# LightBlue® vs BLE Beacon Toolkit

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: LightBlue® at none against BLE Beacon Toolkit's 1. LightBlue® also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BLE Beacon Toolkit sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. LightBlue® asks for nothing beyond the download.

LightBlue® ships an update every 3 weeks, BLE Beacon Toolkit monthly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | LightBlue® | BLE Beacon Toolkit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (942 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightblue/id557428110/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **942** | — |
| Positive reviews | 66.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | — |
| Size | 22 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Punch Through](https://appshunter.io/developer/557428113) | [Vu Hieu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1873247492) |

## 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


### BLE Beacon Toolkit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ble-beacon-toolkit/id6753218074)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BLE Beacon Toolkit Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LightBlue® free?

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

### Is BLE Beacon Toolkit free?

BLE Beacon Toolkit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do LightBlue® or BLE Beacon Toolkit have ads?

BLE Beacon Toolkit shows ads; LightBlue® does not.

### Which is updated more often, LightBlue® or BLE Beacon Toolkit?

LightBlue® ships an update every 3 weeks, and BLE Beacon Toolkit monthly. Most recently, LightBlue® was updated on October 24, 2026 and BLE Beacon Toolkit on October 24, 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.*