Apktool vs radare2

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.

radare2 is a free, UNIX-like reverse-engineering framework and command-line toolset for working with binaries across many architectures. It can analyze, emulate, debug, modify, and disassemble binaries, as well as support firmware analysis and decompilation. The tools can edit local files, view kernel memory, and debug programs locally or through remote GDB and WinDbg servers. Scripting is available through an embedded JavaScript interpreter or r2pipe. Its r2pm package manager searches for, installs, updates, and uninstalls plugins and tools; listed plugins include r2ghidra, r2frida, r2yara, and r2pipe. The project identifies iaito, a Qt graphical interface, as its official GUI. Installation options include the Git repository, released binaries, Nix packaging, and source builds. Most of radare2 is licensed under LGPLv3, while dependencies and plugins may have different licenses. It supports operating systems including Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, Android, BSD, and others, alongside a broad range of architectures.