# nRF Connect for Mobile vs BroadLink

The clearest difference is rating: nRF Connect for Mobile at 4.5 against BroadLink's 4.3. nRF Connect for Mobile also leads on review sentiment (71% vs 58%). BroadLink's advantage is ratings volume (2.6K vs 455) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

nRF Connect for Mobile holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BroadLink has 2.6K ratings behind it against 455, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of nRF Connect for Mobile's written reviews are positive against 58% of BroadLink's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | nRF Connect for Mobile | BroadLink |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (455 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nrf-connect-for-mobile/id1054362403/reviews)** | [4.3 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/broadlink/id1450257910/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 455 | **2.6K** |
| Positive reviews | **70.7% of reviews** | 57.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 18 MB | 167 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nordic Semiconductor ASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/497679114) | [Broadlink Co.,Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/714823084) |

## What reviewers say

### nRF Connect for Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nrf-connect-for-mobile/id1054362403)

This app is a versatile tool for scanning, exploring, and communicating with Bluetooth Low Energy devices. It also enables your device to act as a peripheral and supports firmware updates for compatible devices.

**Highlights:** Scan and discover Bluetooth LE peripherals, Communicate with Bluetooth LE devices, Advertise as a Bluetooth LE peripheral, Update compatible device firmware (DFU), Filter scanned peripherals, Live RSSI chart, Log BLE function calls

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great product
- 🚀 Very handy
- 🚀 Amazing functionality
- 🚀 Love the technology
- 🚀 Versatile program

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Doesn't seem to work on iOS 17
- 🐛 Can't really disconnect from peripherals
- 🐛 New update freezes on launch screen DON'T UPDATE!
- 🐛 Legacy DFU not working
- 🐛 Hitting terrible bug

**Reported bugs**

- Can't read data from Bluetooth device
- Tries to ask for Bluetooth connection when Bluetooth is off. Asks to connect to devices when Bluetooth is off. Who knows what this app is doing in the background without permission?! What ever it is , it ain't good
- Tapping "tabs" doesn't work (nothing changes in the UI). To get some response from tapping UI controls typically requires (a) launching nRF Connect, (b) switching to another app, (c) switching back to nRF Connect. I've tried uninstalling and re-downloading. Same result. This used to be the bee's knees of BLE tools but it's only worth 1 star at the moment (v2.7.11).
- Cant go past the initial announcement. The app is unresponsive to the taps.

**Requested features**

- Where's the mac addresses
- Max rssi limit
- Log view
- We need macros in iOS version


### BroadLink

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/broadlink/id1450257910)

Manage all your smart home devices from one place, anywhere in the world. Control lighting, appliances, security, and more with intelligent automation and one-button scene control. Features zero-configuration setup for compatible devices.

**Highlights:** Remote device management, Intelligent power control, Lighting control, IR and RF remote control, Security and sensor integration, Scene creation, Zero configuration device setup

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Works well with Alexa
- 💡 Consolidates multiple remotes
- 🔒 Secure connection
- 👍 Intuitive app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🐛 Unreliable device pairing
- 🐛 Buggy app updates
- 🔧 Difficult setup process
- 🔧 Confusing user interface

**Reported bugs**

- Scenes not working as expected
- Frequent app crashes
- Devices going offline randomly
- Alexa integration issues

**Requested features**

- Ability to customize button layouts
- Integration with more smart home platforms
- Improved scheduling and automation features
- Temperature display in Fahrenheit
- Backup and restore functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is nRF Connect for Mobile free?

nRF Connect for Mobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is BroadLink free?

BroadLink is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, nRF Connect for Mobile or BroadLink?

nRF Connect for Mobile is rated higher. nRF Connect for Mobile averages 4.5 out of 5 from 455 ratings, while BroadLink averages 4.3 from 2.6K ratings.

### Do nRF Connect for Mobile or BroadLink have ads?

Neither nRF Connect for Mobile nor BroadLink shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, nRF Connect for Mobile or BroadLink?

nRF Connect for Mobile ships an update monthly, and BroadLink monthly. Most recently, nRF Connect for Mobile was updated on September 25, 2026 and BroadLink on September 26, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*