# Bluetooth Serial Connect vs IoT MQTT Panel

The clearest difference is review sentiment: IoT MQTT Panel at 85% against Bluetooth Serial Connect's 0%. IoT MQTT Panel also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.7) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 10 months). Bluetooth Serial Connect's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

IoT MQTT Panel holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: IoT MQTT Panel has 44 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Bluetooth Serial Connect's written reviews are positive against 85% of IoT MQTT Panel's.

Bluetooth Serial Connect ships an update every 10 months, IoT MQTT Panel fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bluetooth Serial Connect | IoT MQTT Panel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bluetooth-serial-connect/id6449396821/reviews) | **[4.8 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iot-mqtt-panel/id6466780124/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **44** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **84.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.2 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Henry Abrahamsen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1544660671) | [Rahul Kundu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1707792906) |

## What reviewers say

### Bluetooth Serial Connect

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bluetooth-serial-connect/id6449396821)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### IoT MQTT Panel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iot-mqtt-panel/id6466780124)

Create DIY smart home projects quickly with a configurable dashboard. This app supports MQTT and Websocket protocols with SSL for secure communication. It offers real-time updates, customizable panels with over 250 icons, and various data visualization options.

**Highlights:** Always-on dashboard, MQTT & Websocket support, SSL secure communication, Real-time panel updates, 250+ customizable icons, Dark theme, Import/Export configuration

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and configure
- 👍 Great for testing MQTT
- 👍 Versatile and flexible app
- 👍 Good for visualizing MQTT data
- 👍 Well-thought-out design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues reported
- 🐛 Inconsistent connection to brokers
- 🐛 App can freeze or become unresponsive
- 🐛 Some users experience random disconnections
- 🐛 Background operation limitations on iOS

**Reported bugs**

- Randomly won't connect to public MQTT brokers
- App fails to connect to broker frequently
- Connectivity seems very inconsistent
- App freezes when trying to input URL in web page panel
- App does not reconnect after MQTT server disconnects, requires restart

**Requested features**

- Configuration example would be useful
- Gauges showing color portions instead of whole gauge changing color
- Apple Watch support for viewing data
- Option to search for keywords in payload
- Icon for opening and closing windows


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bluetooth Serial Connect free?

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

### Is IoT MQTT Panel free?

IoT MQTT Panel is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Bluetooth Serial Connect or IoT MQTT Panel?

IoT MQTT Panel is rated higher. Bluetooth Serial Connect averages 3.7 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while IoT MQTT Panel averages 4.8 from 44 ratings.

### Do Bluetooth Serial Connect or IoT MQTT Panel have ads?

Both Bluetooth Serial Connect and IoT MQTT Panel show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bluetooth Serial Connect or IoT MQTT Panel?

Bluetooth Serial Connect ships an update every 10 months, and IoT MQTT Panel fortnightly. Most recently, Bluetooth Serial Connect was updated on October 24, 2026 and IoT MQTT Panel 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.*