2Dig Plain comparisons of crane signalling and jobsite communication tools

Crewplex vs Setcom in 2026: which suits a crane crew

Compare Crewplex and Setcom headsets with OperatorLink for crane crews: what each does, pricing, and setting up on a jobsite.

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

Crewplex offers a full range of headset options. [1] Setcom sells systems built around the LiberatorMAX wireless headset. [2] OperatorLink is not a headset: it runs in a phone browser, shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW on screen, and passes button presses, chat and voice between phones. [3]

OptionHow the crew talksPrice
CrewplexWireless headsets with full-duplex, hands-free talk; scales from small crews to large crews; optional two-way radio integration. [1][1][1]not published
SetcomLiberatorMAX headsets run 30 seconds after opening, full-duplex without push-to-talk, paired by being set to the same channel. [2][2]not published
OperatorLinkShows STOP, HOLD and SLOW in a phone browser and passes button presses, chat and voice between phones. [3]free [3]

The short answer

Crewplex offers a full range of headset options. [1] Setcom sells systems built around the LiberatorMAX wireless headset. [2] OperatorLink is not a headset. It runs in a phone browser and shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew while passing button presses, chat and voice between phones. [3] Crewplex's sources describe its small system as made for small crews. [1] Setcom calls the LiberatorMAX its least costly wireless solution for work teams of two or more. [2] OperatorLink shows stop, hold and slow commands on screen to crew members who carry phones. [3]

What Crewplex and Setcom are built for

Crewplex offers a full range of headset options. [1] The company says it has provided communication solutions for more than 30 years. [1] The small system is described as dependable and affordable hands-free communication for small crews. [1] Its page says it delivers high-quality audio and excellent range without breaking the budget. [1] The company offers a full range of headset options. [1] Setcom sells systems built around the LiberatorMAX wireless headset. [2] It needs no console mounting, no cable runs and no soldering or cable crimping. [2] One base station, the box the headsets connect through, ties up to seven wireless headsets together. [2] The System 977 with the LiberatorMAX Wireless Headset supports hands-free, full-duplex communication and integration into mobile radios. [2] The company describes the LiberatorMAX as its least costly wireless solution for work teams of two or more people. [2]

What OperatorLink is built for

OperatorLink is made by the team that publishes this site. It runs in a phone browser, with no app install. [3] It shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew, and passes button presses, chat and voice between phones in that browser. [3][3] STOP releases every held direction on every phone and shows a full-screen alert to everyone else. [3] HOLD and SLOW stay on for everyone in the jobsite and are cleared when the last person leaves. [3] Holding a move button keeps sending that move to the other phones, and if it stops arriving, they drop it. [3] One-tap radio-style calls such as Go Ahead, Copy That and All Clear are sent as chat messages. [3] Anyone who joins can take part in a voice call run from the phone browser. [3] On Android browsers, signals such as STOP make the phone buzz, while iPhone Safari ignores the buzz. [3] The app can be added to a phone's home screen as a standalone app. [3]

Pricing and fees

Crewplex says it delivers high-quality audio and range without breaking the budget, and gives no figure. [1] Setcom's own page calls the LiberatorMAX its least costly wireless solution for work teams of two or more people, without stating a figure. [2] OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. [3] Because it has no paid plan, OperatorLink takes no card payment and adds no fee on top of a payment service. [3] The way to compare cost is to ask each maker for a quote, and to check what the warranty covers before you buy.

Setting it up on a jobsite

Crewplex's pages, as gathered here, do not describe how the crew is added or how signals pass, so the crew should ask Crewplex for its setup steps before a shift. Setcom says the LiberatorMAX needs no console mounting, no cable runs and no soldering or cable crimping. [2] OperatorLink is set up through the phone browser. The person who starts a jobsite shares a link or QR code, and the crew joins from it. [3] A jobsite link stops working 12 hours after the first person joins it. [3] A jobsite with nobody in it is wiped after 3 idle hours. [3] For either headset maker, ask how channels and base stations are arranged before the crew arrives, since the pages do not say.

Things to check before you choose

Ask how many crew members must talk at once, and whether that number is within the system's range. Ask whether the crew's phones have service where the lifts happen, if the plan is to run communication through a browser. Ask whether the job needs a link to the crane's own two-way radio, since radio integration is optional on some systems. Ask about battery life and how the headsets are charged during a work shift. Ask what the warranty covers and how a broken unit is replaced. Ask how long the setup stays ready after the crew arrives, since a room or channel left empty may be cleared.

How to choose

A crew that wants headsets with a link to mobile radios can look at Setcom's System 977 with the LiberatorMAX, which integrates with mobile radios. [2] A team of two or more that wants a low-cost wireless start can look at Setcom's LiberatorMAX. [2] A crew whose members already carry phones and need stop, hold and slow shown on screen can look at OperatorLink, which is free and needs no headset. [3][3]

Frequently asked questions

Are Crewplex and Setcom the same kind of equipment?

Crewplex offers a full range of headset options. [1] Setcom sells systems built around the LiberatorMAX wireless headset, which needs no console mounting, no cable runs and no soldering or cable crimping. [2][2]

Does OperatorLink replace a headset or a radio?

No. OperatorLink is a phone browser tool that shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew and passes button presses, chat and voice between phones. It does not replace hand signals, a qualified signal person or a radio, and it is one option among several on this page rather than a replacement for them.

What does OperatorLink cost?

OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. [3] It takes no card payment and adds no fee on top of a payment service. [3] Setcom calls the LiberatorMAX its least costly wireless solution for work teams of two or more people, without a figure. [2]

How long does an OperatorLink jobsite stay open?

A jobsite link stops working 12 hours after the first person joins it [3]. A jobsite with nobody in it is wiped after 3 idle hours [3]. The person who starts a jobsite shares a link or QR code, and the crew joins from it [3].

What should a crane crew check before choosing?

Check how many people must talk at once and whether that number fits the system, whether the crew's phones have service where lifts happen, and whether the job needs a link to the crane's own two-way radio. Ask about battery life and charging, what the warranty covers, and how long the setup stays ready after the crew arrives.

OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. [3]

Try OperatorLink

Sources

  1. Crewplex, crewplex.com/applications/cranes, read 2026-10-08
  2. Setcom, setcomcorp.com/industry/crane, read 2026-10-08
  3. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

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