# LightBlue® vs AirGuard

The clearest difference is rating: AirGuard at 4.7 against LightBlue®'s 4.4. AirGuard also leads on ratings volume (6.6K vs 943) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.4). LightBlue®'s advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, review sentiment, 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.

AirGuard holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AirGuard has 6.6K ratings behind it against 943, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 66% and 67% positive.

LightBlue® ships an update every 3 weeks, AirGuard every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LightBlue® | AirGuard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (943 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightblue/id557428110/reviews) | **[4.7 (6.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airguard-tracking-protection/id1659427454/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 943 | **6.6K** |
| Positive reviews | 66.2% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 22 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Punch Through](https://appshunter.io/developer/557428113) | [Technische Universität Darmstadt](https://appshunter.io/developer/1481403809) |

## What reviewers say

### LightBlue®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightblue/id557428110)

This toolkit helps developers scan, inspect, and troubleshoot Bluetooth Low Energy devices. It allows you to discover, connect, and interact with nearby BLE devices, isolate SDK issues, and even mimic devices for prototyping.

**Highlights:** Scan and discover BLE peripherals, Browse services and characteristics, Read, write, and subscribe to notifications, Mimic devices by cloning profiles, Advertise as a custom peripheral, Log and share BLE events

**Features:** Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Found lost devices
- 🔍 Helpful for locating Bluetooth devices
- 👍 Works great
- 👍 Lifesaver
- 👍 Fantastic app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Doesn't work with dead devices
- 🐛 Unreliable connection
- 🐛 Confusing to use
- 🐛 Doesn't work with all devices

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes after updates
- Fails to connect Apple Pencil
- Doesn't detect all nearby devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to manually name devices
- More precise location tracking
- Integration with Siri/Shortcuts


### AirGuard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airguard-tracking-protection/id1659427454)

Detects and alerts you to unknown Bluetooth trackers like Samsung SmartTags and Tiles that may be following you. Scan your surroundings to find hidden devices and receive notifications if a tracker is detected multiple times in different locations, ensuring your privacy.

**Highlights:** Detects unknown trackers, Real-time notifications, Scan surroundings for hidden devices, Tracker proximity detection, Local data storage, Privacy-focused research participation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Effective at finding AirTags
- 🔒 Helps protect against stalking
- 👍 Easy to use and configure
- 🚀 Fast and precise scanning
- 💡 Collects no user data

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with certain Bluetooth devices
- 🐛 Inability to detect some tracker types
- 🐛 Crashes or freezes on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot open app past initial usage message
- No display of detected AirTags

**Requested features**

- Ability to mark detected trackers as 'safe'
- Option to assign names to detected trackers


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LightBlue® free?

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

### Is AirGuard free?

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

### Which has better reviews, LightBlue® or AirGuard?

AirGuard is rated higher. LightBlue® averages 4.4 out of 5 from 943 ratings, while AirGuard averages 4.7 from 6.6K ratings.

### Do LightBlue® or AirGuard have ads?

Neither LightBlue® nor AirGuard shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LightBlue® or AirGuard?

LightBlue® ships an update every 3 weeks, and AirGuard every 3 months. Most recently, LightBlue® was updated on November 6, 2026 and AirGuard on November 7, 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.*