nRF Blinky vs Smena
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
nRF Blinky
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nRF Blinky is an application targeted towards developers who are new to Bluetooth Low Energy. nRF Blinky has the following features: - Scan and connect to any nRF5 DK containing the Nordic Semiconductorβs proprietary LED/Button Service. - Toggle the LED on the development kit On and Off from within the application. - Receive Button press and release events from the development kit and display it within the application. This application is open sourced and the is written in Swift 5 and available on GitHub: https://github.com/NordicSemiconductor/IOS-CoreBluetooth-Mock
Smena
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Take the headache out of time-tracking and shift management. With Smena, employees clock in and out with a tap or scan β no expensive hardware needed β and you get real-time visibility into whoβs working, when and where. Instant setup β start tracking in under 5 minutes. Works on any smartphone or tablet; no special hardware required. Flexible check-in options. Employees simply scan a QR code or tap an NFC tag to check in/out β ideal for offices, warehouses, retail shops, and more. Works for any size business. Unlimited locations and check-in points. Manage multiple offices, warehouses or stores from one dashboard. Employees canβt check in unless physically on-site. Powerful shift planning & scheduling. Build weekly schedules with a simple grid β avoid conflicts, reuse shift templates, and collaborate across managers in real time. Insightful reporting & analytics. Export data to Excel, review raw working hours, monitor productivity, and identify underperforming employees β all without manual paperwork.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Smena at weekly against nRF Blinky's every 9 months. nRF Blinky's advantage is device support (4 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.4). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
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, Smena weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | nRF Blinky | Smena |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Weekly β better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac β better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 β better | 16.4 |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 56 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Nordic Semiconductor ASA | Green IT |
In-app purchases
nRF Blinky
No in-app purchases
Smena
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is nRF Blinky free?
Is Smena free?
Do nRF Blinky or Smena have ads?
Which is updated more often, nRF Blinky or Smena?
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