# SimpleCW vs Spectrum SDR (RTL

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | SimpleCW | Spectrum SDR (RTL |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spectrum-sdr-rtl-sdr/id6764391865/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 14 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 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

### SimpleCW

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplecw-morse-decoder/id6759712691)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Modes Unlock | $2.99 | 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 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*