# SDR Receiver vs FT8 Decoder

The clearest difference is price: FT8 Decoder at $1.99 against SDR Receiver's $9.99. FT8 Decoder also leads on rating (4.3 vs 4.1) and iOS requirement (15.4 vs 17.0). SDR Receiver's advantage is review sentiment (72% vs 50%) and update cadence (every 4 months vs every 18 months). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

SDR Receiver costs $9.99 and FT8 Decoder $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

FT8 Decoder holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 8 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 72% of SDR Receiver's written reviews are positive against 50% of FT8 Decoder's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SDR Receiver ships an update every 4 months, FT8 Decoder every 18 months. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SDR Receiver | FT8 Decoder |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **$1.99** |
| Rating | [4.1 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sdr-receiver/id1289939888/reviews) | **[4.3 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ft8-decoder/id1592847401/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **15** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | **72.0% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 18 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 2 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| 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


### FT8 Decoder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ft8-decoder/id1592847401)

This application decodes FT8 digital signals from amateur radio bands. It can process audio from external sources or directly from an SSB radio or SDR. The app also generates FT8 modulated audio for experimentation.

**Highlights:** Decodes FT8 8FSK modulated signals, Processes external audio or SDR sound, Supports standard callsigns and 13-character messages, Generates FT8 message audio, Experiment with sending and receiving FT8 audio

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SDR Receiver free?

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

### Is FT8 Decoder free?

FT8 Decoder costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SDR Receiver or FT8 Decoder?

FT8 Decoder is rated higher. SDR Receiver averages 4.1 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while FT8 Decoder averages 4.3 from 8 ratings.

### Do SDR Receiver or FT8 Decoder have ads?

Neither SDR Receiver nor FT8 Decoder shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SDR Receiver or FT8 Decoder?

SDR Receiver ships an update every 4 months, and FT8 Decoder every 18 months. Most recently, SDR Receiver was updated on September 18, 2026 and FT8 Decoder on September 21, 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.*