# BLExAR vs Tinkercad

The clearest difference is price: Tinkercad at Free against BLExAR's $4.99. Tinkercad also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (20K vs 14). BLExAR's advantage is review sentiment (75% vs 59%). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Tinkercad is free to download; BLExAR costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Tinkercad holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tinkercad has 20K ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 75% of BLExAR's written reviews are positive against 59% of Tinkercad's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

BLExAR ships an update every 3 months, Tinkercad every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BLExAR | Tinkercad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.0 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blexar/id1439459314/reviews) | **[4.6 (20K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tinkercad/id1469440830/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 14 | **20K** |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 58.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 4 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Maker Portal LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1439459313) | [Autodesk Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/295089690) |

## What reviewers say

### BLExAR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blexar/id1439459314)

This app enables iOS devices to communicate with Arduino boards via Bluetooth Low Energy. It allows real-time control of Arduino pins, data logging with GPS coordinates, and serial text communication for makers and students.

**Highlights:** Real-time control of Arduino digital and analog pins, Real-time data plotting, Data logging to CSV files, Capture GPS coordinates for data points, Serial text communication terminal

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Tinkercad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tinkercad/id1469440830)

This app empowers aspiring designers and engineers with essential skills in 3D design, electronics, and coding. Learn through hands-on projects, build confidence, and bring your creations to life in the real world. It's a safe, ad-free environment for all ages to explore innovation.

**Highlights:** 3D design optimized for mobile, Circuit simulation with Arduino/micro:bit, 3D design from code (Codeblocks), AR viewer for designs, Import/export various file formats, Educational tools for teachers

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Powerful 3D modeling capabilities
- 💡 Lots of built-in shapes and templates
- 👍 Good for beginners
- 👍 Smooth performance on iPad

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Buggy controls and UI issues
- 🐛 Compatibility problems on some devices
- 🐛 Unreliable saving and loading of designs
- 🐛 Lack of advanced modeling tools

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and lost connection problems
- Dimensions box repeatedly appearing
- Designs reverting to earlier versions
- Overlapping UI elements

**Requested features**

- Add support for Apple Pencil and trackpad
- Improve alignment and grouping tools
- Provide offline functionality
- Expand library of shapes and templates
- Implement better tutorial and documentation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BLExAR free?

BLExAR costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Tinkercad free?

Tinkercad is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, BLExAR or Tinkercad?

Tinkercad is rated higher. BLExAR averages 4.0 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Tinkercad averages 4.6 from 20K ratings.

### Do BLExAR or Tinkercad have ads?

Neither BLExAR nor Tinkercad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BLExAR or Tinkercad?

BLExAR ships an update every 3 months, and Tinkercad every 4 months. Most recently, BLExAR was updated on October 13, 2026 and Tinkercad on October 18, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*