Comparison

BLESerial HM vs SimpleCW

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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

About

SimpleCW

Features
Read full description

Read Morse and digital-mode signals from audio with SimpleCW (formerly HamChat). Tune one receiver, watch the waterfall, and follow decoded text in the transcript. CW includes automatic tone acquisition or manual tuning, Otsu and Bayesian decoders, a live keying trace, speed estimates, and input-level feedback. An optional on-device ML CW decoder is included with Premium Modes Unlock on iOS 18 or later and macOS 15 or later. Decoder results depend on signal quality and sending style; Otsu is the default. Receive CW, PSK31/63, MFSK, Olivia, and RTTY. Classical receive in every mode and CW transmit remain free. A three-minute trial lets you try other transmit modes. The existing one-time Premium Modes Unlock purchase adds unlimited digital-mode transmit and the optional ML CW decoder. Use the microphone or a compatible audio interface. On Mac, System Audio can receive audio from other software with the appropriate system permission. Audio processing stays on the device. Copy or share the resulting transcript.

Screenshots

BLESerial HM4 screens
SimpleCW4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SimpleCW at Free against BLESerial HM's $2.99. SimpleCW also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 6 months). BLESerial HM's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On ads and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

SimpleCW is free to download; BLESerial HM costs $2.99 up front. SimpleCW sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. BLESerial HM asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BLESerial HM ships an update every 6 months, SimpleCW every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
BLESerial HM versus SimpleCW: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBLESerial HMSimpleCW
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEd NieuwenhuysJeroen Rombouts

In-app purchases

None

BLESerial HM

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

SimpleCW

One-time1
  • Unlock TX Modes$2.99

Questions

Is BLESerial HM free?
BLESerial HM costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is SimpleCW free?
SimpleCW is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do BLESerial HM or SimpleCW have ads?
Neither BLESerial HM nor SimpleCW shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BLESerial HM or SimpleCW?
BLESerial HM ships an update every 6 months, and SimpleCW every 5 weeks. Most recently, BLESerial HM was updated on October 2, 2026 and SimpleCW on September 21, 2026.

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