radare2 is a free UNIX-like reverse-engineering framework and command-line toolkit for analyzing binaries across many architectures. It can emulate, debug, modify and disassemble programs, and supports firmware analysis and decompilation. The tools can edit local files, inspect kernel memory, and debug programs locally or through remote GDB and WinDbg servers. Scripting is available through an embedded JavaScript interpreter or r2pipe, while the r2pm package manager can find, install, update and remove plugins and tools. Listed integrations include r2ghidra, r2frida, r2yara and r2pipe. The project names iaito as its official Qt graphical interface. Installation routes include the Git repository, released binaries, Nix packaging and source builds. Most of radare2 is under LGPLv3, though dependencies and plugins may have other licenses. The project prioritizes fixes for reported security bugs, but does not backport fixes to old releases and has no bug bounty program. It points users to its book, chats and community channels for help.
Who it is for
It suits people working with binary analysis, debugging or reverse engineering who are comfortable with a command-line toolkit. Its broad architecture support and plugin system may also suit users who need to extend workflows.
What is good
- Analyzes, emulates, debugs, modifies and disassembles binaries.
- Supports firmware analysis and decompilation.
- Offers JavaScript and r2pipe scripting.
- Plugins can be managed with r2pm.
- Free toolkit with an official Qt interface.
What to know first
- Most security fixes are not backported to old releases.
- No bug bounty program.
- Dependencies and plugins may use different licenses.
Verdict
radare2 offers a broad command-line toolkit, scripting and plugin options at no cost. Users should account for its licensing variation and the project's stated limits on old-release security fixes.
radare2 plans and pricing
All plansCompared on reverse engineering tools
- Free plan
- Yes
- Decompiler
- Yes
- Firmware analysis
- Yes
- Analysis mode
- hybrid
- Plugin API
- Yes
- Supported platforms
- Windows, Linux, Darwin/macOS, GNU/Hurd, Apple iOS/iPadOS/watchOS, Android, BSD, QNX, Solaris, AIX, Haiku, SerenityOS, and others
- Supported architectures
- i386, x86-64, Alpha, ARM, AVR, BPF, MIPS, PowerPC, SPARC, RISC-V, SH, m68k, S390, XCore, CR16, HPPA, ARC, Blackfin, Z80, H8/300, V810, PDP11, V850, CRIS, PIC, LM32, 8051, 6502, i4004, i8080, EVM, Tricore, CHIP-8, GameBoy, SNES, MSP430, Xtensa, NIOS II, Java, Dalvik, WebAssembly, MSIL, EBC, TMS320, Hexagon, MCORE, SuperH-4, VAX, KVX, LOONGARCH, s390x, STM8, and others
