# micro vs Open Roberta Mobile

The clearest difference is rating: micro at 3.3 against Open Roberta Mobile's 1.7. micro also leads on ratings volume (89 vs 3). Open Roberta Mobile's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 7 months) and iOS requirement (9.3 vs 12.0). 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.

micro holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 1.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: micro has 89 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

micro ships an update every 7 months, Open Roberta Mobile every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | micro | Open Roberta Mobile |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.3 (89 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microbit/id1092687276/reviews)** | [1.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-roberta-mobile/id1446855164/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **89** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 43.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 59 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **9.3** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Micro:bit Educational Foundation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1484783422) | [Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der angewandten Forschung eingetragener Verein](https://appshunter.io/developer/487639036) |

## What reviewers say

### micro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microbit/id1092687276)

This app is the essential companion for the BBC micro:bit, a pocket-sized programmable computer. It allows you to wirelessly beam programs to your micro:bit via Bluetooth and includes access to a block-based programming editor. Monitor sensor data and control your micro:bit in real-time.

**Highlights:** Wireless flashing of micro:bit hex files, Access to Microsoft MakeCode editor, Bluetooth beaming of programs, Real-time sensor data monitoring, Control micro:bit buttons and pins, Debug running program code, Store and manage HEX files

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and quick to set up
- 💻 Allows coding on mobile devices
- 🎓 Great for learning and education
- ⚡ Fast download and installation
- 🔧 Works well once properly configured

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent Bluetooth pairing failures
- 🐛 App crashes during code flashing
- 🐛 Connection drops after flashing
- 📱 Poor optimization for phone screens
- 🔌 Requires frequent device reconnection

**Reported bugs**

- Bluetooth pairing fails or shows false success
- App crashes when flashing code to micro:bit
- Connection lost after code flashing
- White screen display issue
- Login fails with Google accounts

**Requested features**

- Offline mode for iOS
- Integrated IDE in app instead of Safari redirect
- Support for multiple languages
- Persistent Bluetooth connection after flashing
- Mute audio functionality


### Open Roberta Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-roberta-mobile/id1446855164)

Visually program robots and microcontrollers using a drag-and-drop interface. Wirelessly transfer your creations to compatible hardware like LEGO Education WeDo 2.0 via Bluetooth. Explore a gallery of shared programs and access live coding help.

**Highlights:** Visual programming language (NEPO®), Robot and microcontroller control, Wireless Bluetooth transfer, Program sharing gallery, Live coding help, Multi-language support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is micro free?

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

### Is Open Roberta Mobile free?

Open Roberta Mobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, micro or Open Roberta Mobile?

micro is rated higher. micro averages 3.3 out of 5 from 89 ratings, while Open Roberta Mobile averages 1.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do micro or Open Roberta Mobile have ads?

Neither micro nor Open Roberta Mobile shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, micro or Open Roberta Mobile?

micro ships an update every 7 months, and Open Roberta Mobile every 2 days. Most recently, micro was updated on September 28, 2026 and Open Roberta Mobile on September 26, 2026.

---

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