Comparison

microbitBLE vs HP Otto

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

Head to head
About

microbitBLE

Connect your smartphone to a micro:bit device via Bluetooth. Send text from your keyboard to display on the micro:bit's LED, and receive messages sent from the micro:bit. Ideal for interactive coding projects and learning.

Highlights
  • Bluetooth UART connection
  • Send text to micro:bit LED
  • Receive messages from micro:bit
  • Button press triggers messages
  • Interactive coding projects
Features
Read full description

It is an application that allows you to connect the micro:bit Bluetooth UART. When you hit the keyboard of your smartphone, characters will be displayed on the LED of the micro:bit. Displays the characters sent from the micro:bit. In the sample, when the A button is pressed, Hello is sent and displayed on the smartphone. Usage 1. program the micro:bit 2. The micro:bit start and wait for Bluetooth connection (in the sample, a square mark is displayed) 3. Press the "connect to micro:bit" button in the app 4. When the connection is complete, the square display in the middle (transmission character display) will turn black and a check mark will appear on the micro:bit. 5. Hit the keyboard and the character will be displayed on the micro:bit 6. When you press the A button on the micro:bit, "Hello" is displayed in the "received message" part of the app 7. Press the "disconnect from micro:bit" button to disconnect Bluetooth and display a cross mark on the micro:bit

About

HP Otto

Features
Read full description

The Official App for HP Robots Otto This App is the official companion for HP Robots Otto, designed to bring robotics, coding, and creativity together in one simple, powerful experience. Control your robot, explore lessons, customize 3D parts, and access the entire Otto ecosystem — all from your mobile device or tablet. --- Key Features Auto‑Connect Bluetooth Turn Otto on and the app, filters and connects instantly across all control and coding modes — zero hassle, zero setup complexity. Learn Access structured lessons, ebooks, activities, and educational content designed for classrooms, workshops, and home learning. Play & Control Drive, animate, and interact with Otto using a modern, intuitive interface. Create your own custom remote control with multiple widgets and layouts. Code Explore coding through icons and words, with ready‑to‑run examples like light shows, follow‑line, sumo, dances, and more. Create & Customize Browse the full 3D library, remix robot parts with the customizer, and personalize your Otto with unique combinations. Cloud Sync Save your projects, robot settings, and customizations to your account and access them across devices. Over‑the‑Air Updates Library updates are delivered wirelessly through the app via WiFi. All‑in‑One Hub Build manuals, assembly guides, demo projects, community links — everything Otto in one place. Offline Mode Use key features even without an internet connection. --- Compatibility This app works exclusively with official HP Robots Otto kits. DIY versions or third‑party hardware are not supported. Before first use, your Otto robot requires a one‑time firmware update via USB with our online flasher. After this initial step, all updates can be installed over the air (OTA) directly from the app.

Screenshots

microbitBLE3 screens
HP Otto4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: HP Otto at 13.0 against microbitBLE's 15.5. On price, update cadence, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

microbitBLE ships an update every 2 months, HP Otto every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
microbitBLE versus HP Otto: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametermicrobitBLEHP Otto
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.513.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB202 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAtsushi YamadaMORAVIA Consulting, spol. s r.o.

In-app purchases

None

microbitBLE

No in-app purchases

None

HP Otto

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is microbitBLE free?
microbitBLE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is HP Otto free?
HP Otto is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do microbitBLE or HP Otto have ads?
Neither microbitBLE nor HP Otto shows ads.
Which is updated more often, microbitBLE or HP Otto?
microbitBLE ships an update every 2 months, and HP Otto every 3 months. Most recently, microbitBLE was updated on September 29, 2026 and HP Otto on September 12, 2026.

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