rtl_tcp SDR vs iFTx
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
rtl_tcp SDR
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.
- 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
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An RTL-SDR Software Defined Radio receiver app for iOS devices. Listen to AM, FM, SSB and CW radio signals. View an RF spectrum and waterfall. Connect, via the rtl_tcp network protocol, to networked RTL-SDR USB peripherals. This app requires an external rtl_tcp server. iOS devices do not currently support the direct connection of USB peripherals such as an RTL-SDR. Thus, the use of this app requires network access to a server, such as a Raspberry Pi (or Mac), with an RTL-SDR unit plugged into its USB port, and running the rtl_tcp protocol at an TCP/IP network address accessible from your iOS device. This allows a Raspberry Pi (or Mac) to act, essentially, as the USB port adapter for your iOS device. The rtl_tcp SDR app can also connect to hfp_tcp for the Airspy HF+, rsp_tcp for SDRPlay devices, and lmm_tcp for the LimeSDR Mini; see GitHub for server source code. This app can also connect to a Hermes Lite 2 QRP transceiver directly, if it has a known IP address, or through an hl2_tcp server. No support is provided for installing any of the rtl_tcp or other tcp software needed to use this app (with a Raspberry Pi, or otherwise). Please do not download this app unless you are already familiar with Software Defined Radio, have an RTL-SDR or equivalent USB SDR peripheral, and have already installed and tested rtl_tcp on your Raspberry Pi, Mac, or other server. Note that this app requires a very high bandwidth network connection in order to receive streams of real-time RF samples from an RTL-SDR. It is recommended that your rtl_tcp server be on a wired connection rather than on the same WiFi as your iOS device.
iFTx
This app enables seamless communication using FT8 and FT4 digital modes directly from your iOS device. Enjoy portable digital connections, effortless operation with a user-friendly interface, and reliable performance for global contact.
- FT8 and FT4 digital modes
- Portable digital communication
- Global operator connections
- User-friendly interface
- Integrated QSO logging
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Introducing iFTx: The Essential iOS App for FT8 and FT4 Digital Modes! - Seamlessly Engage: iFTx brings FT8 and FT4 digital modes to your iOS device, enabling convenient and portable digital communication. - Anytime, Anywhere: Enjoy the flexibility to connect with operators globally from the comfort of your iOS device. - Effortless Operation: Navigate the user-friendly interface for quick setup and real-time messaging. - Reliable Performance: Experience clear signals and adapt to changing propagation conditions with ease. - Log Your Success: Keep track of your contacts effortlessly with integrated QSO logging.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: iFTx at $1.99 against rtl_tcp SDR's $12.99. iFTx also leads on review sentiment (72% vs 40%) and rating (4.2 vs 3.9). rtl_tcp SDR's advantage is chart position (#191 vs unranked). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
rtl_tcp SDR costs $12.99 and iFTx $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
iFTx holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 32 and 70 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of rtl_tcp SDR's written reviews are positive against 72% of iFTx's.
rtl_tcp SDR ships an update every 4 months, iFTx every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | rtl_tcp SDR | iFTx |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $12.99 | $1.99 — better |
| Rating | 3.9 (32 ratings) | 4.2 (70 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | 71.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 32 | 70 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months — better | Every 6 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #191 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 7 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | HotPaw Productions | Christoph Nadig |
Customer experience
rtl_tcp SDR
iFTx
In-app purchases
rtl_tcp SDR
No in-app purchases
iFTx
No in-app purchases









