ESP View vs Bluetooth Serial Connect
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ESP View
This surveillance software allows for live video streaming, recording, and playback. It supports remote playback, snapshots, and PTZ control, leveraging Apple Push Notification service for efficient alerts.
- Live video streaming
- Video recording and playback
- Remote video playback
- Snapshots
- PTZ control
- Apple Push Notification service support
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ESP View is a surveillance software, which support Apple Push Notification service, support live video stream, video record and playback, video remote playback, snapshots and PTZ control, etc.
Bluetooth Serial Connect
Control your Arduino projects with your phone. Design custom interfaces with buttons, joysticks, and displays to send and receive data via Bluetooth low-energy modules. An integrated library simplifies the connection process.
- Customizable control boards
- Button and joystick inputs
- Display integration
- Bluetooth low-energy module support
- Arduino library for easy integration
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Turn your iPhone or iPad into a custom control panel for Arduino and BLE projects, without building a dedicated iOS app. Bluetooth Serial Connect lets you design a board, connect to an HM-10-style Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) UART module, and exchange commands and live readouts with your hardware. The companion Bluetooth Serial Connect Arduino library makes it straightforward to read controls and update displays, indicators, and gauges in your sketch. DESIGN YOUR BOARD Place, move, resize, and customize nine component types: • Buttons with momentary, latch, and repeat behavior • Joysticks, sliders, toggles, and D-pads • Text displays, labels, indicators, and gauges Assign channel numbers that stay fixed when you rearrange controls. Fine-tune colors, labels, value ranges, board appearance, and haptic feedback. Undo and redo changes, duplicate and lock controls, snap them to the grid, and adjust their front-to-back order. START WITH TEMPLATES AND EXAMPLES Explore seven editable board templates for RC cars, robotic arms, menu remotes, sensor hubs, smart-home relays, and more. Companion Arduino sketches and protocol examples help you connect the app to your code. Follow the interactive walkthrough or try a board with simulated data—no hardware required. Import, export, share, and duplicate boards as your projects grow. CONNECT AND TROUBLESHOOT Scan for nearby BLE devices, follow clear connection progress, remember frequently used modules for quick reconnecting, and configure service and characteristic UUIDs. Use the timestamped two-way console to inspect sent and received messages or send console text while you troubleshoot. Setup guides, wiring help, complete examples, and the wire protocol reference are available at bluetooth.henhen1227.com. Bluetooth Serial Connect is designed for HM-10-style BLE modules. Other BLE UART hardware may work when its service and characteristic UUIDs match the app settings. HC-05 and HC-06 Bluetooth Classic modules are not supported. A compatible BLE module is required for live hardware control. FREE OR PRO Start with one board free. Add more by watching rewarded ads, or unlock Bluetooth Serial Pro with a one-time in-app purchase for unlimited boards and no ads. The free version may also show occasional ads after edits. Existing boards remain available to use. No app account is required. Board files stay on your device unless you choose to share them.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: ESP View at 5.0 against Bluetooth Serial Connect's 3.7. ESP View also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (32% vs 0%). Bluetooth Serial Connect's advantage is ratings volume (7 vs 2). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model 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.
ESP View holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 32% of ESP View's written reviews are positive against 0% of Bluetooth Serial Connect's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and July 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ESP View | Bluetooth Serial Connect |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | 3.7 (7 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 32.1% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 7 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | Every 10 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 16.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 124 MB | 24 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Elite Security Products (ESP) | Henry Abrahamsen |
Customer experience
ESP View
Bluetooth Serial Connect
Bugs and requests
ESP View
Reported bugs
31 issues- No WiFi connection
- Camera not working
- App not connecting to cameras
- Device keeps reverting to 'device play backing' on iPhone
- All cameras gone offline
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- Very slow to load and often won't load cameras
- Camera on television ok but doesn't work on phone
- Cameras take too long to load and constantly buffer
- App seldom works and judders
- App has been really hard to pair up
- Two cameras have stopped working
- Unable to get App to sync/connect using QR code
- App crashes, have to restart
- Program keeps dropping out while viewing cameras
- Very sensitive, alerts going off with nothing there
- Constantly going offline and won't load cameras
- One out of four cameras don't work
- App immediately shows cameras offline on mobile data
- Misted lens on camera
- App is useless, frequently disconnects
- Worst camera system ever, not worked since install
- App is down for almost 24 hours
- Terrible signal, no live picture, lags
- Playback cutting out
- Keeps going off
- Often showing cameras as offline when opening app
- App regularly comes up as 'Offline'
- Not fit for purpose, keeps losing hard drive
- Gaps in recording history
- Problems with logging in since latest update
- Loose connection when watching cameras sometimes
Requested features
6 requests- Add cameras to system if only 4 ports
- Scrub feature for playback
- Desktop version of the app
- Combine camera products into one app
- Make view larger on the app
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Have a photo attached to thumbnail
Bluetooth Serial Connect
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ESP View
No in-app purchases
Bluetooth Serial Connect
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is ESP View free?
Is Bluetooth Serial Connect free?
Which has better reviews, ESP View or Bluetooth Serial Connect?
Do ESP View or Bluetooth Serial Connect have ads?
Which is updated more often, ESP View or Bluetooth Serial Connect?
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