Bluetooth Serial Connect vs MicroBlue
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Customizable control boards
- Button and joystick inputs
- Display integration
- Bluetooth low-energy module support
- Arduino library for easy integration
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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.
MicroBlue
This app connects to microcontrollers via Bluetooth/BLE, offering a customizable interface for control and interaction. It supports various components like joysticks and buttons, streamlining hobbyist and professional projects.
- Bluetooth/BLE connectivity
- Customizable control interface
- D-pads, joysticks, buttons, sliders
- Text input support
- Works with Arduino and Raspberry Pi
- Writable custom service communication
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The ultimate companion app for your microcontroller projects! Whether you're a hobbyist or a professional, MicroBlue simplifies the way you interact with your microcontrollers through seamless Bluetooth/BLE connectivity. Connect effortlessly and explore the potential of your projects with an intuitive interface designed for customization. Customize your layout using a variety of components such as d-pads, joysticks, buttons, sliders, switches, and text inputs. Tailor the interface to suit your specific needs and project requirements. It has been verified to work with: - Arduino Uno R3 with HM10 - Arduino Uno R4 Minima with HM10 - Arduino Uno R4 Wifi - Raspberry Pi Pico with HM10 - Raspberry Pi Pico W - ESP32-S3 Starting from v1.1.1, the app communicates exclusively with the writable custom services of the connected devices. Empower your creativity and streamline your projects with MicroBlue. Take your microcontroller experience to the next level today! For assistance and more information, visit: https://snappyxo.io/microblue.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: MicroBlue at 4.5 against Bluetooth Serial Connect's 3.7. MicroBlue also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 10 months). Bluetooth Serial Connect's advantage is ratings volume (7 vs 2). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
MicroBlue holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 2 respectively.
Bluetooth Serial Connect ships an update every 10 months, MicroBlue every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on July 21, 2026 and July 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Bluetooth Serial Connect | MicroBlue |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.7 (7 ratings) | 4.5 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 7 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.2 | 13.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 24 MB | 16 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Henry Abrahamsen | Mechanismic Inc. |
Customer experience
Bluetooth Serial Connect
MicroBlue
In-app purchases
Bluetooth Serial Connect
No in-app purchases
MicroBlue
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Bluetooth Serial Connect free?
Is MicroBlue free?
Which has better reviews, Bluetooth Serial Connect or MicroBlue?
Do Bluetooth Serial Connect or MicroBlue have ads?
Which is updated more often, Bluetooth Serial Connect or MicroBlue?
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