. Some crane crews look a different way. They already carry phones on the jobsite and would rather work from those phones than clip on an extra beltpack and headset. Others want to stay in touch with crew members who are spread across a long site. Phone-based options below cover those cases, and a hands-free headset maker gives a second path.

Zello: push-to-talk that runs on gear the crew already owns

The Zello Work plan costs $8.00 per user per month, or $6.80 a month when billed yearly. [8] Subscriptions can be changed or cancelled any time without penalty. [25] Education and non-profit groups get an extra 10 percent off annual plans, for 25 percent off in total. [26] A new account runs free for 14 days with no credit card needed. [27] A business can pay by wire transfer, ACH or check as well as credit card. [28]

Peak PTT: a push-to-talk radio that talks over a cellular network

Peak PTT sells the PTT-84G push-to-talk radio at $229, with a $19.95 activation fee and $24.95 a month for unlimited push-to-talk, with no contracts. [9] Voice travels over AT&T's nationwide LTE network. [29] The maker describes under 300 milliseconds of latency, with no dead zones, no repeaters and no FCC licensing. [30] Radios support several talk groups at once on one platform. [31] Most orders ship the same business day. [32]

CrewPlex: headset systems for hands-free crew talk

CrewPlex says it delivers high-quality audio and excellent range while not breaking the budget. [33] The comparison table lists the crew sizes and warranty the company states for its systems, and those details are where most of what is known about CrewPlex belongs.

GroupTalk: cloud push-to-talk with alarms and live location

GroupTalk is a cloud push-to-talk system the page describes as unlimited in range and secure. [34] It offers a free 14-day trial. [19] Separate talk groups can be set up for different roles, functions, areas or tasks. [35] Group voice channels let several teams talk at the same time. [36] Personal alarms report incidents right away to nearby colleagues and central management. [37] Lone workers can alert those same people immediately. [38] Supervisors can reach any team or individual instantly. [39] NCC, Entry, Veidekke and YIT are named construction companies that use it. [40] Private cloud and on-premises deployment are offered. [41]

OperatorLink: a phone-browser tool that shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew

OperatorLink is made by the team that publishes this site. It runs in a phone browser with no app to install, and it shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew while passing button presses, chat and voice between phones. [20] [42] [43] STOP releases every held direction on every phone and shows a full-screen alert to everyone else. [44] HOLD and SLOW stay on for everyone in the jobsite and clear when the last person leaves. [45] Holding a move button keeps sending that move to the other phones; if it stops arriving for 2 seconds, they drop it. [46] One-tap radio-style calls such as Go Ahead, Copy That and All Clear go out as chat messages. [47] Anyone who joins can take part in a voice call run from the phone browser. [48] The person who starts a jobsite shares a link or QR code and the crew joins from it. [49] A jobsite link stops working 12 hours after the first person joins. [50] A jobsite with nobody in it is wiped after 3 idle hours. [51] On Android browsers the phone buzzes on signals such as STOP; iPhone Safari ignores the buzz. [52] The app can be added to a phone's home screen as a standalone app. [53] OperatorLink is currently free to use, with no paid plan built yet. [21]

How to pick the right Eartec alternative

Start with how the crew wants to talk. A crew that already works from phones will find the shortest path in a phone-based tool such as Zello, GroupTalk or OperatorLink, with nothing extra to clip on. A crew that wants a dedicated radio they press to talk, and is willing to carry it, can look at Peak PTT, whose per-device monthly rate covers unlimited push-to-talk. [12] A crew that wants hands-free headset gear, and does not mind wearing beltpacks, can weigh the headset systems from Eartec and CrewPlex. Consider how many people must talk at once: compare the crew sizes each option lists, since the phone tools depend on the accounts and coverage in place. Think about the jobsite itself. Where a crew must stay in touch over long or shifting range through the work day, a cellular-based radio or a cloud service may fit better than a close-range headset line. Finally, weigh what it costs to start: some options need hardware or a per-user monthly fee, and one currently has no paid plan. [21] Match the tool to the crew's phones, its size and the range it needs.

Frequently asked questions

What are the alternatives to Eartec for a crane crew?

Eartec builds wireless headset gear worn on the body. [1] Phone-based options such as Zello, GroupTalk and OperatorLink work from phones a crew already carries, so there is no extra hardware to clip on. Peak PTT is a dedicated push-to-talk radio, and CrewPlex uses headset gear. The main choice is whether the crew wants dedicated headset equipment or prefers to talk through phones it already owns.

Is OperatorLink free to use?

