# nRF Connect for Mobile vs PortalVR Controller

The clearest difference is rating: PortalVR Controller at 5.0 against nRF Connect for Mobile's 4.5. PortalVR Controller also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 5 weeks) and review sentiment (100% vs 71%). nRF Connect for Mobile's advantage is ratings volume (475 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

PortalVR Controller holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: nRF Connect for Mobile has 475 ratings behind it against 2, 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 100% of PortalVR Controller's.

nRF Connect for Mobile ships an update every 5 weeks, PortalVR Controller every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | nRF Connect for Mobile | PortalVR Controller |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (475 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nrf-connect-for-mobile/id1054362403/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/portalvr-controller/id6752579178/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **475** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 70.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 15 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nordic Semiconductor ASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/497679114) | [Portal VR, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1839993044) |

## 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


### PortalVR Controller

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/portalvr-controller/id6752579178)

Transform your smartphone into a virtual reality controller for an immersive VR experience. Seamlessly connect and navigate your VR environment with intuitive touch controls.

**Highlights:** Turns phone into VR controller, Use with PortalVR, Intuitive touch controls, Seamless connection

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is nRF Connect for Mobile free?

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

### Is PortalVR Controller free?

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

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

PortalVR Controller is rated higher. nRF Connect for Mobile averages 4.5 out of 5 from 475 ratings, while PortalVR Controller averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do nRF Connect for Mobile or PortalVR Controller have ads?

Neither nRF Connect for Mobile nor PortalVR Controller shows ads.

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

nRF Connect for Mobile ships an update every 5 weeks, and PortalVR Controller every 3 days. Most recently, nRF Connect for Mobile was updated on October 26, 2026 and PortalVR Controller on October 10, 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.*