# LightBlue® vs Bluetooth Scanner

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Bluetooth Scanner at 100% against LightBlue®'s 66%. Bluetooth Scanner also leads on monetization model (free vs ad-supported). LightBlue®'s advantage is ratings volume (942 vs 1) and rating (4.3 vs 4.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

LightBlue® holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LightBlue® has 942 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 66% of LightBlue®'s written reviews are positive against 100% of Bluetooth Scanner's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

LightBlue® ships an update every 3 weeks, Bluetooth Scanner every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and August 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LightBlue® | Bluetooth Scanner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (942 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightblue/id557428110/reviews)** | [4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bluetooth-scanner-bluetrack/id6745540149/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **942** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 66.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 22 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 17.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Punch Through](https://appshunter.io/developer/557428113) | [Ahmet Furkan Sevim](https://appshunter.io/developer/1808486691) |

## What reviewers say

### LightBlue®

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

This app allows users to interact with Bluetooth Low Energy devices. It supports scanning for, connecting to, and analyzing BLE peripherals, as well as simulating your own BLE devices. It's a comprehensive tool for developers and enthusiasts working with BLE technology.

**Highlights:** Scan and discover BLE peripherals, Connect and view device profiles, Read and write characteristics, Subscribe to notifications, Create and advertise virtual BLE devices, Clone peripheral profiles, Log and share BLE events

**Features:** Vision Pro 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


### Bluetooth Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bluetooth-scanner-bluetrack/id6745540149)

Quickly locate lost Bluetooth devices using real-time signal strength. The app guides you to your headphones, speakers, smartwatches, and more with a visual radar and signal meter.

**Highlights:** Real-time signal strength (RSSI), Distance Score indicator, Radar and signal meter, Supports all Bluetooth devices, Quick device recovery

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LightBlue® free?

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

### Is Bluetooth Scanner free?

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

### Which has better reviews, LightBlue® or Bluetooth Scanner?

LightBlue® is rated higher. LightBlue® averages 4.3 out of 5 from 942 ratings, while Bluetooth Scanner averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do LightBlue® or Bluetooth Scanner have ads?

Neither LightBlue® nor Bluetooth Scanner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LightBlue® or Bluetooth Scanner?

LightBlue® ships an update every 3 weeks, and Bluetooth Scanner every 2 months. Most recently, LightBlue® was updated on September 19, 2026 and Bluetooth Scanner on August 27, 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.*