Comparison

beacons vs Rdio Client

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

Head to head
About

beacons

Detects and maps surveillance devices broadcasting over WiFi and Bluetooth. It identifies cameras, trackers, and drones, offering a live view of nearby recording gear. Explore its features with sample data even without hardware.

Highlights
  • Detects WiFi and Bluetooth broadcasting devices
  • Live map display of detected gear
  • Identifies license-plate readers, cameras, and trackers
  • Open-source and privacy-focused design
  • Optional drive mode with lock screen counter
  • Community layer for known fixed sites
Features
Read full description

beacons is a free open-source companion app for the soyboi beacon detector. it finds the cameras, trackers, and other recording gear broadcasting around you and puts them on a live map on your phone. A lot of modern surveillance gear announces itself over WiFi and Bluetooth. beacons listens for those signals so you can see what's nearby. beacons pairs the pocket receiver that pairs with your phone over Bluetooth. No detector yet? Open the app and tap "See how it works" on the first screen to explore the whole app on sample data, with no hardware and no permissions required. WHAT IT FINDS - Automated license-plate readers: known fixed sites shown on a map, plus a live flag when nearby gear actually broadcasts over WiFi or Bluetooth (a bonus, not a guarantee, since many report home over cellular and stay silent) - Networked and WiFi cameras from known camera brands, professional and consumer (optional, off by default) - Bluetooth trackers like AirTags (optional, off by default, so everyday tags don't bury the rest) - Drones broadcasting Remote ID overhead - Body-worn and wearable cameras in range - Recording glasses, by the vendor IDs in their Bluetooth broadcasts - Anything you star: teach it your own category and it calls that device out every time it's near PRIVATE BY DESIGN - The detection side only listens. It never jams or spoofs, and can't track or affect any other device. The only thing the detector transmits is the Bluetooth link to your own phone. - No account, no cloud, no telemetry. Every detection stays on your device unless you explicitly export or send it. - The app and the firmware are fully open source, so you can read exactly what it does. HOW IT WORKS - Every detection lands on a live map with signal detail and history. - An optional Drive mode keeps a live counter on your lock screen while you travel. - An opt-in community layer also maps known fixed plate-reader sites near you, drawn from the DeFlock project and OpenStreetMap contributors, as a reference on top of live detection. - Free firmware updates install over Bluetooth, so it keeps recognizing new gear. - Spotted a device it mislabeled or missed? Share that capture from the app to help improve detection. It is manual and optional, and nothing leaves your phone unless you send it. HONEST ABOUT LIMITS It hears what announces itself over WiFi and Bluetooth, not what stays silent. Wired and purely optical systems won't show up, and neither will gear that reports home over its own cellular link, which some fixed plate readers do. A quiet screen means nothing spoke up, not that you're unwatched. beacons needs the beacons hardware for live detection. Learn more at soyboi.tech.

About

Rdio Client

Features
Read full description

Rdio Client is a modern client for self-hosted Rdio Scanner servers, designed for reliable listening at home or on the go. Features include: * Live scanner audio with low latency * Automatic reconnect after network interruptions * Background audio playback * Resume after phone calls and Bluetooth device changes * Replay the last transmission * Live queue and catch-up playback * Recent calls history * Secure WebSocket (WSS) and standard WebSocket (WS) support * Simple setup with your own Rdio Scanner server Built for scanner enthusiasts who want a dependable listening experience with smooth audio recovery and modern iOS integration. note this app does not provide a radio feed, it is for connectign to a RIDO server

Screenshots

beacons4 screens
Rdio Client1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: beacons at 18.0 against Rdio Client's 26.5. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
beacons versus Rdio Client: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterbeaconsRdio Client
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyWeeklyWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.0 — better26.5
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSoyboi LLCJamie Stephens

In-app purchases

None

beacons

No in-app purchases

None

Rdio Client

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is beacons free?
beacons is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Rdio Client free?
Rdio Client is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do beacons or Rdio Client have ads?
Neither beacons nor Rdio Client shows ads.
Which is updated more often, beacons or Rdio Client?
beacons ships an update weekly, and Rdio Client weekly. Most recently, beacons was updated on October 24, 2026 and Rdio Client on October 28, 2026.

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