# LightBlue® vs Viam Robotics

The clearest difference is rating: Viam Robotics at 5.0 against LightBlue®'s 4.4. Viam Robotics also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 66%). LightBlue®'s advantage is ratings volume (943 vs 7). On price, update cadence, 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.

Viam Robotics holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LightBlue® has 943 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of LightBlue®'s written reviews are positive against 100% of Viam Robotics's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LightBlue® | Viam Robotics |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (943 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightblue/id557428110/reviews) | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/viam-robotics/id6451424162/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **943** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 66.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 22 MB | 65 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Punch Through](https://appshunter.io/developer/557428113) | [Viam, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1651003694) |

## 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


### Viam Robotics

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/viam-robotics/id6451424162)

Control and connect to smart machines running on Viam directly from your mobile device. Manage your robotics projects remotely and efficiently.

**Highlights:** Connect to smart machines, Control smart machines, Mobile device control, Remote machine management

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LightBlue® free?

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

### Is Viam Robotics free?

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

### Which has better reviews, LightBlue® or Viam Robotics?

Viam Robotics is rated higher. LightBlue® averages 4.4 out of 5 from 943 ratings, while Viam Robotics averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.

### Do LightBlue® or Viam Robotics have ads?

Neither LightBlue® nor Viam Robotics shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LightBlue® or Viam Robotics?

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