Comparison

Bluetooth Serial Connect vs SHIPVAM

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

SHIPVAM

Features
Read full description

Shipvam helps you stay in control of your deliveries. See your shipments at a glance, follow their progress, and get the information you need without calling support.

Screenshots

Bluetooth Serial Connect4 screens
SHIPVAM4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: SHIPVAM at none against Bluetooth Serial Connect's shown. SHIPVAM also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 10 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bluetooth Serial Connect ships an update every 10 months, SHIPVAM fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Bluetooth Serial Connect versus SHIPVAM: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBluetooth Serial ConnectSHIPVAM
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (7 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings7 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.215.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHenry AbrahamsenSHIPVAM

In-app purchases

None

Bluetooth Serial Connect

No in-app purchases

None

SHIPVAM

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bluetooth Serial Connect free?
Bluetooth Serial Connect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SHIPVAM free?
SHIPVAM is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Bluetooth Serial Connect or SHIPVAM have ads?
Bluetooth Serial Connect shows ads; SHIPVAM does not.
Which is updated more often, Bluetooth Serial Connect or SHIPVAM?
Bluetooth Serial Connect ships an update every 10 months, and SHIPVAM fortnightly. Most recently, Bluetooth Serial Connect was updated on September 29, 2026 and SHIPVAM on October 10, 2026.

Other comparisons