# IoT OnOff vs BLESerial nRF

The clearest difference is review sentiment: BLESerial nRF at 100% against IoT OnOff's 48%. BLESerial nRF also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.5) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). IoT OnOff's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (14 vs 1). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. IoT OnOff sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. BLESerial nRF asks for nothing beyond the download.

BLESerial nRF holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: IoT OnOff has 14 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 48% of IoT OnOff's written reviews are positive against 100% of BLESerial nRF's.

IoT OnOff ships an update every 3 weeks, BLESerial nRF every 6 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | IoT OnOff | BLESerial nRF |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iot-onoff/id1267226555/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bleserial-nrf/id1632235163/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **14** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 48.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 19 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kris Van Hoye](https://appshunter.io/developer/1267226554) | [Ed Nieuwenhuys](https://appshunter.io/developer/1602239702) |

## What reviewers say

### IoT OnOff

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iot-onoff/id1267226555)

Monitor and control your Internet of Things projects with this app. It offers interactive widgets for data presentation and in-app configuration. Supports JSON formatted MQTT messages and includes a demo configuration for immediate use.

**Highlights:** Interactive widgets for IoT data, In-app configuration, JSON formatted MQTT message handling, Customizable themes, Multiple dashboards, Auto reconnect to MQTT broker, Topic builder with autocomplete

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium edition | $2.99 | one-time |
| JSON parser | $2.99 | one-time |
| Storage Manager | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works well with MQTT
- 🚀 Fast and responsive GUI
- 👍 Configurable interface
- 👍 Good for prototyping
- 👍 Works with local brokers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent responsiveness
- 🐛 UI issues on modern iPhones
- 🐛 Buttons hard to tap
- 🐛 Graph widgets limited
- 🐛 Lacks documentation

**Reported bugs**

- Icons sometimes not working
- App does not respond to screen clicks
- Cannot save groups or add items
- Storage Manager does not see saved configs
- Interface forces users to keep tapping

**Requested features**

- Add shortcuts for voice commands
- Add momentary push button widget
- Add more colorful widgets
- Add datalogger widget
- Add ability to connect to multiple brokers simultaneously


### BLESerial nRF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bleserial-nrf/id1632235163)

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.

**Highlights:** Real-time data transfer, Device scanning and connection, Customizable console view, Smart data alerts, Configurable UUIDs, Bluetooth explorer

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is IoT OnOff free?

IoT OnOff is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is BLESerial nRF free?

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

### Which has better reviews, IoT OnOff or BLESerial nRF?

BLESerial nRF is rated higher. IoT OnOff averages 3.5 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while BLESerial nRF averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do IoT OnOff or BLESerial nRF have ads?

Neither IoT OnOff nor BLESerial nRF shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, IoT OnOff or BLESerial nRF?

IoT OnOff ships an update every 3 weeks, and BLESerial nRF every 6 months. Most recently, IoT OnOff was updated on October 24, 2026 and BLESerial nRF on October 24, 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.*