# nRF Programmer for Thingy vs Bluetooth

The clearest difference is update cadence: Bluetooth at every 2 months against nRF Programmer for Thingy's every 8 months. nRF Programmer for Thingy's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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, Bluetooth every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | nRF Programmer for Thingy | Bluetooth |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Size | 28 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nordic Semiconductor ASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/497679114) | [岩 胡](https://appshunter.io/developer/1542891090) |

## 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


### Bluetooth

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bluetooth-ci-tracker/id6451366993)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, 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 Bluetooth free?

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

### Do nRF Programmer for Thingy or Bluetooth have ads?

Neither nRF Programmer for Thingy nor Bluetooth shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, nRF Programmer for Thingy or Bluetooth?

nRF Programmer for Thingy ships an update every 8 months, and Bluetooth every 2 months. Most recently, nRF Programmer for Thingy was updated on October 15, 2026 and Bluetooth on October 14, 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.*