Apktool vs rev.ng

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.

rev.ng is a decompiler for reverse engineering that turns supported binaries into syntactically valid, standard-compliant C. Its data-structure recovery uses information across functions to identify linked lists, structs, arrays, and arrays of structs. The listed default architectures are x86, x86-64, ARM, AArch64, MIPS, and S390X; supported imports include ELF, PE/COFF, Mach-O, DWARF, PDB, and IDB. Users can define functions, edit prototypes, and rename items in YAML files, or interact through an HTTP API. The interface is described as available in a browser or standalone app, with cloud and standalone use offering the same experience. Collaborators can share a project URL; public projects include two collaborators. The rev.ng decompilation pipeline is Free Software, while the UI is intended for commercial cloud and standalone versions. The service is free and lists API, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows platforms. The site invites users to join a closed beta for the UI.