Comparison

WebSDR vs Relic Waves

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

Head to head
About

WebSDR

This Audio Unit plugin allows musicians to incorporate live radio broadcasts into their music. It accesses Software Defined Radio streams from servers worldwide, offering unique audio textures for performances and mixes.

Highlights
  • Plays Software Defined Radio streams
  • Integrates live radio audio into music
  • Accesses global radio servers
  • Supports various radio modes (LSB, USB, CW, AM, FM)
  • Provides unique audio textures for mixes
Features
Read full description

WebSDR is an Audio Unit Plugin that plays audio from Software Defined Radio (SDR) streams. It allows you to incorporate the sound of live radio into a live music performance. WHAT IS SOFTWARE DEFINED RADIO? A software defined radio is a device with an antenna that connects to a computer and allows it to receive live radio broadcasts. It features a wide variety of protocols; in addition to standard AM and FM modes found in most consumer radios it typically includes modes for LSB, USB, CW and other settings used to listen in on the CB radios used by taxi drives, marine weather stations, air traffic control towers, amateur radio enthusiasts and many other types of radio broadcasts. The signals you can access using this app are not your own local radio stations; rather they are the radio stations in the vicinity of a collection of free servers, many of them operated by universities. These servers are positioned in many different countries around the world so using this plugin you can listen in on a variety of radio signals in a wide variety of languages and cultures. WHAT DO PEOPLE USE THIS PLUGIN FOR? The crackly sound of an old-style AM broadcast or a conversation between taxi drivers on a CB radio is a musical flavour that can not be replicated with other plugins. If you are looking for some really unique and interesting material to include in your performances or mixes, this plugin will supply. LIMITATIONS This plugin requires Javascript in order to play sound. Unfortunately that means that the UI must be open the entire time you are using it. When the UI is closed Javascript stops running, similar to the way a website stops playing audio when you close a tab in your browser. NOTE: THIS IS AN AUDIO UNIT PLUGIN. IT RUNS INSIDE A HOST APP SUCH AS GarageBand.

About

Relic Waves

Generate unique Lo-Fi sounds, pads, and effects using advanced synthesis algorithms. Explore billions of sonic possibilities with intuitive controls and real-time recording. Perfect for musicians and sound designers seeking experimental audio.

Highlights
  • Billions of unique Lo-Fi sounds
  • Random sound generation with search
  • Multiple keyboard input options
  • Real-time audio recording to WAV
  • Export to WAV, SunVox, and clipboard
  • MIDI control and processing
  • iOS Audio Unit Extension (AUv3)
Features
Read full description

Relic Waves is a generator of Lo-Fi noises, pads and effects based on unique synthesis algorithms from NightRadio. More than 4 billion samples from the depths of the Mathematical Universe! Features: * search for new sounds with three buttons: next random set, edit code, previous set; each set of 12 sounds corresponds to a code of 8 characters; * three types of keyboards for live performing: on-screen buttons, PC keyboard, MIDI input; * several processing parameters + control via MIDI; * real-time audio recording to WAV (32-bit); * export to: WAV (one file or a set), SunVox (samples + effects in one file), text clipboard; * the LCK button freezes individual samples - they will not change during the search for new sets; * iOS Audio Unit Extension (AUv3). Double clicking on a parameter opens a window for setting the exact value. If you enable the Hold option, the notes will play endlessly, without reacting to key release (noteOff) events; turning the note on again works like turning it off; there are two ways to enable this option: 1) using the Hold parameter in the "MIDI Mapping" window; 2) by pressing the HOLD button, which appears in place of LCK while playing the musical keyboard: press HOLD, release the desired notes - then the released notes will continue to play.

Screenshots

WebSDR3 screens
Relic Waves1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Relic Waves at 100% against WebSDR's 21%. Relic Waves also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.4) and price ($1.99 vs $5.99). 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

WebSDR costs $5.99 and Relic Waves $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Relic Waves holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 27 and 42 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 21% of WebSDR's written reviews are positive against 100% of Relic Waves's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
WebSDR versus Relic Waves: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWebSDRRelic Waves
Price$5.99$1.99 — better
Rating2.4 (27 ratings)5.0 (42 ratings) — better
Positive reviews20.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2742 — better
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsEvery 11 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.512.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size20 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBlue Mangoo Consulting Company LimitedAlexander Zolotov

Customer experience

WebSDR

All ratings27 ratings
Positive33.3%
Neutral7.4%
Negative59.3%
Written reviews34 reviews
Positive20.6%
Neutral5.9%
Negative73.5%

Relic Waves

All ratings42 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

WebSDR

No in-app purchases

None

Relic Waves

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is WebSDR free?
WebSDR costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Relic Waves free?
Relic Waves costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, WebSDR or Relic Waves?
Relic Waves is rated higher. WebSDR averages 2.4 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while Relic Waves averages 5.0 from 42 ratings.
Do WebSDR or Relic Waves have ads?
Neither WebSDR nor Relic Waves shows ads.
Which is updated more often, WebSDR or Relic Waves?
WebSDR ships an update every 11 months, and Relic Waves every 11 months. Most recently, WebSDR was updated on September 25, 2026 and Relic Waves on September 27, 2026.

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