# BLE UART vs nRF Device Firmware Update

The clearest difference is rating: BLE UART at 3.7 against nRF Device Firmware Update's 2.2. BLE UART also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). nRF Device Firmware Update's advantage is update cadence (every 9 months vs every 23 months) and chart position (#114 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

BLE UART holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 2.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 9 respectively.

BLE UART ships an update every 23 months, nRF Device Firmware Update every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BLE UART | nRF Device Firmware Update |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ble-uart/id1570770115/reviews)** | [2.2 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nrf-device-firmware-update/id1624454660/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **9** |
| Positive reviews | — | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 23 months | **Every 9 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#114** |
| Size | 6 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [韩 明洁](https://appshunter.io/developer/399378149) | [Nordic Semiconductor ASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/497679114) |

## What reviewers say

### BLE UART

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ble-uart/id1570770115)

This tool facilitates iOS program development by connecting to low-power Bluetooth devices. It allows users to read data from serial devices via Bluetooth and send data to the serial port for debugging purposes.

**Highlights:** Connects to low-power Bluetooth devices, Reads data from RXD serial port, Sends data to TXD serial port, Facilitates iOS program development, Debugging tool for serial devices

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### nRF Device Firmware Update

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nrf-device-firmware-update/id1624454660)

**Currently charting:** #114 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

This application enables Over-The-Air Device Firmware Upgrade (OTA-DFU) for nRF5 devices using Bluetooth LE. It supports updating firmware in .zip format, prepared with the 'nrf util' tool.

**Highlights:** Over-The-Air Device Firmware Upgrade (OTA-DFU), Bluetooth LE connectivity, Supports nRF5x Series chips, Updates Secure or Legacy DFU bootloaders, Requires .zip firmware format, Uses 'nrf util' for firmware preparation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BLE UART free?

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

### Is nRF Device Firmware Update free?

nRF Device Firmware Update is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, BLE UART or nRF Device Firmware Update?

BLE UART is rated higher. BLE UART averages 3.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while nRF Device Firmware Update averages 2.2 from 9 ratings.

### Do BLE UART or nRF Device Firmware Update have ads?

Neither BLE UART nor nRF Device Firmware Update shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BLE UART or nRF Device Firmware Update?

BLE UART ships an update every 23 months, and nRF Device Firmware Update every 9 months. Most recently, BLE UART was updated on October 8, 2026 and nRF Device Firmware Update on October 20, 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.*