nRF Mesh vs Heltec Hotspot
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.
Heltec Hotspot
Manage your Helium Hotspots, track token earnings, and send Helium tokens securely. Onboard new devices to the Helium blockchain and assert their locations for accurate status and earning reports.
- Onboard Helium Hotspots
- View token earnings
- Send Helium tokens
- Manage multiple Hotspots
- Assert Hotspot location
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Heltec is a secure and convenient app for onboarding Helium Hotspots, viewing token earnings, and sending Helium tokens quickly between friends. Add your Heltec hotspot to Helium blockchain and assert location for it. And then you can view the earnings and the running status of it. With the Heltec app you can manage one or many Hotspots.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: nRF Mesh at 30% against Heltec Hotspot's 0%. On price, update cadence, 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.
nRF Mesh ships an update every 6 weeks, Heltec Hotspot monthly. The most recent releases landed on August 24, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | nRF Mesh | Heltec Hotspot |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (3 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 30.0% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 12 MB | 35 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Nordic Semiconductor ASA | Chengdu Huilite Automation Technology Co., Ltd. |
Customer experience
nRF Mesh
Heltec Hotspot
In-app purchases
nRF Mesh
No in-app purchases
Heltec Hotspot
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is nRF Mesh free?
Is Heltec Hotspot free?
Do nRF Mesh or Heltec Hotspot have ads?
Which is updated more often, nRF Mesh or Heltec Hotspot?
Other comparisons
