Apktool vs EMBA
Apktool
apktool.orgEMBA
github.comSide by side
| Figure | Apktool | EMBA |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Reverse Engineering Tools | 8.1 (#12) | 7.7 (#23) |
| Integration | The FAQ says Apktool can be redistributed, modified, and integrated into another project under its Apache license. | The project site announces an integration with Dependency-Track. |
| Purpose | Apktool is a tool for reverse engineering Android APK files. | EMBA analyzes embedded-device firmware through extraction, static and dynamic analysis, SBOM generation, and web-based vulnerability reporting. |
| Support | The official site points users to GitHub Discussions, Stack Overflow, and IRC for community support. | The FAQ directs users to open a GitHub issue with the question label for help. |
Plans
In their own words
Apktool
Apktool is a command-line tool for reverse engineering Android APK files. It can disassemble an app’s resources into a form close to their original structure, then rebuild an app after changes such as translation or permission edits. Its analysis mode attempts to extract resources and the manifest for inspection without rebuilding. Apktool runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS; its official installation guide describes wrapper-script steps for those systems and requires Java 8 or later. Decode options include choosing resource-resolution behavior, skipping resources or source disassembly, and setting a framework directory. Build options include selecting an aapt2 binary, adding a generic Network Security Configuration file, and disabling APK repacking. The Apache license permits redistribution, modification, and integration into another project. Apktool is free, with no pricing tiers stated. Its FAQ says Android devices are not officially supported, and some OEM-modified “Magic APKs” may not decode or build. Builds are unsigned; copying a signature retains only the original APK signature v1 scheme.