Side by side
JADX vs JEB
Both stand on reverse engineering tools. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxMacWindows
JADX provides several ways to inspect Android application code, from GUI navigation to command-line plugin management. Treat its output as an imperfect decompilation, since errors can occur and not all code may be recovered.
Visit JADX
Free plan APILinuxMac+2
JEB offers broad target coverage and automation options, with a free edition for a narrower set of users and targets. Check the demo restrictions and paid-plan scope against the work you need to do.
Visit JEBThe facts
| JADX | JEB | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | No |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Windows | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | JEB Android: $1,200 a year |
| Plans published | 1 | 7 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | github.com | pnfsoftware.com |
| On reverse engineering tools | #23 of 73 | #19 of 73 |
JADX: what it does well
- Handles APK, DEX, AAR, AAB, and ZIP files.
- GUI includes full-text search and usage lookup.
- Plugin management is available through the CLI.
- Free under Apache 2.0.
What to know first
- Decompilation may not recover all code.
- Downloaded releases require 64-bit Java 11 or later.
- Debugger requires adb and a debuggable or rooted target.
JEB: what it does well
- Android static and dynamic analysis tools
- Modules cover code, contracts, PLC programs, and PDFs
- Python and Java scripting and plugin support
- Free Community Edition for x86 and x86-64 decompilation
What to know first
- GUI requires JDK 21 or above
- Demo requires an internet connection
- Demo sessions are time-limited
- Paid plans start at $140 a month