Comparison

Bluetooth® Control vs Bluetooth Serial Connect

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Bluetooth® Control

Easily program and control marine navigation lights wirelessly via Bluetooth. This app eliminates the need for a separate programmer, using only your mobile phone for setup and operation within a 50-meter range.

Highlights
  • Wireless programming and control
  • 50-meter operating range
  • No separate programmer needed
  • Mobile phone operation
  • Supports Carmanah/Sabik marine aids
Features
Read full description

Sabik Bluetooth(R) Control offers easy-to-use programming and control of Carmanah / Sabik marine aids-to-navigation up to 50 meters. No separate programmer required; all you need is a mobile phone. This advanced app is available for iPhone 5 and above and requires Bluetooth(R) 4.0 Smart. A Sabik Bluetooth(R) enabled lantern and a LightGuard Monitor account are required to use the software. Please contact your local distributor or email support@sabik.com if you don't have an account yet.

About

Bluetooth Serial Connect

Control your Arduino projects with your phone. Design custom interfaces with buttons, joysticks, and displays to send and receive data via Bluetooth low-energy modules. An integrated library simplifies the connection process.

Highlights
  • Customizable control boards
  • Button and joystick inputs
  • Display integration
  • Bluetooth low-energy module support
  • Arduino library for easy integration
Features
Read full description

Turn your iPhone or iPad into a custom control panel for Arduino and BLE projects, without building a dedicated iOS app. Bluetooth Serial Connect lets you design a board, connect to an HM-10-style Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) UART module, and exchange commands and live readouts with your hardware. The companion Bluetooth Serial Connect Arduino library makes it straightforward to read controls and update displays, indicators, and gauges in your sketch. DESIGN YOUR BOARD Place, move, resize, and customize nine component types: • Buttons with momentary, latch, and repeat behavior • Joysticks, sliders, toggles, and D-pads • Text displays, labels, indicators, and gauges Assign channel numbers that stay fixed when you rearrange controls. Fine-tune colors, labels, value ranges, board appearance, and haptic feedback. Undo and redo changes, duplicate and lock controls, snap them to the grid, and adjust their front-to-back order. START WITH TEMPLATES AND EXAMPLES Explore seven editable board templates for RC cars, robotic arms, menu remotes, sensor hubs, smart-home relays, and more. Companion Arduino sketches and protocol examples help you connect the app to your code. Follow the interactive walkthrough or try a board with simulated data—no hardware required. Import, export, share, and duplicate boards as your projects grow. CONNECT AND TROUBLESHOOT Scan for nearby BLE devices, follow clear connection progress, remember frequently used modules for quick reconnecting, and configure service and characteristic UUIDs. Use the timestamped two-way console to inspect sent and received messages or send console text while you troubleshoot. Setup guides, wiring help, complete examples, and the wire protocol reference are available at bluetooth.henhen1227.com. Bluetooth Serial Connect is designed for HM-10-style BLE modules. Other BLE UART hardware may work when its service and characteristic UUIDs match the app settings. HC-05 and HC-06 Bluetooth Classic modules are not supported. A compatible BLE module is required for live hardware control. FREE OR PRO Start with one board free. Add more by watching rewarded ads, or unlock Bluetooth Serial Pro with a one-time in-app purchase for unlimited boards and no ads. The free version may also show occasional ads after edits. Existing boards remain available to use. No app account is required. Board files stay on your device unless you choose to share them.

Screenshots

Bluetooth® Control1 screens
Bluetooth Serial Connect4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Bluetooth® Control at 5.0 against Bluetooth Serial Connect's 3.7. Bluetooth® Control also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.2). Bluetooth Serial Connect's advantage is ratings volume (7 vs 1). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Bluetooth® Control holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bluetooth Serial Connect has 7 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bluetooth® Control ships an update every 7 months, Bluetooth Serial Connect every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Bluetooth® Control versus Bluetooth Serial Connect: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBluetooth® ControlBluetooth Serial Connect
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better3.7 (7 ratings)
Positive reviews—0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings17 — better
Update frequencyEvery 7 months — betterEvery 10 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better16.2
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSPX Aids to Navigation OyHenry Abrahamsen

In-app purchases

None

Bluetooth® Control

No in-app purchases

None

Bluetooth Serial Connect

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bluetooth® Control free?
Bluetooth® Control is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Bluetooth Serial Connect free?
Bluetooth Serial Connect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Bluetooth® Control or Bluetooth Serial Connect?
Bluetooth® Control is rated higher. Bluetooth® Control averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Bluetooth Serial Connect averages 3.7 from 7 ratings.
Do Bluetooth® Control or Bluetooth Serial Connect have ads?
Bluetooth Serial Connect shows ads; Bluetooth® Control does not.
Which is updated more often, Bluetooth® Control or Bluetooth Serial Connect?
Bluetooth® Control ships an update every 7 months, and Bluetooth Serial Connect every 10 months. Most recently, Bluetooth® Control was updated on October 29, 2026 and Bluetooth Serial Connect on October 24, 2026.

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