Universal BLE vs BT/BLE Scanner
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
Universal BLE
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Universal BLE is an open-source developer tool for exploring and testing Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices. It empowers developers, engineers, and hobbyists to discover, connect, and debug BLE devices with a consistent cross-platform experience. Key Features Device Discovery Real-time scanning β Discover nearby BLE devices with live results; scanning continues when you open a device's detail screen Flexible filters β Filter by service UUIDs, name prefix, or manufacturer data (comma- or newline-separated) Saved filter presets β Save, rename, and reuse filter combinations; filters persist across app sessions Search β Search devices by name or by company name (resolved from manufacturer data via Bluetooth company identifiers) Sort options β Sort the device list by RSSI, last seen, or name Company identification β Show company name from manufacturer data using the Bluetooth SIG company identifier list RSSI and advertisements β View signal strength (RSSI), last advertisement (name, RSSI, timestamp), and a list of received ads that flashes on new advertisements System devices β On supported platforms, view and connect to devices already connected at the system level (with optional service filter) Connection Management Connect and disconnect β Connect to and disconnect from BLE peripherals with one tap Auto-reconnect β Optional auto-connect for reconnection when a device becomes available again Connection state β Real-time connection state updates Multiple connections β Support for multiple simultaneous device connections Service & Characteristic Exploration GATT discovery β Discover all services and characteristics on connected devices with detailed, human-readable formatting Favorite services β Mark services as favorites; they appear first in the list (system services last) Property filters β Filter characteristics by property (read, write, notify, indicate, etc.) with visual filter chips Navigation β Previous/next buttons to move between characteristics without collapsing the list Copy services β Copy the full discovered GATT layout (e.g. for documentation or debugging) from the Services panel header Data Operations Read β Read characteristic values on demand Write β Write data to characteristics (with or without response) Subscribe β Subscribe to notifications/indications per characteristic or "subscribe to all" for notifiable characteristics Live updates β Incoming values are shown in the logs with timestamps; clear or copy the full log Pairing & Security Pair and unpair β Initiate pairing and unpair devices when supported Pairing state β Monitor pairing state changes in real time Advanced & Developer Options MTU β Request a larger MTU (e.g. 247) for better throughput where supported Command queue β Choose queue type in the drawer: Global (single queue), Per Device, or None (parallel) Configurable timeout β Set operation timeout (e.g. 10 seconds) for all BLE operations Logs β Operation log with copy-all and per-entry clear; comprehensive error handling with detailed codes UUID formats β Accepts common UUID string formats (e.g. with or without hyphens) UI & Cross-Platform Responsive layout β Adapts to mobile, tablet, and desktop (e.g. breakpoints at 600px and 1000px) Bluetooth status β Bluetooth availability icon with tooltip (tap on mobile to see state) Permissions β Guided permission flow where required (e.g. location for BLE on Android); re-checks on app resume Cross-platform β Built with the universal_ble plugin for consistent behavior across supported platforms Perfect For Developers building BLE-enabled applications Engineers testing and debugging BLE devices Hobbyists exploring IoT and smart device capabilities Students learning about Bluetooth Low Energy technology QA teams validating BLE device functionality
BT/BLE Scanner
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Bluetooth Scanner turns your iPhone into a Bluetooth Low Energy explorer. Scan the environment, save the devices you care about, and inspect everything they broadcast β right down to the raw advertisement data. No cloud, no account, no internet connection needed: everything happens locally, straight from your device's Bluetooth hardware. FEATURES β’ Live scan of nearby Bluetooth LE devices, sorted by signal strength β’ Save devices to your list and give them your own nicknames β’ Swipe to remove a saved device at any time β’ Full detail view per device: signal strength (RSSI), TX power, MTU, connectable state, service UUIDs, manufacturer data, and more β’ Automatic background refresh keeps saved devices' signal strength and data up to date while you're on the Home screen β’ On-demand decoding of common BLE beacon formats β iBeacon, Eddystone, and Apple Continuity β shown as readable fields instead of raw hex β’ Export your saved device list as a JSON file via the share sheet β’ Scan preferences: auto-stop timer, hide unnamed devices, minimum signal strength filter β all remembered between launches β’ Dark mode by default, with a light mode toggle β your choice is remembered too β’ Fully offline operation, no tracking, no analytics PRIVACY Bluetooth Scanner does not collect, transmit, or store any data outside your device. Scanned and saved devices exist only for your current session; only your display preferences (theme and scan filters) are remembered locally on your device.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is device support: Universal BLE at 3 against BT/BLE Scanner's 1. Universal BLE also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.4). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
| Parameter | Universal BLE | BT/BLE Scanner |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | β |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod β better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 β better | 16.4 |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 21 MB | 31 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Navideck Labs OU | Kai Steuernagel |
In-app purchases
Universal BLE
No in-app purchases
BT/BLE Scanner
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Universal BLE free?
Is BT/BLE Scanner free?
Do Universal BLE or BT/BLE Scanner have ads?
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