BLE Scanner 4.0 vs Proton Authenticator
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
Read full descriptionHide full description
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
Proton Authenticator
Securely manage your two-factor authentication codes with an open-source, end-to-end encrypted authenticator app. It offers seamless cross-device syncing, effortless import from other apps, and robust backup options, all protected by strict Swiss privacy laws. Take control of your digital security with a trusted and private solution.
- End-to-end encrypted iCloud sync
- Effortless import from other authenticators
- Secure backup and export
- Swiss privacy by design
- Open source and transparent
- Offline support
Read full descriptionHide full description
Get the authenticator trusted by millions — from Proton Mail, the world's largest encrypted email provider. Proton Authenticator is open source, end-to-end encrypted, and protected by strict Swiss privacy laws. Protect all your new accounts and strengthen security on your existing ones. Proton Authenticator keeps your 2FA codes secure, accessible, and completely private — with full control over where your data is stored. KEY FEATURES Local-First Storage:Your 2FA codes are stored entirely on your device, giving you complete control over your data. Effortless Import: Migrate from Google Authenticator, Authy, or any other app in seconds. Secure Backup & Export: Retain full control of your data with easy backup and restore options. Swiss Privacy by Design: Built under Switzerland's strongest data protection regulations. Open Source & Transparent: Auditable code. No tracking. No ads. Take control of your digital security with encryption you can trust. Free to use: No Proton account required, ad-free. Offline support: On mobile and desktop apps No other 2FA app provides this combination of security and privacy. Trusted by millions. Built by Proton. Take control of your digital security today. Terms of service: https://proton.me/legal/terms Learn more: https://proton.me
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Proton Authenticator at none against BLE Scanner 4.0's 3. Proton Authenticator also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks). BLE Scanner 4.0's advantage is iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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. Proton Authenticator asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for BLE Scanner 4.0 against 4.4 for Proton Authenticator. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 615 and 242 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 58% of BLE Scanner 4.0's written reviews are positive against 56% of Proton Authenticator's.
BLE Scanner 4.0 ships an update every 6 weeks, Proton Authenticator weekly. Both last shipped on October 16, 2026.
| Parameter | BLE Scanner 4.0 | Proton Authenticator |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (615 ratings) | 4.4 (242 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 57.6% of reviews — better | 55.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 615 — better | 242 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 29 MB | 119 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bluepixel Technologies LLP | Proton AG |
Customer experience
BLE Scanner 4.0
Proton Authenticator
User reviews
BLE Scanner 4.0
From 615 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Detects Bluetooth devices well
- 👍 Useful for development and testing
- 🔍 Helps find lost Bluetooth devices
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes or doesn't work on some devices
- 🤔 Unclear or confusing user interface
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with permissions
Proton Authenticator
From 242 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Cross-platform support
- 🔒 Secure cloud sync
- 👍 Easy import from other authenticators
- 🚀 Convenient 'next' feature for codes
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy UI (scrolling jitters, random sorting)
- 👎 Lack of customization options (pin favorites, change icons)
- 🐛 Sync/login issues on iPad
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
Proton Authenticator
Reported bugs
4 issues- Sync/login loop on iPad
- 2FA input broken on non-iPhone devices
- Screen strobing on iPad
- Duplicate entries after import
Requested features
5 requests- PIN unlock for desktop
- Alphabetical sorting option
- Export function (not just Proton-specific backup)
- Native macOS app
- Option to hide item icons
In-app purchases
BLE Scanner 4.0
- Advertiser Plan$2.991 Month
- Cloud Subscription$4.991 Month
- Ultimate Subscription$5.991 Month
Proton Authenticator
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is BLE Scanner 4.0 free?
Is Proton Authenticator free?
Which has better reviews, BLE Scanner 4.0 or Proton Authenticator?
Do BLE Scanner 4.0 or Proton Authenticator have ads?
Which is updated more often, BLE Scanner 4.0 or Proton Authenticator?
Other comparisons