Yes. OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan has been built yet. [21] It runs in a phone browser with no app to install. [42] A jobsite link stops working 12 hours after the first person joins it. [50] A jobsite with nobody in it is wiped after 3 idle hours. [51]

How much does Zello Work cost?

Zello Work costs $8.00 per user per month, or $6.80 a month when billed yearly. [8] Subscriptions can be changed or cancelled any time without penalty. [25] A new account runs free for 14 days with no credit card needed. [27] Education and non-profit groups get an extra 10 percent off annual plans, for 25 percent off in total. [26]

What does the Peak PTT radio cost?

The PTT-84G push-to-talk radio is priced at $229, with a $19.95 activation fee and $24.95 a month for unlimited push-to-talk, with no contracts. [9] Voice travels over AT&T's nationwide LTE network. [29] Most orders ship the same business day. [32]

How far does GroupTalk reach?

GroupTalk is a cloud push-to-talk system the page describes as unlimited in range and secure. [34] A free 14-day trial is offered. [19] Separate talk groups can be set up for different roles, functions, areas or tasks. [35] Private cloud and on-premises deployment are also offered. [41]

OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. [21]

Try OperatorLink

Sources

  1. Eartec, eartecindustrial.com/crane-lift, read 2026-10-08
  2. Eartec, eartecindustrial.com/crane-lift, read 2026-10-08
  3. Eartec, eartecindustrial.com/crane-lift, read 2026-10-08
  4. Eartec, eartecindustrial.com/crane-lift, read 2026-10-08
  5. Eartec, eartecindustrial.com/crane-lift, read 2026-10-08
  6. Zello, zello.com, read 2026-10-08
  7. Zello, zello.com, read 2026-10-08
  8. Zello, zello.com/pricing, read 2026-10-08
  9. Peak PTT, peakptt.com/pages/construction-companies, read 2026-10-08
  10. Peak PTT, peakptt.com/pages/construction-companies, read 2026-10-08
  11. Peak PTT, peakptt.com/pages/construction-companies, read 2026-10-08
  12. Peak PTT, peakptt.com/pages/peak-push-to-talk-pricing-matrix, read 2026-10-08
  13. Crewplex, crewplex.com/applications/cranes, read 2026-10-08
  14. Crewplex, crewplex.com/applications/cranes, read 2026-10-08
  15. Crewplex, crewplex.com/applications/cranes, read 2026-10-08
  16. Crewplex, crewplex.com/applications/cranes, read 2026-10-08
  17. GroupTalk, grouptalk.com/why-grouptalk/we-across-industries/construction, read 2026-10-08
  18. GroupTalk, grouptalk.com/why-grouptalk/we-across-industries/construction, read 2026-10-08
  19. GroupTalk, grouptalk.com, read 2026-10-08
  20. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  21. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  22. Eartec, eartecindustrial.com/crane-lift, read 2026-10-08
  23. Eartec, eartecindustrial.com/crane-lift, read 2026-10-08
  24. Eartec, eartecindustrial.com/crane-lift, read 2026-10-08
  25. Zello, zello.com/pricing, read 2026-10-08
  26. Zello, zello.com/pricing, read 2026-10-08
  27. Zello, zello.com/pricing, read 2026-10-08
  28. Zello, zello.com/pricing, read 2026-10-08
  29. Peak PTT, peakptt.com/pages/construction-companies, read 2026-10-08
  30. Peak PTT, peakptt.com/pages/construction-companies, read 2026-10-08
  31. Peak PTT, peakptt.com/pages/construction-companies, read 2026-10-08
  32. Peak PTT, peakptt.com/pages/construction-companies, read 2026-10-08
  33. Crewplex, crewplex.com/applications/cranes, read 2026-10-08
  34. GroupTalk, grouptalk.com/why-grouptalk/we-across-industries/construction, read 2026-10-08
  35. GroupTalk, grouptalk.com/why-grouptalk/we-across-industries/construction, read 2026-10-08
  36. GroupTalk, grouptalk.com/why-grouptalk/we-across-industries/construction, read 2026-10-08
  37. GroupTalk, grouptalk.com/why-grouptalk/we-across-industries/construction, read 2026-10-08
  38. GroupTalk, grouptalk.com/why-grouptalk/we-across-industries/construction, read 2026-10-08
  39. GroupTalk, grouptalk.com/why-grouptalk/we-across-industries/construction, read 2026-10-08
  40. GroupTalk, grouptalk.com/why-grouptalk/we-across-industries/construction, read 2026-10-08
  41. GroupTalk, grouptalk.com, read 2026-10-08
  42. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  43. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  44. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  45. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  46. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  47. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  48. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  49. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  50. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  51. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  52. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  53. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

Related comparisons