BLE Scanner 4.0 vs BLESerial nRF
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BLE Scanner 4.0
Explore and manage Bluetooth Low Energy devices with this comprehensive utility. Discover, connect, and analyze BLE signals, including iBeacon and Eddystone data. Ideal for developers and users tracking smart gadgets.
- Instant BLE device discovery with RSSI
- Radar view for device distance visualization
- Smart filtering by name, UUID, RSSI, and more
- iBeacon and Eddystone scanning
- Data export to CSV
- Custom BLE advertising packet creation
- Secure GATT service and characteristic exploration
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No. 1 Scanner Utility app for BLE devices and trusted by developers, hobbyists, and everyday users worldwide, BLE Scanner 4.0 is your go-to app for Bluetooth Low Energy exploration. Easily discover, connect, and manage your Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices. Whether you’re a developer testing BLE device signals or a user tracking your smart gadgets, BLE Scanner gives you powerful tools to scan, analyze, and connect all in one app. Why BLE Scanner? - Instant Discovery: Quickly find nearby BLE devices with real-time signal strength (RSSI). Lower the number the closer you are to the source i.e. -25 is very near and -80 is far from your BLE devices. - Radar View: Visualize device distance and movement around you. - Smart Filters: Search by name, UUID, RSSI, or major/minor values. - iBeacon & Eddystone Support: Scan, monitor, and analyze beacon data seamlessly. - Data Export: Save scan history or export logs to CSV for advanced analysis. - Custom Advertising: Create your own BLE advertising packets for testing & IoT projects. - Upload data to the cloud: Upload your BLE device data on your own cloud using HTTPS or MQTT URL. - Secure Connections: Connect to GATT services and explore characteristics. Built for Developers & Engineers - Inspect GATT services & characteristics - Read and write BLE characteristics - Debug BLE communication issues - Ideal for firmware testing & validation Privacy First • No account required • No personal data collected • BLE scanning performed locally on your device Privacy Policy: https://www.bluepixeltech.com/appVersion/privacy-policy-blescanner.html Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blescanner X: https://x.com/blescanner Comments, questions, or suggestions? Visit us: www.bluepixeltech.com or Email us: blescanner@bluepixeltech.com
BLESerial nRF
This app provides a direct serial terminal connection to Nordic nRF52 Bluetooth Low Energy boards. It allows for real-time command sending and data reception without cables or adapters. Features include device scanning, a smooth scrolling console, and smart alerts for specific data patterns.
- Real-time data transfer
- Device scanning and connection
- Customizable console view
- Smart data alerts
- Configurable UUIDs
- Bluetooth explorer
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The dedicated serial terminal for Nordic nRF52 Bluetooth Low Energy boards. BLE Serial nRF52 connects your iPhone or iPad directly to any nRF52-based device and lets you send commands and receive data in real time — no cables, no adapters, no fuss. This free version is identical to the Pro version, except it does not include Functions (custom send buttons and toggle switches) and only works with Nordic nRF52 modules — not CC254x boards such as the HM-10. Built specifically for the nRF52 UART service (6E400001), it works out of the box with popular nRF52 development boards and custom firmware alike. **CONNECT IN SECONDS** Scan for nearby nRF52 devices and see their name, advertised services, manufacturer data, and live signal strength at a glance. Tap to connect. Auto-reconnect brings you straight back to your device every time you open the app. **SERIAL CONSOLE** A smooth scrolling console displays all incoming and outgoing data, with sent text highlighted for easy reading. Adjust font size, line endings, and display format (ASCII or hex) to suit your workflow. **SMART ALERTS** Set text patterns to watch for in incoming data. When a match is found, the app notifies you immediately — ideal for monitoring autonomous devices or catching error conditions. **FULLY CONFIGURABLE** The service and characteristic UUIDs can be adjusted in Settings for custom nRF52 firmware. Supports both standard and 128-bit UUIDs. **CLEAN AND FOCUSED** No ads. No subscriptions. No unnecessary permissions. Just a fast, reliable connection to your nRF52 hardware. **WANT MORE?** Check out BLE Serial Pro — it adds programmable one-tap command buttons, supports HM-10 and CC2541 in the same app, and shows a live console strip so you can see device responses without switching views. Features: • Fully customisable console view, with options like: - Display format (ASCII, Hex, Dec, etc.) - Line numbers and timestamps - Newline behaviour - Style (code or chat) and sound effects • Send data how it suits you: - In different formats (ASCII, Hex, Dec, etc.) - With or without newline/carriage return character at the end - All at once or in chunks (to accommodate for processing time) • Completely functional bluetooth explorer included! Find out the services, descriptors and other properties of any bluetooth device in range • "Send on Connect" option, to send a preset message after pairing • "Auto Reconnect" option, to reconnect automatically to the previous device • Easily copy or share the sent and received messages • Editable service/characteristic UUIDs to connect to • Read/Write characteristic UUIDs can be set separately • Easy to use minimalist layout
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: BLESerial nRF at 5.0 against BLE Scanner 4.0's 4.3. BLESerial nRF also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 58%) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). BLE Scanner 4.0's advantage is ratings volume (614 vs 1) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 6 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. BLE Scanner 4.0 sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. BLESerial nRF asks for nothing beyond the download.
BLESerial nRF holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BLE Scanner 4.0 has 614 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of BLE Scanner 4.0's written reviews are positive against 100% of BLESerial nRF's.
BLE Scanner 4.0 ships an update every 6 weeks, BLESerial nRF every 6 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | BLE Scanner 4.0 | BLESerial nRF |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (614 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 57.6% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 614 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks — better | Every 6 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 29 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bluepixel Technologies LLP | Ed Nieuwenhuys |
Customer experience
BLE Scanner 4.0
BLESerial nRF
Bugs and requests
BLE Scanner 4.0
Reported bugs
3 issues- Stuck in update loop after latest version
- Search and filtering functions not working
- Crashes when trying to add new iBeacons
Requested features
4 requests- Add distance or location information for detected devices
- Improve filtering and sorting of detected devices
- Provide more detailed device information
- Add support for more Bluetooth device types
BLESerial nRF
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
BLE Scanner 4.0
- Advertiser Plan$2.991 Month
- Cloud Subscription$4.991 Month
- Ultimate Subscription$5.991 Month
BLESerial nRF
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is BLE Scanner 4.0 free?
Is BLESerial nRF free?
Which has better reviews, BLE Scanner 4.0 or BLESerial nRF?
Do BLE Scanner 4.0 or BLESerial nRF have ads?
Which is updated more often, BLE Scanner 4.0 or BLESerial nRF?
Other comparisons
