Comparison

SimpleCW vs Spectrum SDR (RTL

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

Head to head
About

SimpleCW

Features
Read full description

Read Morse and digital-mode signals from audio with SimpleCW (formerly HamChat). Tune one receiver, watch the waterfall, and follow decoded text in the transcript. CW includes automatic tone acquisition or manual tuning, Otsu and Bayesian decoders, a live keying trace, speed estimates, and input-level feedback. An optional on-device ML CW decoder is included with Premium Modes Unlock on iOS 18 or later and macOS 15 or later. Decoder results depend on signal quality and sending style; Otsu is the default. Receive CW, PSK31/63, MFSK, Olivia, and RTTY. Classical receive in every mode and CW transmit remain free. A three-minute trial lets you try other transmit modes. The existing one-time Premium Modes Unlock purchase adds unlimited digital-mode transmit and the optional ML CW decoder. Use the microphone or a compatible audio interface. On Mac, System Audio can receive audio from other software with the appropriate system permission. Audio processing stays on the device. Copy or share the resulting transcript.

About

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.

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
Read full description

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

SimpleCW4 screens
Spectrum SDR (RTL3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Spectrum SDR (RTL at every 11 days against SimpleCW's every 5 weeks. SimpleCW's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SimpleCW ships an update every 5 weeks, Spectrum SDR (RTL every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
SimpleCW versus Spectrum SDR (RTL: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimpleCWSpectrum SDR (RTL
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.5 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 11 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJeroen RomboutsJames Mainwaring

In-app purchases

1 purchases

SimpleCW

One-time1
  • Premium Modes Unlock$2.99
1 purchases

Spectrum SDR (RTL

One-time1
  • Full Version$2.99

Questions

Is SimpleCW free?
SimpleCW 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.
Do SimpleCW or Spectrum SDR (RTL have ads?
Neither SimpleCW nor Spectrum SDR (RTL shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SimpleCW or Spectrum SDR (RTL?
SimpleCW ships an update every 5 weeks, and Spectrum SDR (RTL every 11 days. Most recently, SimpleCW was updated on October 8, 2026 and Spectrum SDR (RTL on September 23, 2026.

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