# nRF Blinky vs Bluetooth mesh by Silicon Labs

The clearest difference is update cadence: Bluetooth mesh by Silicon Labs at every 2 months against nRF Blinky's every 9 months. nRF Blinky's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

nRF Blinky ships an update every 9 months, Bluetooth mesh by Silicon Labs every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | nRF Blinky | Bluetooth mesh by Silicon Labs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[3.1 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bluetooth-mesh-by-silicon-labs/id1411352948/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **7** |
| Positive reviews | — | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 10 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nordic Semiconductor ASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/497679114) | [Silicon Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/555074469) |

## What reviewers say

### nRF Blinky

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nrf-blinky/id1325014347)

**In-app purchases:** none


### Bluetooth mesh by Silicon Labs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bluetooth-mesh-by-silicon-labs/id1411352948)

This app enables Bluetooth mesh networking on iOS devices. It allows users to provision and configure Bluetooth mesh devices, manage network nodes, and control devices implementing light and lightness models.

**Highlights:** Bluetooth mesh networking implementation, Device provisioning, Node configuration, Publish and subscribe settings, Node grouping, Light and lightness model control

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is nRF Blinky free?

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

### Is Bluetooth mesh by Silicon Labs free?

Bluetooth mesh by Silicon Labs is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do nRF Blinky or Bluetooth mesh by Silicon Labs have ads?

Neither nRF Blinky nor Bluetooth mesh by Silicon Labs shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, nRF Blinky or Bluetooth mesh by Silicon Labs?

nRF Blinky ships an update every 9 months, and Bluetooth mesh by Silicon Labs every 2 months. Most recently, nRF Blinky was updated on November 4, 2026 and Bluetooth mesh by Silicon Labs on November 2, 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.*