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SDR++ alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rankAll SDR software

Top picks

Common reasons people leave SDR++: receive only; no transmit support, and fewer built-in digital-mode decoders than SDRangel. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces SDR++, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Gqrx currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingVerified priceOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Gqrx logoGqrxOpen source—YesLinux, macOS4 of 464.8
2SDR# (SDRSharp) logoSDR# (SDRSharp)Free—NoWindows4 of 461.8
3welle.io logowelle.ioOpen source—YesWindows, Linux4 of 442.3
4HDSDR logoHDSDRFree—NoWindows5 of 542.3
5SDRconnect logoSDRconnectFree—NoWindows, macOS, Linux5 of 542.3
  1. Gqrx logo

    1. GqrxTop pick

    Best for: Linux and Mac radio hobbyists who want a well-documented, packaged SDR receiver

    Open sourceLinux, macOS

    64.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from SDR++

    Long-standing GNU Radio-based receiver, well packaged on Linux and Mac.

    Pros

    • Packaged by most Linux distributions, Homebrew and Flathub
    • Remote control over TCP and audio streaming over UDP
    • Records both audio and raw I/Q data

    Cons

    • No official Windows build
    • Receive only, with a basic set of analogue demodulators
    • Single VFO, so only one signal at a time
    Visit Gqrx Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Gqrx a good SDR++ alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    GPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 30, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Built on
    GNU Radio and Qt
    Checked Nov 8, 2026gqrx.dk(opens source in a new tab)
    Supported hardware
    Airspy, FUNcube, RTL-SDR, HackRF, USRP
    Checked Nov 8, 2026gqrx.dk(opens source in a new tab)
    Mac install
    MacPorts and Homebrew
    Checked Nov 8, 2026gqrx.dk(opens source in a new tab)
  2. SDR# (SDRSharp) logo

    2. SDR# (SDRSharp)

    Best for: Windows users with an Airspy or RTL-SDR who want a familiar receiver and lots of plugins

    FreeWindows

    61.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from SDR++

    Popular on Windows with a big library of third-party plugins, if open source is not a requirement.

    Pros

    • Free download with drivers for Airspy, RTL-SDR and HackRF included
    • Large library of community plugins
    • SpyServer for remote access to a receiver
    • Plugin SDK for developers

    Cons

    • Windows only
    • Closed source
    • Best features are tuned for Airspy hardware
    Visit SDR# (SDRSharp) Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is SDR# (SDRSharp) a good SDR++ alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Price
    Free
    Checked Nov 8, 2026airspy.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Bundled drivers
    Airspy, HackRF, RTL-SDR, AOR, RFSPACE
    Checked Nov 8, 2026airspy.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Plugin SDK
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026airspy.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platform
    Windows
    Checked Nov 8, 2026airspy.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. welle.io logo

    3. welle.io

    Best for: Radio hobbyists who want to listen to DAB+ stations on a PC or Raspberry Pi with an RTL-SDR stick

    Open sourceWindows, Linux

    42.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from SDR++

    Dedicated DAB+ receiver with slide shows and radio text, light enough for a Raspberry Pi.

    Pros

    • Free and open source
    • Works with cheap RTL-SDR dongles and Airspy receivers
    • Runs on a Raspberry Pi with a touch-friendly interface
    • Shows slide shows, radio text and technical details

    Cons

    • Only handles DAB and DAB+, not FM or other bands
    • macOS and Android builds are unmaintained
    • Needs separate SDR hardware
    Visit welle.io Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.312
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is welle.io a good SDR++ alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026welle.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Supported hardware
    RTL-SDR, Airspy, rtl_tcp, SoapySDR
    Checked Nov 8, 2026welle.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Raspberry Pi
    Runs on Raspberry Pi 2 and newer
    Checked Nov 8, 2026welle.io(opens source in a new tab)
    macOS version
    Unmaintained (2.4, Intel only)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026welle.io(opens source in a new tab)
  4. HDSDR logo

    4. HDSDR

    Best for: Windows shortwave listeners and radio amateurs using ExtIO-supported SDR hardware

    FreeWindows

    42.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from SDR++

    Mature Windows SDR app with deep filtering, ExtIO hardware support and basic transmit.

