# SDR Receiver vs rtl_tcp SDR

SDR Receiver and rtl_tcp SDR both sit at 4.1 stars, but that hides the real split: 73% of SDR Receiver's written reviews are positive against 40% of rtl_tcp SDR's. SDR Receiver also leads on price ($9.99 vs $12.99). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

SDR Receiver costs $9.99 and rtl_tcp SDR $12.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

SDR Receiver holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 32 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of SDR Receiver's written reviews are positive against 40% of rtl_tcp SDR's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SDR Receiver | rtl_tcp SDR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$9.99** | $12.99 |
| Rating | **[4.1 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sdr-receiver/id1289939888/reviews)** | [3.9 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rtl-tcp-sdr/id1351164646/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 15 | **32** |
| Positive reviews | **73.1% of reviews** | 40.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 2 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Transition Technology Ventures, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1289939887) | [HotPaw Productions](https://appshunter.io/developer/285074853) |

## What reviewers say

### SDR Receiver

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sdr-receiver/id1289939888)

This app demodulates and plays AM and FM radio signals received by compatible SDR hardware. It allows users to listen to various broadcasts, manage station lists, and adjust audio settings. Requires a separate radio and host computer for operation.

**Highlights:** Demodulate AM and FM signals, Manage station lists (import/export), Adjustable squelch and LNA gain, Adjustable audio filters, Signal strength indicator, AirPlay audio streaming, Lock Screen controls

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### rtl_tcp SDR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rtl-tcp-sdr/id1351164646)

This app acts as a software-defined radio receiver for iOS devices, allowing you to listen to various radio signals and view RF spectrum data. It connects to external SDR peripherals via a network protocol, requiring a separate server setup.

**Highlights:** Listen to AM, FM, SSB, CW signals, View RF spectrum and waterfall, Connect to networked RTL-SDR peripherals, Supports Airspy HF+, SDRPlay, LimeSDR Mini, Direct connection to Hermes Lite 2

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SDR Receiver free?

SDR Receiver costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is rtl_tcp SDR free?

rtl_tcp SDR costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SDR Receiver or rtl_tcp SDR?

SDR Receiver is rated higher. SDR Receiver averages 4.1 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while rtl_tcp SDR averages 3.9 from 32 ratings.

### Do SDR Receiver or rtl_tcp SDR have ads?

Neither SDR Receiver nor rtl_tcp SDR shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SDR Receiver or rtl_tcp SDR?

SDR Receiver ships an update every 4 months, and rtl_tcp SDR every 4 months. Most recently, SDR Receiver was updated on November 3, 2026 and rtl_tcp SDR on November 2, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*