# NIE Library vs microbitBLE

The clearest difference is update cadence: microbitBLE at every 2 months against NIE Library's every 21 months. NIE Library's advantage is iOS requirement (13.4 vs 15.5). 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.

NIE Library ships an update every 21 months, microbitBLE every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NIE Library | microbitBLE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[2.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microbitble/id1635024315/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 21 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 32 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.4** | 15.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [National Institute of Education (NIE) Singapore](https://appshunter.io/developer/426893549) | [Atsushi Yamada](https://appshunter.io/developer/301497489) |

## What reviewers say

### NIE Library

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nie-library/id513175751)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### microbitBLE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microbitble/id1635024315)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NIE Library free?

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

### Is microbitBLE free?

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

### Do NIE Library or microbitBLE have ads?

Neither NIE Library nor microbitBLE shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NIE Library or microbitBLE?

NIE Library ships an update every 21 months, and microbitBLE every 2 months. Most recently, NIE Library was updated on October 1, 2026 and microbitBLE on September 29, 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.*