# SimpleSSTV vs Spectrum SDR (RTL

The clearest difference is rating: Spectrum SDR (RTL at 4.5 against SimpleSSTV's 4.0. Spectrum SDR (RTL also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 73%) and update cadence (every 11 days vs monthly). SimpleSSTV's advantage is iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SimpleSSTV sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Spectrum SDR (RTL sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Spectrum SDR (RTL holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 2 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of SimpleSSTV's written reviews are positive against 100% of Spectrum SDR (RTL's.

SimpleSSTV ships an update monthly, Spectrum SDR (RTL every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SimpleSSTV | Spectrum SDR (RTL |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplesstv/id6756872709/reviews) | **[4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spectrum-sdr-rtl-sdr/id6764391865/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 73.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 5 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jeroen Rombouts](https://appshunter.io/developer/1863358112) | [James Mainwaring](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895761181) |

## What reviewers say

### SimpleSSTV

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplesstv/id6756872709)

This app allows ham radio operators to encode images into audio signals for transmission and decode received audio back into images. It supports various SSTV modes, live camera feeds, and even AI-generated QSL cards. Receive alerts for International Space Station SSTV events.

**Highlights:** Encode images to SSTV audio, Decode SSTV audio to images, Live camera feed with trigger modes, Support for 14 SSTV modes, AI-generated QSL calling cards, ISS SSTV event notifications, Audio setup and troubleshooting tips

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Listening Station Mode | $1.99 | one-time |
| 10 AI Card Credits | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove or change encoder watermark | $2.99 | one-time |
| SimpleSSTV Pro | $3.99 | one-time |
| 30 AI Card Credits | $3.99 | one-time |
| 120 AI Card Credits | $8.99 | one-time |


### Spectrum SDR (RTL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spectrum-sdr-rtl-sdr/id6764391865)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SimpleSSTV free?

SimpleSSTV is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Spectrum SDR (RTL free?

Spectrum SDR (RTL is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, SimpleSSTV or Spectrum SDR (RTL?

Spectrum SDR (RTL is rated higher. SimpleSSTV averages 4.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Spectrum SDR (RTL averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do SimpleSSTV or Spectrum SDR (RTL have ads?

Neither SimpleSSTV nor Spectrum SDR (RTL shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SimpleSSTV or Spectrum SDR (RTL?

SimpleSSTV ships an update monthly, and Spectrum SDR (RTL every 11 days. Most recently, SimpleSSTV was updated on September 21, 2026 and Spectrum SDR (RTL on September 23, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*