# Spectrum SDR (RTL vs SimpleFT8

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: SimpleFT8 at 17.0 against Spectrum SDR (RTL's 26.0. On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Spectrum SDR (RTL sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and SimpleFT8 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Spectrum SDR (RTL ships an update every 11 days, SimpleFT8 every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Spectrum SDR (RTL | SimpleFT8 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 7 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [James Mainwaring](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895761181) | [Jeroen Rombouts](https://appshunter.io/developer/1863358112) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### SimpleFT8

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simpleft8/id6768739415)

This app enables ham radio operators to send and receive digital signals using FT8 and FT4 modes. It facilitates long-distance communication even in challenging conditions, allowing for local logging and optional global propagation mapping.

**Highlights:** Live decode table, Slot-aligned transmitter with QSO composer, Built-in waterfall display, Local QSO logbook with ADIF export, Map of decoded stations, Optional PSK Reporter integration

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SimpleFT8 Pro | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Spectrum SDR (RTL free?

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

### Is SimpleFT8 free?

SimpleFT8 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Spectrum SDR (RTL or SimpleFT8 have ads?

Neither Spectrum SDR (RTL nor SimpleFT8 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Spectrum SDR (RTL or SimpleFT8?

Spectrum SDR (RTL ships an update every 11 days, and SimpleFT8 every 2 weeks. Most recently, Spectrum SDR (RTL was updated on October 31, 2026 and SimpleFT8 on November 5, 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.*