Comparison

Spectrum SDR (RTL vs nRF Matter

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

Head to head
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.

About

nRF Matter

Features
Read full description

nRF Matter is a developer-focused sample application demonstrating how to build and interact with Matter-enabled devices. See how Matter-enabled devices are commissioned, connected, controlled, and managed in practice. In addition to standard Matter functionality, the app includes examples of cluster extensions, manufacturer-specific clusters, and light-switch binding, making it a practical reference for developers implementing advanced Matter features and custom device behaviours.

Screenshots

Spectrum SDR (RTL3 screens
nRF Matter3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: nRF Matter at none against Spectrum SDR (RTL's 1. Spectrum SDR (RTL's advantage is update cadence (every 11 days vs monthly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Spectrum SDR (RTL sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. nRF Matter asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Spectrum SDR (RTL ships an update every 11 days, nRF Matter monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Spectrum SDR (RTL versus nRF Matter: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpectrum SDR (RTLnRF Matter
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 11 days — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.026.0
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB85 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJames MainwaringNordic Semiconductor ASA

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Spectrum SDR (RTL

One-time1
  • Full Version$2.99
None

nRF Matter

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Spectrum SDR (RTL free?
Spectrum SDR (RTL is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is nRF Matter free?
nRF Matter is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Spectrum SDR (RTL or nRF Matter have ads?
Neither Spectrum SDR (RTL nor nRF Matter shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Spectrum SDR (RTL or nRF Matter?
Spectrum SDR (RTL ships an update every 11 days, and nRF Matter monthly. Most recently, Spectrum SDR (RTL was updated on October 31, 2026 and nRF Matter on November 3, 2026.

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