IO network 2 vs BLESerial HM
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
IO network 2
This app allows users to create custom control layouts for managing network-enabled relay modules. Users can design multiple pages with individually named controls, linking each to specific IO functions on supported hardware.
- Customizable control layouts
- Multi-page interface
- Individually named controls
- Link controls to IO functions
- Supports various relay modules
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With this app you can create a custom layout of controls across multiple pages and link each control to any IO on one of the robot-electronics.co.uk network enabled modules. Each page and control can be individually named. Currently supported modules are: dS1242 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/products/dscript/ds1242.html dS3484 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/products/dscript/ds3484.html dS378 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/products/dscript/ds378.html dS2824 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/products/dscript/ds378.html dS2832 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/ds2832.html dS2242 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/ds2242.html dS2408 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/ds2408.html tcp184 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/products/dscript/tcp184.html ETH002 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/products/relay-modules/ethernet-relay/eth002-16amp-2-channel-ethernet-relay.html ETH008 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/products/relay-modules/ethernet-relay/eth008-8-x-16a-ethernet-relay.html ETH484 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/products/relay-modules/ethernet-relay/eth484-4-x-16a-ethernet-relay.html ETH8020 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/products/relay-modules/ethernet-relay/eth8020-20-x-16a-ethernet-relay.html ETH1610 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/eth1610.html ESP32LR20 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/products/relay-modules/wifi-relay/esp32lr20.html ESP32LR42 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/products/relay-modules/wifi-relay/esp32lr42.html ESP32LR88 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/products/relay-modules/wifi-relay/esp32lr88.html ESP32SR88 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/products/relay-modules/wifi-relay/esp32sr88.html WIFI002 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/products/relay-modules/wifi-relay/wifi002-2-x-16a-relay-module.html WIFI008 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/products/relay-modules/wifi-relay/wifi008-8-x-16a-relay-module.html WIFI484 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/products/relay-modules/wifi-relay/wifi484-4-x-16a-relay-module.html WIFI8020 - https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/products/relay-modules/wifi-relay/wifi8020-20-x-16a-relay-module.html Manual: https://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/files/IOnetwork2_manual.pdf
BLESerial HM
This utility app provides a direct serial terminal connection to HM-10 and CC2541 Bluetooth Low Energy modules. It allows real-time sending of commands and receiving of data without cables, featuring smart alerts for specific data patterns and full configurability for custom firmware.
- Connects to HM-10/CC2541 BLE modules
- Real-time command sending and data receiving
- Scans for nearby BLE devices
- Auto-reconnect functionality
- Configurable display formats (ASCII/hex)
- Smart alerts for data patterns
- Supports custom firmware UUIDs
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The dedicated serial terminal for HM-10 and CC2541 Bluetooth Low Energy modules. BLE Serial HM-10 connects your iPhone or iPad directly to any HM-10 or compatible device and lets you send commands and receive data in real time — no cables, no adapters, no fuss. Built specifically for the HM-10 / CC2541 serial service (FFE0 / FFE1), it works out of the box with popular modules and custom BLE firmware alike. **CONNECT IN SECONDS** Scan for nearby HM-10 and CC2541 devices and see their name, advertised services, manufacturer data, and live signal strength at a glance. Tap to connect. Auto-reconnect brings you straight back to your device every time you open the app. **SERIAL CONSOLE** A smooth scrolling console displays all incoming and outgoing data, with sent text highlighted for easy reading. Adjust font size, line endings, and display format (ASCII or hex) to suit your workflow. **SMART ALERTS** Set text patterns to watch for in incoming data. When a match is found, the app notifies you immediately — ideal for monitoring autonomous devices or catching error conditions. **FULLY CONFIGURABLE** Supports both the HM-10 (FFE0/FFE1) and CC2541 service profiles. The service and characteristic UUIDs can be adjusted in Settings for custom firmware. Supports both standard and 128-bit UUIDs. **CLEAN AND FOCUSED** No ads. No subscriptions. No unnecessary permissions. Just a fast, reliable connection to your HM-10 hardware. **WANT MORE?** Check out BLE Serial Pro — it supports nRF52 in the same app, and shows a live console strip so you can see device responses without switching views. See examples here: https://ednieuw.nl/BLESerial/BLESerialUsage.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: BLESerial HM at 100% against IO network 2's 0%. BLESerial HM also leads on rating (5.0 vs 1.0) and device support (4 vs 2). IO network 2's advantage is price (Free vs $2.99) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 6 months). On ratings volume, 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
IO network 2 is free to download; BLESerial HM costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
BLESerial HM holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of IO network 2's written reviews are positive against 100% of BLESerial HM's.
IO network 2 ships an update every 3 months, BLESerial HM every 6 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.
| Parameter | IO network 2 | BLESerial HM |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $2.99 |
| Rating | 1.0 (1 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months — better | Every 6 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 12.2 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Devantech Ltd. | Ed Nieuwenhuys |
Customer experience
IO network 2
BLESerial HM
In-app purchases
IO network 2
No in-app purchases
BLESerial HM
No in-app purchases
