Comparison

ESP vs FanLight Elfin

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

Head to head
About

ESP

This utility app allows users to build and configure ESP-MESH networks, leveraging the ESP32 chip. It explores the capabilities of a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth hybrid protocol for innovative wireless networking solutions. The app supports various ESP32-based hardware devices for smart home applications.

Highlights
  • Build and configure ESP-MESH networks
  • Explore ESP-MESH protocol capabilities
  • Utilize ESP32 chip for networking
  • Support for ESP32-MeshKit devices
  • Smart home lighting solutions
Features
Read full description

ESP-Mesh App is a tool for building and configuring ESP-MESH networks. The tool helps explore the potential of the ESP-MESH protocol developed by Espressif. ESP-MESH can be thought of as an extension of the Wi-Fi protocol. It combines the advantages of both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies to provide innovative solutions that make you re-think how wireless networks can be built using the same networking equipment. Since ESP-MESH has been designed for the ESP32 chip, you can use this protocol to network any hardware devices that incorporate ESP32, either available for purchase or created by you. Espressif offers a line of ESP-MESH hardware devices, called ESP32-MeshKit, to help you get started. This line is specifically designed with the goal to demonstrate the features of the ESP-MESH protocol. The number of available devices is steadily growing. Currently, ESP32-MeshKit includes: ESP32-MeshKit-Light - smart light bulbs. ESP32-MeshKit-Button - remote control with ultra-low power consumption for MeshKit-Light devices. ESP32-MeshKit-Sense - development board for controlling MeshKit peripherals based on the data from its multiple onboard sensors. When built into an ESP-MESH network, these devices present a ready-made solution for smart home lighting. For more details, please see https://github.com/espressif/esp-mdf The source code for the ESP-Mesh App can be found https://github.com/EspressifApp/EspMeshForiOS. It might be helpful in development of your own ESP-MESH applications.

About

FanLight Elfin

Features
Read full description

Bluetooth 2.4G Device To ensure successful pairing with the APP, please click the pairing button within 5 seconds after powering on the device. Core Features: Device Control: Fan speed adjustment, power on/off, brightness/color temperature control for fan lights Auto Shutdown: Customize automatic shutdown timing Quick Setup: One-tap addition in device settings, or manual addition via "Add Device > Follow Manual Instructions" WiFi+Bluetooth Dual-Mode Device To ensure successful pairing with the APP, please complete pairing via "Add Device > Discover Devices" within 1 minute of powering on. Core Features: Device Control: Speed adjustment, power on/off, brightness/color temperature control for lights, and fan speed adjustment Auto Shutdown: Customize automatic shutdown timing

Screenshots

ESP4 screens
FanLight Elfin3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: FanLight Elfin at every 2 weeks against ESP's every 2 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ESP ships an update every 2 months, FanLight Elfin every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 29, 2026 and January 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference ยท 7 level
ESP versus FanLight Elfin: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterESPFanLight Elfin
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews50.0% of reviewsโ€”
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeโ€”
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS12.311.0 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size23 MB51 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperESPRESSIF SYSTEMS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.Quspeed Future Artificial Intelligence Technology Guangzhou Co., Ltd.

In-app purchases

None

ESP

No in-app purchases

None

FanLight Elfin

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ESP free?
ESP is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is FanLight Elfin free?
FanLight Elfin is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do ESP or FanLight Elfin have ads?
Neither ESP nor FanLight Elfin shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ESP or FanLight Elfin?
ESP ships an update every 2 months, and FanLight Elfin every 2 weeks. Most recently, ESP was updated on August 29, 2026 and FanLight Elfin on January 28, 2026.

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