Comparison

SDR vs Spender Friends

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

Head to head
About

SDR

Control your Icom transceiver remotely or locally from your iPhone. Operate in all modes, log QSOs, and utilize integrated digital modes like FT8/FT4 and SSTV. No extra hardware is needed for global access.

Highlights
  • Remote transceiver operation
  • All mode control
  • Auto logging logbook
  • Integrated FT8/FT4 tool
  • Integrated SSTV receiver
  • Integrated CW decoder and keyer
  • DX-Cluster integration
Read full description

Your Icom radio on your iPhone: at home over Wi-Fi or from anywhere over the internet. Made by a ham, for hams, with personal support included. SDR-Control Mobile shows the spectrum scope and waterfall of your Icom radio with all its controls. 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 iPhone as microphone and speaker; the radio keeps playing in the background ■ Ready for iPhone Duo: the iPhone screens when folded, the large radio screen when open 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, WSPR and D-Star FT8-Improved, JS8, Speech and WSPR need iOS 26. TOOLS ■ Logbook with ADIF import and export, shared via iCloud with SmartSDR, FT-Control, TS-Control and K4-Control, on iPhone, iPad and Mac ■ DX Cluster, POTA, PSK Reporter, Call Lookup, Band Plan, Network Stats, Memories, Scanning ■ 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 iPhone with iOS 18 or later ■ For use over the internet: access to your home network from outside (see the manual) Manual: https://go-to.me/sdrcontrol-mobile-manual More apps: https://ham-radio-apps.com

About

Spender Friends

Features
Read full description

Using Spender Friends will help you manage your friends and public groups easily.

Screenshots

SDR4 screens
Spender Friends3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Spender Friends at Free against SDR's $44.99. Spender Friends also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.6). SDR's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 7 months). On 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

Spender Friends is free to download; SDR costs $44.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SDR ships an update every 2 weeks, Spender Friends every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
SDR versus Spender Friends: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSDRSpender Friends
Price$44.99Free — better
Rating4.6 (67 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews84.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings67 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 7 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.612.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB29 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarcus RoskoschT.C. RADIO AND COMMUNICATION COMPANY LIMITED

Bugs and requests

SDR

Reported bugs

12 issues
  • Dialogs do not scale with larger text setting
  • Frequency display overlaps buttons
  • FT8 decoding issues (lower signal levels than WSJTX)
  • App crashes and leaves radio in transmit
  • Logbook export not functional after update
Show 7 more
  • Function button for horizontal scrolling not fully displayed
  • FT8 decode is useless and unreliable
  • Messed up radio, requiring reset
  • RX audio unusable outside home network (prior to 1.5.1)
  • Struggles with audio RX packets on remote cellular networks
  • Cannot work over mobile data with certain carriers (EE)
  • FT8 alerts sound but don't display

Requested features

14 requests
  • Develop for IC-7800
  • CarPlay support
  • Apple Watch add-on
  • Windows version
  • JS8call support
Show 9 more
  • More digital modes
  • Display memory bank names
  • Initiate memory scan from app
  • WSPR implementation
  • Tool for WSPR
  • More FT8/FT4 features (e.g., setting transmit frequency directly in FT8 view)
  • Send image to unit
  • KISS TNC support
  • Control digital modes (reflectors, etc.)

Spender Friends

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

SDR

No in-app purchases

None

Spender Friends

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SDR free?
SDR costs $44.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Spender Friends free?
Spender Friends is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do SDR or Spender Friends have ads?
Neither SDR nor Spender Friends shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SDR or Spender Friends?
SDR ships an update every 2 weeks, and Spender Friends every 7 months. Most recently, SDR was updated on October 27, 2026 and Spender Friends on October 15, 2026.

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