nRF Mesh vs File Glider
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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.
File Glider
Wirelessly transfer files to and from compatible Bluetooth Low Energy or Wi-Fi devices. Browse, edit, and manage files directly within the app or integrate with the Files app for broader access. Supports multiple device management and sharing across applications.
- Wireless file transfer
- BLE and Wi-Fi support
- File browsing and editing
- Files app integration
- Multiple device management
- Cross-app access sharing
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Wirelessly transfer files to and from file transfer ready Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) or Wi-Fi firmware. Browse and edit files from within File Glider or use the Files app integration to access the files from other apps. Multiple devices can be managed at once and access can be shared amongst multiple apps. Compatible devices: * nrf52840 boards running CircuitPython * ESP32-S2 TFT The file transfer protocol is open so you can use File Glider with custom firmware. See GitHub for protocol details: https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_BLE_File_Transfer Source for the app is here: https://github.com/adafruit/Glider-for-iOS
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: nRF Mesh at 30% against File Glider's 0%. nRF Mesh also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 10 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). File Glider's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 4.0). 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
File Glider holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 5 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 30% of nRF Mesh's written reviews are positive against 0% of File Glider's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
nRF Mesh ships an update every 6 weeks, File Glider every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | nRF Mesh | File Glider |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (3 ratings) | 4.2 (5 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 30.0% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 5 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks — better | Every 10 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 12 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Nordic Semiconductor ASA | Adafruit Industries |
Customer experience
nRF Mesh
File Glider
In-app purchases
nRF Mesh
No in-app purchases
File Glider
No in-app purchases
