SDR vs B.B. Link Configurator
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SDR
Control your Icom radio remotely from your iPad, whether at home via Wi-Fi or anywhere over the internet. View spectrum scope, waterfall, and access all radio controls, including microphone and speaker functionality. Supports various Icom models and offers multiple communication modes.
- Remote Wi-Fi and internet control
- Spectrum scope and waterfall display
- Full radio control interface
- iPad as microphone and speaker
- Multiple communication modes (FT8, JS8, CW, Speech)
- Integrated logbook with iCloud sync
- DX Cluster and band plan integration
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Your Icom radio on your iPad: at home over Wi-Fi or from anywhere over the internet. Made by a ham, for hams, with personal support included. SDR-Control shows the spectrum scope and waterfall of your Icom radio with all its controls on the large iPad screen. No extra hardware or software needed. WORKS WITH ■ IC-705 (Wi-Fi) ■ IC-7610, IC-7760, IC-9700, IC-7300 MK2 and the IC-R8600 receiver (radio on your network by cable) The app connects over the network only. The older IC-7300 (without MK2) has no network connection and can't be used. OPERATE ■ Spectrum scope and waterfall with band plan, DX Cluster and FT8 spots ■ Two VFOs, filters, preamp, attenuator, NB, NR, notch, AGC and more ■ Compact floating panels: tuning, PTT, CW, memories, macros, Command Bar, DTMF, RIT / ∆TX, D-Star ■ Your iPad as microphone and speaker; the radio keeps playing in the background, also with the cover closed MODES ■ FT8-Improved with AutoAnswer and AutoCQ, plus the classic FT8 ■ JS8 keyboard chat ■ CW with decoder, keyer and CW keyboard ■ Speech: incoming voice transcribed and translated, your typed text sent as speech ■ SSTV, HF-Fax, APRS and WSPR FT8-Improved, JS8, Speech and WSPR need iPadOS 26. TOOLS ■ Logbook with ADIF import and export, shared via iCloud with SmartSDR, FT-Control, TS-Control and K4-Control, on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro ■ DX Cluster, POTA, PSK Reporter, Call Lookup, Band Plan, Network Stats, Memories, Scanning, S.A.T. ■ Controllers: MIDI, CTR2, HaliKey, Pryme, Flic ■ 4O3A Genius devices and Ultra Beam antennas MADE BY A HAM Made by Marcus, DL8MRE, who has been developing apps for Apple devices since 2009 and uses this app every day in his own shack, where all supported radios are on the desk. Personal online support and a detailed manual are included. Updates with new modes and features are free: no subscription, no in-app purchases. WHAT YOU NEED ■ One of the radios above, connected to your network ■ An iPad with iPadOS 18 or later ■ For use over the internet: access to your home network from outside (see the manual) Manual: https://go-to.me/sdrcontrol-ios-manual More apps: https://ham-radio-apps.com SDR-Control is developed independently and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Icom.
B.B. Link Configurator
Configure a Bluetooth adapter to connect your amateur radio to an iOS device. This enables data exchange with apps like RadioMail and aprs.fi using the radio's TNC as a packet modem.
- Configure B.B. Link Bluetooth adapter
- Pair with Kenwood TH-D74/TH-D75 radios
- Connect radio (Bluetooth Classic) to iOS (BLE)
- Utilize radio's TNC as packet modem
- Data exchange with amateur radio apps
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This app configures the B.B. Link Bluetooth adapter for pairing with a Kenwood TH-D74 or TH-D75 radio. The adapter facilitates a connection between the radio, which uses Bluetooth Classic, and an iOS device via BLE. This connection allows apps like RadioMail, Packet Commander and aprs.fi to utilize the radio's built-in TNC as a packet modem for data exchange over amateur radio.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: B.B. Link Configurator at Free against SDR's $49.99. B.B. Link Configurator also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.2). SDR's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks) and ratings volume (70 vs 8). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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
B.B. Link Configurator is free to download; SDR costs $49.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
B.B. Link Configurator holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SDR has 70 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 78% of SDR's written reviews are positive against 67% of B.B. Link Configurator's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
SDR ships an update every 2 weeks, B.B. Link Configurator every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SDR | B.B. Link Configurator |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $49.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.2 (70 ratings) | 4.6 (8 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 78.0% of reviews — better | 66.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 70 — better | 8 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 5 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 16.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 55 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Marcus Roskosch | Island Magic Co. |
Customer experience
SDR
B.B. Link Configurator
In-app purchases
SDR
No in-app purchases
B.B. Link Configurator
No in-app purchases






