Comparison

Bluetooth Serial Connect vs ESP32 Chat

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Bluetooth Serial Connect

Control your Arduino projects with your phone. Design custom interfaces with buttons, joysticks, and displays to send and receive data via Bluetooth low-energy modules. An integrated library simplifies the connection process.

Highlights
  • Customizable control boards
  • Button and joystick inputs
  • Display integration
  • Bluetooth low-energy module support
  • Arduino library for easy integration
Features
Read full description

Turn your iPhone or iPad into a custom control panel for Arduino and BLE projects, without building a dedicated iOS app. Bluetooth Serial Connect lets you design a board, connect to an HM-10-style Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) UART module, and exchange commands and live readouts with your hardware. The companion Bluetooth Serial Connect Arduino library makes it straightforward to read controls and update displays, indicators, and gauges in your sketch. DESIGN YOUR BOARD Place, move, resize, and customize nine component types: • Buttons with momentary, latch, and repeat behavior • Joysticks, sliders, toggles, and D-pads • Text displays, labels, indicators, and gauges Assign channel numbers that stay fixed when you rearrange controls. Fine-tune colors, labels, value ranges, board appearance, and haptic feedback. Undo and redo changes, duplicate and lock controls, snap them to the grid, and adjust their front-to-back order. START WITH TEMPLATES AND EXAMPLES Explore seven editable board templates for RC cars, robotic arms, menu remotes, sensor hubs, smart-home relays, and more. Companion Arduino sketches and protocol examples help you connect the app to your code. Follow the interactive walkthrough or try a board with simulated data—no hardware required. Import, export, share, and duplicate boards as your projects grow. CONNECT AND TROUBLESHOOT Scan for nearby BLE devices, follow clear connection progress, remember frequently used modules for quick reconnecting, and configure service and characteristic UUIDs. Use the timestamped two-way console to inspect sent and received messages or send console text while you troubleshoot. Setup guides, wiring help, complete examples, and the wire protocol reference are available at bluetooth.henhen1227.com. Bluetooth Serial Connect is designed for HM-10-style BLE modules. Other BLE UART hardware may work when its service and characteristic UUIDs match the app settings. HC-05 and HC-06 Bluetooth Classic modules are not supported. A compatible BLE module is required for live hardware control. FREE OR PRO Start with one board free. Add more by watching rewarded ads, or unlock Bluetooth Serial Pro with a one-time in-app purchase for unlimited boards and no ads. The free version may also show occasional ads after edits. Existing boards remain available to use. No app account is required. Board files stay on your device unless you choose to share them.

About

ESP32 Chat

Features
Read full description

ESP32 Chat is an innovative application designed to enable users to chat wirelessly using the ESP32 module via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology. With this application, you can connect to an ESP32 module connected to other devices such as microcontrollers or other IoT devices. The ESP32 Chat application provides an intuitive and user-friendly interface, allowing users to establish connections with ESP32 modules and start chatting quickly. You can search for and view a list of available ESP32 modules around you and select the module you want to connect to. Once connected, the ESP32 Chat application allows users to easily send and receive text messages through the ESP32 module. Users can type messages through the convenient interface and send them to the intended module. Received messages are also displayed clearly within the application, allowing you to follow the conversation easily. Additionally, ESP32 Chat provides additional features such as the ability to send images or other files through the ESP32 module. Users can select the file they want to send, and the application ensures that the file is successfully transmitted securely over the BLE connection. Security is a top priority in ESP32 Chat. The application uses strong data encryption to protect your messages from unauthorized access. You can have full confidence that your conversations are secure and can only be accessed by the intended recipient. With ESP32 Chat, wireless communication becomes simpler and more efficient. This application offers a reliable and innovative solution for chatting using the ESP32 module via BLE. Whether you're an IoT developer looking to test connectivity or just want to chat with friends using this unique device, ESP32 Chat will be the perfect companion to explore and maximize the potential of your ESP32 module.

Screenshots

Bluetooth Serial Connect4 screens
ESP32 Chat3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: ESP32 Chat at none against Bluetooth Serial Connect's shown. ESP32 Chat also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.2). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Bluetooth Serial Connect versus ESP32 Chat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBluetooth Serial ConnectESP32 Chat
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (7 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings7 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 months—
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.211.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB29 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHenry AbrahamsenMochamad Vicky Ghani Aziz

In-app purchases

None

Bluetooth Serial Connect

No in-app purchases

None

ESP32 Chat

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bluetooth Serial Connect free?
Bluetooth Serial Connect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ESP32 Chat free?
ESP32 Chat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Bluetooth Serial Connect or ESP32 Chat have ads?
Bluetooth Serial Connect shows ads; ESP32 Chat does not.

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