AvioADSBADS-B Receiver Cost: What a Setup Really Costs
How much does an ADS-B receiver cost? See a realistic parts budget from about $100, where extra money helps, and how to start feeding AvioADSB.
The ADS-B receiver cost for a working home station is about $100 (around €80). That figure comes from FlightAware's PiAware build guide, which lists a Raspberry Pi, power supply, SD card, USB ADS-B dongle and antenna. You can spend less if you already own a Pi or a PC, and a little more if you live somewhere noisy. Here is where the money goes.
A homemade 1090 MHz ADS-B dipole antenna. Photo: Happy-marmotte, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
A realistic parts budget
Prices change, so treat these as approximate and check current listings.
| Part | Notes | Rough cost |
|---|---|---|
| Computer | Raspberry Pi 3, 4 or Zero W, plus power supply and SD card (FlightAware's list) | Part of the roughly $100 total, or free if you reuse a PC |
| Radio | RTL-SDR dongle; RTL-SDR Blog calls it "the $20 RTL-SDR" | About $20 to $40 |
| Antenna | The kit antenna works to start; a dedicated 1090 MHz antenna usually reaches further | About $20 to $40 |
| Cable | Only needed for an outdoor antenna; keep it short | Varies with length |
Our Raspberry Pi receiver guide walks through assembly, and the dongle buying guide explains which models are worth it.
Why it is so much cheaper than commercial gear
RTL-SDR Blog notes that dedicated commercial ADS-B receivers can cost between $200 and $1000, while an RTL-SDR dongle does the same job for hobby use at a fraction of the price. That price gap is why so many volunteers run receivers at home.
Where extra money is worth spending
You do not need these on day one. Add them only when your own results show a need.
- A better antenna position. Often free. See the placement guide.
- A 1090 MHz filter if you live in a city with strong radio interference. FlightAware lists one in its build guide for noisy urban areas, and a filtered dongle such as its Pro Stick Plus is the alternative.
- Better coax for long outdoor runs, and a surge suppressor for outdoor antennas (both on FlightAware's parts list).
Cheapest way to start
Already own a Raspberry Pi or an old PC? Then you only need a dongle and an antenna, which can come to roughly $40 to $80 going by the figures above. If your first results are weak, the low message rate checklist shows what to fix before spending more.
From parts list to feeding
Your receiver does not have to feed one network only. Once it is running, you can share it with AvioADSB alongside any network you already feed.
Ready to build your receiver?
Start with the AvioADSB hardware list, then connect your receiver in a few minutes: create a free account, add a receiver and run the feeder script.