Comparison

UniversalBle Explorer vs TransparentBLE

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

Head to head
About

UniversalBle Explorer

Features
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UniversalBle Explorer is an open-source developer tool for discovering, connecting to and debugging Bluetooth Low Energy devices. Built on the universal_ble Flutter plugin, it offers a consistent experience across all platforms. SCAN & DISCOVER • Real-time scanning with a prominent scan button and a Start Scan prompt when no devices are found • Filter by service UUIDs, name prefix or manufacturer data, with saved presets that persist between sessions • Search devices by name or company name, resolved from Bluetooth SIG company identifiers • Sort by RSSI, last seen or name • View RSSI, the last advertisement and a live advertisement list that flashes as new packets arrive • Scanning continues while you inspect a device • Inspect devices already connected at system level on supported platforms CONNECT • One-tap connect and disconnect with live connection state • Optional autoConnect for automatic reconnection • Multiple simultaneous connections SERVICES & CHARACTERISTICS • Full GATT discovery with clear, human-readable output • Favorite services first, system services last • Property filter chips for read, write, notify, indicate and more • Text search by characteristic UUID, ignoring case and hyphens • Previous/next navigation between characteristics • Copy the complete service layout from the panel header READ, WRITE & SUBSCRIBE • Read characteristic values on demand • Write with or without response • Subscribe to notifications and indications, individually or for all at once • Live values in the log with timestamps GATT SERVER • Create, edit and manage GATT server profiles with services and characteristics • Run a peripheral server with advertising • Add or remove services at runtime • Import and export profiles as JSON DEVICE FINGERPRINT • Capture a complete fingerprint in one tap: 60 seconds of consolidated advertisements, discovered services, all readable values and a rolling-ID check after reconnecting • Copy the full report or stop the capture at any time LOGS & DIAGNOSTICS • Add custom log entries and clear individual entries • Auto-scroll to the newest entry, with a persisted toggle • Characteristic UUIDs included on read, write and error entries • Copy advertisements with an optional RSSI column • Detailed error codes and a configurable operation timeout POWER USER TOOLS • Command queue: Global, Per Device, Auto or None • Request a larger MTU for higher throughput • Pair and unpair devices with live pairing state • Guided permission flow and Bluetooth availability indicator BUILT FOR DEVELOPERS Whether you are building a BLE product, testing hardware, validating firmware or learning Bluetooth Low Energy, UniversalBle Explorer gives you the visibility and control you need. It is free, open source and built on the universal_ble plugin.

About

TransparentBLE

Features
Read full description

TransparentBLE is a local-first Bluetooth Low Energy utility for discovering, inspecting, logging, and controlling BLE devices from iPhone or iPad. Use it to scan nearby BLE peripherals, connect to devices, inspect GATT services and characteristics, read values, write payloads, subscribe to notifications, and debug raw BLE traffic in console and terminal-style views. TransparentBLE also supports reusable BLE profile files. A profile can describe how a device should be matched, which services and characteristics it uses, how notification payloads should be parsed, and which controls should appear in the app. This lets makers, developers, and hardware owners create an iOS control surface for BLE devices without building a custom Swift app. Features: - BLE device scanning with configurable refresh intervals - GATT service and characteristic inspection - Read, write, and notify support - Console and terminal-style BLE debugging - RSSI tracking and RSSI history graph - JSONL diagnostic log recording - Log history with filtering, timeline view, export, and share support - Optional background recording for diagnostics - Live Activity and Dynamic Island status while recording - Import local .bleprofile.json files - Import profiles from supported TransparentBLE links - Profile-based controls including switches, sliders, RGB controls, and option pickers - Local-first design with no ads, analytics, tracking SDKs, or developer-operated cloud service TransparentBLE is useful for BLE debugging, hardware testing, IoT projects, ESP32 experiments, embedded devices, meters, sensors, chargers, and custom BLE hardware where you understand the device protocol. Safety note: BLE profiles and write commands can affect connected hardware. Only import profiles you understand and trust, and test control commands carefully.

Screenshots

UniversalBle Explorer4 screens
TransparentBLE4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: UniversalBle Explorer at 15.0 against TransparentBLE's 26.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

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

Scorecard1 real difference Ā· 5 level
UniversalBle Explorer versus TransparentBLE: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUniversalBle ExplorerTransparentBLE
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 5 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size20 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNavideck Labs OUArtur Pilavetz

In-app purchases

None

UniversalBle Explorer

No in-app purchases

None

TransparentBLE

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is UniversalBle Explorer free?
UniversalBle Explorer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is TransparentBLE free?
TransparentBLE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do UniversalBle Explorer or TransparentBLE have ads?
Neither UniversalBle Explorer nor TransparentBLE shows ads.

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