Comparison

nRF Connect for Mobile vs Structure Uplink

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

Head to head
About

nRF Connect for Mobile

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
Read full description

nRF Connect is a powerful generic tool that allows you to scan and explore your Bluetooth Low Energy (henceforth Bluetooth LE, also called Bluetooth Version 4.0+ of the Bluetooth specification) devices and communicate with them. nRF Connect also allows your iOS device to advertise as a peripheral, with full support of many of Bluetooth SIG adopted profiles. Additionally, nRF Connect supports Nordic Semiconductor’s Device Firmware Update profile (DFU) capabilities, allowing you to update compatible peripherals! + Features: • Supports DFU on all Nordic Semiconducto-powered devices. • Supports Nordic Thingy™ from Nordic Semiconductor. • Scan and discover nearby Bluetooth LE peripherals. • Filter Scanned Peripherals by Name, Manufacturer, Services (Advertised & Connected) and RSSI Level. • Parsing Multiple Formats of Bluetooth LE Advertisement Data. • Live RSSI Chart of Scanned Bluetooth LE Peripherals. • Complete iPad Support, including Multi-Tasking and Mouse Support as of 13.4. • Logs: Including BLE Function calls, and Export Function as CSV and Text. • Privacy-Oriented: Full-Disclosure of Scanned Data, Advertised Data, and User-Performed Actions held by nRF Connect. • Connecting to Any Connectable Bluetooth LE Smart Device. • Discovery of Services, Characteristics and Descriptors. • Read and Write Characteristics and Descriptors. • Enable and Disable Notifications and Indications. • Advertising as a Bluetooth LE Peripheral. • Setting up a Bluetooth LE (Peripheral) Server and Notifying/Indicating back to connected Central(s). • Low-Fat: nRF Connect for iOS is Very Small, so You Can Always Keep Us With You! >= Requirements: • iOS 16.0 and above. - Notes: nRF Connect also works with our Development Kits, which you may acquire online here: https://www.nordicsemi.com/eng/buy-online

About

Structure Uplink

This app is a companion for a 3D scanning accessory, enabling live 3D distance measurements and depth/color overlays. It allows streaming 3D data to a computer and managing the accessory's firmware and battery.

Highlights
  • Live 3D distance measurements
  • 3D depth and color overlay
  • Live 3D stream to computer via WiFi
  • Structure Sensor firmware updates
  • Structure Sensor battery level check
Read full description

This is the official companion app for the Structure Sensor Made-for-iPad accessory. The Structure Sensor is a groundbreaking accessory that allows your iOS device to capture the world in 3D. Visit http://structure.io to learn about the Structure Sensor accessory and other apps that use it. Features: • View live 3D distance measurements. • Overlay 3D depth and color. • Uplink a live 3D stream to your computer via WiFi. • Update Structure Sensor firmware. • Check your Structure Sensor's battery level.

Screenshots

nRF Connect for Mobile4 screens
Structure Uplink2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: nRF Connect for Mobile at 71% against Structure Uplink's 20%. nRF Connect for Mobile also leads on rating (4.5 vs 1.9) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 5 months). Structure Uplink's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, 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

nRF Connect for Mobile holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: nRF Connect for Mobile has 473 ratings behind it against 9, 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 20% of Structure Uplink's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

nRF Connect for Mobile ships an update every 5 weeks, Structure Uplink every 5 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
nRF Connect for Mobile versus Structure Uplink: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameternRF Connect for MobileStructure Uplink
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (473 ratings) — better1.9 (9 ratings)
Positive reviews70.7% of reviews — better20.0% of reviews
Number of ratings473 — better9
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNordic Semiconductor ASAXRPro, LLC

Customer experience

nRF Connect for Mobile

All ratings466 ratings
Positive85.2%
Neutral6.7%
Negative8.2%
Written reviews239 reviews
Positive70.7%
Neutral8.4%
Negative20.9%

Structure Uplink

All ratings9 ratings
Positive22.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative77.8%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive20.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative80.0%

Bugs and requests

nRF Connect for Mobile

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • 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

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

Structure Uplink

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

nRF Connect for Mobile

No in-app purchases

None

Structure Uplink

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is nRF Connect for Mobile free?
nRF Connect for Mobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Structure Uplink free?
Structure Uplink is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, nRF Connect for Mobile or Structure Uplink?
nRF Connect for Mobile is rated higher. nRF Connect for Mobile averages 4.5 out of 5 from 473 ratings, while Structure Uplink averages 1.9 from 9 ratings.
Do nRF Connect for Mobile or Structure Uplink have ads?
Neither nRF Connect for Mobile nor Structure Uplink shows ads.
Which is updated more often, nRF Connect for Mobile or Structure Uplink?
nRF Connect for Mobile ships an update every 5 weeks, and Structure Uplink every 5 months. Most recently, nRF Connect for Mobile was updated on October 24, 2026 and Structure Uplink on October 24, 2026.

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