Comparison

nRF Mesh vs ESP SoftAP Provisioning

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

nRF Mesh

Easily deploy and manage Bluetooth Mesh networks. Control individual nodes, configure network settings, and update device firmware remotely. Supports a wide range of BLE devices compatible with Bluetooth Mesh.

Highlights
  • Node provisioning and identification
  • Remote provisioning capabilities
  • Network and application key configuration
  • Node control via various server models
  • Device firmware updates
  • Granular control over publication data and subscriptions
  • Explore node capabilities and security settings
Features
Read full description

nRF Mesh allows you to easily deploy nodes to any Bluetooth Mesh compatible Nodes, giving you flexibility to deploy many different Mesh network Setups. Features: • Identifying: Identify a node before provisioning it. • Provisioning: Deployment of a new Node is as simple as a press of a button. All Out-Of-Band (OOB) methods are supported. • Remote Provisioning: Allows provisioning Nodes that are too faw to reach them directly. • Configuration: Create Network and Application keys or use the randomly generated ones, subscribe to groups and setup your nodes for publishing. • Node Control: Control nodes with Generic OnOff Server, Generic Level Server, Generic OnPowerUp Server, Scene Server and many other models. • Device Firmware Update: Quickly send a new firmware to the Distributor and observe it slowly distributing it to all the nodes. Additionally, you may also run the following configuration commands on your network: • Fully control node publication data. All publication parameters are configurable. • Add/Remove one or more subscription addresses on a model. • Create own AppKeys, or generate them using the builtin crypto-safe generator. • Bind/unbind an Application Key to a specific model for full granular control of your networks' security. • Explore the nodes' capabilities to view all elements, models, provisioning time and date, Manufacturer and available vendor data. • Set the Default TTL on a per-node basis. • Manage global AppKey list on a node. • And much more... Hardware support: - This version of the app is capable of communicating with any BLE devices that speak Bluetooth Mesh! - We recommend nRF5 devices with our nRF SDK for Mesh or nRF Connect SDK.

About

ESP SoftAP Provisioning

Configure Wi-Fi credentials for ESP32 or ESP8266 devices using SoftAP transport. This utility supports Wi-Fi provisioning from ESP IDF version 3.2 and later, including security level 1 and Proof of Possession.

Highlights
  • SoftAP Wi-Fi Provisioning (ESP IDF v3.2+)
  • Security Level 1
  • Proof of Possession (PoP)
  • Wi-Fi scan list
  • Configure Network Name and Passphrase
Features
Read full description

This app can be used to send Wi-Fi Network credentials (Network name and Passphrase) to ESP32 or ESP8266 devices over SoftAP transport using the wifi-provisioning feature of ESP IDF (V3.2 and later). Supported Features - SoftAP based Wi-Fi Provisioning from IDF v3.2 and later - Security Level 1 - Proof of Possession (PoP) - Wi-Fi scan list Please refer https://docs.espressif.com/projects/esp-idf/en/stable/api-reference/provisioning/wifi_provisioning.html for additional information.

Screenshots

nRF Mesh4 screens
ESP SoftAP Provisioning4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: nRF Mesh at 4.0 against ESP SoftAP Provisioning's 2.6. nRF Mesh also leads on review sentiment (30% vs 0%) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

nRF Mesh holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 2.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 5 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of nRF Mesh's written reviews are positive against 0% of ESP SoftAP Provisioning's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

nRF Mesh ships an update every 6 weeks, ESP SoftAP Provisioning every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
nRF Mesh versus ESP SoftAP Provisioning: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameternRF MeshESP SoftAP Provisioning
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (3 ratings) — better2.6 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews30.0% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings35 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.013.0
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNordic Semiconductor ASAESPRESSIF SYSTEMS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.

Customer experience

nRF Mesh

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive30.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative60.0%

ESP SoftAP Provisioning

All ratings5 ratings
Positive40.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative60.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

nRF Mesh

No in-app purchases

None

ESP SoftAP Provisioning

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is nRF Mesh free?
nRF Mesh is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ESP SoftAP Provisioning free?
ESP SoftAP Provisioning is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, nRF Mesh or ESP SoftAP Provisioning?
nRF Mesh is rated higher. nRF Mesh averages 4.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while ESP SoftAP Provisioning averages 2.6 from 5 ratings.
Do nRF Mesh or ESP SoftAP Provisioning have ads?
Neither nRF Mesh nor ESP SoftAP Provisioning shows ads.
Which is updated more often, nRF Mesh or ESP SoftAP Provisioning?
nRF Mesh ships an update every 6 weeks, and ESP SoftAP Provisioning every 4 months. Most recently, nRF Mesh was updated on October 16, 2026 and ESP SoftAP Provisioning on October 13, 2026.

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