Comparison

rtl_tcp SDR vs iFTx

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

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
Currently charting
Read full description

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.

About

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.

Highlights
  • FT8 and FT4 digital modes
  • Portable digital communication
  • Global operator connections
  • User-friendly interface
  • Integrated QSO logging
Features
Read full description

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

rtl_tcp SDR3 screens
iFTx4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
rtl_tcp SDR versus iFTx: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterrtl_tcp SDRiFTx
Price$12.99$1.99 — better
Rating3.9 (32 ratings)4.2 (70 ratings) — better
Positive reviews40.0% of reviews71.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3270 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 months — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#191 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHotPaw ProductionsChristoph Nadig

Customer experience

rtl_tcp SDR

All ratings32 ratings
Positive68.8%
Neutral9.4%
Negative21.9%
Written reviews30 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral16.7%
Negative43.3%

iFTx

All ratings70 ratings
Positive75.7%
Neutral18.6%
Negative5.7%
Written reviews85 reviews
Positive71.8%
Neutral18.8%
Negative9.4%

In-app purchases

None

rtl_tcp SDR

No in-app purchases

None

iFTx

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is rtl_tcp SDR free?
rtl_tcp SDR costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is iFTx free?
iFTx costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, rtl_tcp SDR or iFTx?
iFTx is rated higher. rtl_tcp SDR averages 3.9 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while iFTx averages 4.2 from 70 ratings.
Do rtl_tcp SDR or iFTx have ads?
Neither rtl_tcp SDR nor iFTx shows ads.
Which is updated more often, rtl_tcp SDR or iFTx?
rtl_tcp SDR ships an update every 4 months, and iFTx every 6 months. Most recently, rtl_tcp SDR was updated on October 16, 2026 and iFTx on October 19, 2026.

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