    Pros

    • Free, with no ads or paid tier
    • Separate spectrum and waterfall views for RF and audio
    • Scheduled recording of RF, IF and audio
    • Works with many receivers through ExtIO drivers

    Cons

    • Windows only
    • Closed source
    • Hardware support depends on finding the right ExtIO DLL
    Visit HDSDR Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.312
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is HDSDR a good SDR++ alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Price
    Freeware
    Checked Nov 8, 2026hdsdr.de(opens source in a new tab)
    Platform
    Windows
    Checked Nov 8, 2026hdsdr.de(opens source in a new tab)
    Demodulation modes
    AM, ECSS, FM, SSB, CW
    Checked Nov 8, 2026hdsdr.de(opens source in a new tab)
    Transmit
    Basic TX in SSB, AM, FM, CW
    Checked Nov 8, 2026hdsdr.de(opens source in a new tab)
    Latest version
    2.81a (January 2025)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026hdsdr.de(opens source in a new tab)
  5. SDRconnect logo

    5. SDRconnect

    Best for: SDRplay RSP owners who want the vendor's maintained, cross-platform receiver app

    FreeWindows, macOS, Linux

    42.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from SDR++

    Official SDRplay software, tuned for RSP receivers and with a remote headless mode.

    Pros

    • Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, including ARM64 builds
    • Headless mode for remote receivers
    • Built-in WebSocket API for automation

    Cons

    • Works only with SDRplay hardware, and not the original RSP1
    • Requires a 64-bit operating system
    • Linux support is only tested on Ubuntu LTS
    Visit SDRconnect Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.312
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is SDRconnect a good SDR++ alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux
    Checked Nov 8, 2026sdrplay.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Hardware support
    All RSPs except RSP1
    Checked Nov 8, 2026sdrplay.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Headless mode
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026sdrplay.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Requirement
    64-bit OS
    Checked Nov 8, 2026sdrplay.com(opens source in a new tab)
    API
    WebSocket API
    Checked Nov 8, 2026sdrplay.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best SDR++ alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Gqrx logo

Best SDR++ alternative for most people

Gqrx

Long-standing GNU Radio-based receiver, well packaged on Linux and Mac.

SDR# (SDRSharp) logo

Best SDR++ alternative for a free option

SDR# (SDRSharp)

Popular on Windows with a big library of third-party plugins, if open source is not a requirement.

welle.io logo

Best SDR++ alternative for open source

welle.io

Dedicated DAB+ receiver with slide shows and radio text, light enough for a Raspberry Pi.

SDRconnect logo

Best SDR++ alternative for Mac

SDRconnect

Official SDRplay software, tuned for RSP receivers and with a remote headless mode.

HDSDR logo

Best SDR++ alternative for Windows

HDSDR

Mature Windows SDR app with deep filtering, ExtIO hardware support and basic transmit.

Gqrx logo

Best SDR++ alternative for Linux

Gqrx

Long-standing GNU Radio-based receiver, well packaged on Linux and Mac.

SDR++ alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to SDR++?

Gqrx ranks first right now. Long-standing GNU Radio-based receiver, well packaged on Linux and Mac. SDR# (SDRSharp) and welle.io follow it in our ranking.

SDR++ vs Gqrx: what's the difference?

Both SDR++ and Gqrx are free and open source. Only SDR++ runs on Windows.

Is SDR++ free?

SDR++ is free and open source.

Is there a free alternative to SDR++?

Yes. Gqrx (open source), SDR# (SDRSharp) (free), welle.io (open source) and HDSDR (free) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to SDR++?

Yes: Gqrx and welle.io.

Which SDR++ alternatives work on Linux?

Gqrx, welle.io and SDRconnect run on Linux.

Why do people switch from SDR++?

The complaints we hear most: receive only; no transmit support; fewer built-in digital-mode decoders than SDRangel; documentation is mostly a PDF manual and community wiki.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces SDR++, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.