Luminous MAX vs Spectrum SDR (RTL
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Luminous MAX
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This application is based on Bluetooth connection and WiFi connection to achieve real-time data monitoring and obtain current device data, and to understand the device situation in real time
Spectrum SDR (RTL
Explore radio signals with your RTL-SDR dongle. Listen to AM/FM/SSB/CW, view FFT and waterfall displays, and customize your experience. Requires a remote rtl_tcp instance over WiFi.
- Full frequency range support
- AM, FM, SSB, CW reception
- FFT and Waterfall displays
- Adjustable sample rates
- Bias tee and gain controls
- Squelch functionality
- Customizable display options
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This application is about having a bit of fun with those amazing little RTL-SDR dongles, whilst listening to AM/FM/SSB/CW radio signals. It's nice and easy to use so why not give it a try? - Covers the full frequency range of your RTL-SDR dongle. - AM and FM, wide and narrow, SSB, CW. - FFT and Waterfall displays. - Sample rates 240000 Hz to 2160000 Hz. - Bias tee control. - 75 presets over 5 pages. - Gain controls. - Squelch. - Flexible display options, hide things you don't need to see. - Built-in help. The application needs to be connected to an instance of rtl_tcp running on a remote computer, most likely over WiFi. You will need a good network connection for this to work reliably when using the higher sample rates. It can be installed on an iPhone, iPad or Apple Silicon Mac. We hope you enjoy using this application.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Luminous MAX at none against Spectrum SDR (RTL's 1. Luminous MAX also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 11 days) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support 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
Both are free to download. Spectrum SDR (RTL sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Luminous MAX asks for nothing beyond the download.
Luminous MAX ships an update every 4 days, Spectrum SDR (RTL every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Luminous MAX | Spectrum SDR (RTL |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 4.5 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 2 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days — better | Every 11 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 26 MB | 7 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Luminous | James Mainwaring |
In-app purchases
Luminous MAX
No in-app purchases
Spectrum SDR (RTL
- Full Version$2.99
