The three types, in one table
| PMR446 (licence-free) | Licensed business radio | Network radio (PoC) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence | None | Ofcom, from £75/5 years | None (uses mobile networks) |
| Real range | 0.5–2 km typical | 1–5 km, more with repeaters | Unlimited (mobile coverage) |
| Price each | £15–£80 | £120–£600 | £100–£300 + monthly SIM |
| Running cost | £0 | Licence renewal only | £8–£15/month |
| Best for | Family days out, small venues, light use | Single sites used hard, every day | Teams spread across areas or towns |
Each column gets its own deep-dive: PMR446 explained, licensed vs licence-free, and walkie talkie vs network radio.
How to choose in five questions
- How far apart will people actually be? Same building or field: PMR446 is fine. Same large site with concrete and steel: licensed. Different postcodes: network radio — read the truth about range before trusting any number on a box.
- How many hours a day will they be used? Occasional use suits £30 handsets. All-day, every-day use justifies business-grade batteries, speakers and build — the cheap ones fail exactly when usage gets serious.
- Is licence paperwork acceptable? If not, you're choosing between PMR446 and network radio. The licence rules are simpler than most people fear, though — £75 covers a whole company for five years.
- Do you need privacy? PMR446 channels are shared with everyone nearby — expect to hear strangers. Licensed radio gives you coordinated frequencies; digital adds proper privacy.
- Gloves, rain, drops? Look for IP ratings (IP67 = dustproof and survives immersion) and don't expect them at the £20 price point.
What the marketing won't tell you
"Up to 10 km range"
Hilltop to hilltop in perfect weather, maybe. In a town you'll get a tenth of that. Why range claims work like this →
"121 privacy codes"
Privacy codes don't make anything private — they only filter what your radio plays out loud. Anyone on the channel can still hear you.
"Twin pack £24.99!"
Perfectly good for the kids or a campsite. The mistake is issuing them to a security team and wondering why they're back in the drawer by month two.
"No licence needed anywhere"
True for PMR446 in the UK and EU. Not true if a radio transmits outside those limits — some imports do. The actual rules →
Go deeper
PMR446 explained
The licence-free standard: 446 MHz, 16 channels, 500 mW — and what those limits mean in practice.
→UK licence rules
When you need one, what £75 actually covers, and the import trap that catches honest people.
→Real-world range
The honest range table by environment — and why the box number is technically true yet useless.
→Best by use case
Kids, festivals, ski trips, retail and site work — the spec that matters for each, no model churn.
→Licensed vs licence-free
What the £75 buys, the honest five-year costs, and the three signs you've outgrown PMR446.
→Vs network radio
Conventional or 4G PoC? One question decides it — plus the full side-by-side.
Quick answers
Do you need a licence for walkie talkies in the UK?
Not for PMR446 handsets used within their limits. Yes for higher-powered business radios — £75 for five years covers the whole business. Network radios need none.
How far do walkie talkies really work?
PMR446: 0.5–2 km in built-up areas, a few km in the open. Licensed: roughly double. Network: wherever there's mobile signal.
Walkie talkie vs two-way radio — any difference?
Same device, different register: "walkie talkie" is the everyday word, "two-way radio" the trade term — in practice the former usually means consumer PMR446 kit.