# Dabble vs Game Controller Tester Gamepad

The clearest difference is rating: Game Controller Tester Gamepad at 4.5 against Dabble's 3.9. Game Controller Tester Gamepad also leads on ratings volume (1.4K vs 128) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months). Dabble's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Game Controller Tester Gamepad sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Dabble asks for nothing beyond the download.

Game Controller Tester Gamepad holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Game Controller Tester Gamepad has 1.4K ratings behind it against 128, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 75% of Dabble's written reviews are positive against 48% of Game Controller Tester Gamepad's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Dabble ships an update every 6 months, Game Controller Tester Gamepad every 2 months. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dabble | Game Controller Tester Gamepad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (128 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dabble-bluetooth-controller/id1472734455/reviews) | **[4.5 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/game-controller-tester-gamepad/id1497587957/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 128 | **1.4K** |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 47.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 18 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [STEMpedia](https://appshunter.io/developer/1472734454) | [Emoji Apps GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/336547449) |

## What reviewers say

### Dabble

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dabble-bluetooth-controller/id1472734455)

Control and communicate with hardware like Arduino and ESP32 using your smartphone's sensors and Bluetooth. This app transforms your phone into a virtual controller, offering modules for LED control, terminal commands, gamepad functionality, and access to phone sensors.

**Highlights:** LED Brightness Control, Terminal for text and voice commands, Gamepad control (analog, digital, accelerometer), Pin State Monitor, Phone Sensor access (GPS, mic, accelerometer, etc.), Scratch & Arduino compatible projects

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use for beginners
- 🚀 Works well with ESP32 and Arduino
- 💰 Free and fully functional
- 💡 Great for robotics projects
- 📱 Useful phone sensors

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Gamepad issues on iOS
- 🐛 Not all functions available on iPhone
- 🐛 GPS data transfer unreliable
- 🐛 Phone sensor data flaky
- 🐛 UI issues on older versions

**Reported bugs**

- Gamepad doesn't work on iOS
- Joystick values are blank on iOS
- Buttons do not show for gamepad
- Controller function broken on iPhones without a home button
- Gamepad won't turn, only shows left/right controls, format off

**Requested features**

- More buttons on gamepad or custom gamepad creation
- Additional controller types (joystick, button rows)
- Ability to map terminal commands to virtual actions/notifications
- Offline automation and scripts for iOS
- Xbox controller support


### Game Controller Tester Gamepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/game-controller-tester-gamepad/id1497587957)

Easily test and troubleshoot your game controllers on iOS devices. Visualize controller layouts, test buttons, sticks, and pressure-sensitive triggers. Connect multiple controllers and get help with connections. Offers a premium subscription for an ad-free experience and advanced features.

**Highlights:** Test buttons and sticks, Test pressure sensitive triggers, Visualize controller designs, Connect multiple controllers, Helps with controller connections

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium | $9.99 | per year |
| Premium | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate controller testing
- ⚙️ Helpful for troubleshooting
- 📊 Detailed controller diagnostics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Excessive subscription pricing
- 📺 Intrusive ads
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 🤖 Unreliable controller connectivity

**Reported bugs**

- Incompatible with certain controller models
- App crashes on launch

**Requested features**

- Support for Nintendo Switch controllers
- Stick drift detection
- Customizable controller lighting


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dabble free?

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

### Is Game Controller Tester Gamepad free?

Game Controller Tester Gamepad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Dabble or Game Controller Tester Gamepad?

Game Controller Tester Gamepad is rated higher. Dabble averages 3.9 out of 5 from 128 ratings, while Game Controller Tester Gamepad averages 4.5 from 1.4K ratings.

### Do Dabble or Game Controller Tester Gamepad have ads?

Game Controller Tester Gamepad shows ads; Dabble does not.

### Which is updated more often, Dabble or Game Controller Tester Gamepad?

Dabble ships an update every 6 months, and Game Controller Tester Gamepad every 2 months. Most recently, Dabble was updated on September 23, 2026 and Game Controller Tester Gamepad on September 23, 2026.

---

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