# nRF Programmer for Thingy vs Qorvo NI Background

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: nRF Programmer for Thingy at 13.0 against Qorvo NI Background's 16.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

nRF Programmer for Thingy ships an update every 8 months, Qorvo NI Background every 13 months. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | nRF Programmer for Thingy | Qorvo NI Background |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qorvo-ni-background/id6444859929/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **3** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 months** | Every 13 months |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 28 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nordic Semiconductor ASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/497679114) | [Qorvo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1584645129) |

## What reviewers say

### nRF Programmer for Thingy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nrf-programmer-for-thingy53/id1596718053)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Qorvo NI Background

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qorvo-ni-background/id6444859929)

This app allows developers to scan for and connect to Qorvo UWB development kits. It provides real-time ranging information and can receive BLE packets in the background to trigger notifications.

**Highlights:** Scan for Qorvo UWB development kits, Connect and disconnect to multiple kits, Get simultaneous ranging information, Receive BLE packets in background, Trigger notifications via BLE

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is nRF Programmer for Thingy free?

nRF Programmer for Thingy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Qorvo NI Background free?

Qorvo NI Background is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do nRF Programmer for Thingy or Qorvo NI Background have ads?

Neither nRF Programmer for Thingy nor Qorvo NI Background shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, nRF Programmer for Thingy or Qorvo NI Background?

nRF Programmer for Thingy ships an update every 8 months, and Qorvo NI Background every 13 months. Most recently, nRF Programmer for Thingy was updated on November 5, 2026 and Qorvo NI Background on November 3, 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.*