PharoSmalltalk vs NovyblePlatform
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
PharoSmalltalk
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Pharo on iOS brings the complete Pharo 13 Smalltalk programming environment to your Apple devices. Browse classes, write code, inspect objects, and debug ā all running natively with Metal-accelerated graphics. FULL PHARO DESKTOP Run unmodified official Pharo 13 images. The System Browser, Playground, Inspector, Debugger, and every tool you know from desktop Pharo works here. No special images required. BUILT FOR TOUCH Intuitive gesture mapping makes Pharo comfortable on a touchscreen. Tap for left-click, long-press for right-click, two-finger tap for middle-click. Pinch to zoom. Full hardware keyboard support with modifier keys on iPad. NATIVE PERFORMANCE A clean-room interpreter written in C++ with Metal GPU rendering. Smooth 30fps display, efficient memory management, and full foreign function interface support. IMAGE LIBRARY Download official Pharo 13 images directly from the app. Import your own .image files from the Files app. Keep multiple images organized and switch between projects easily. WORKS EVERYWHERE Universal app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac (via Mac Catalyst). Your Pharo environment goes wherever you do. PRIVACY FIRST No accounts, no telemetry, no data collection. Your code stays on your device. Period. OPEN SOURCE The VM is MIT-licensed and open source. Contributions welcome.
NovyblePlatform
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Novyble is a high-performance Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) platform designed for reliable, real-world device communication on iOS. Built for developers and production environments, Novyble provides a stable and efficient BLE stack with advanced connection handling, real-time interaction, and deep visibility into device behavior. Core Features: ⢠Fast Device Scanning Discover nearby BLE devices instantly with optimized scanning performance. ⢠Stable Connection Management Maintain reliable connections with automatic handling of disconnects and retries. ⢠GATT Services & Characteristics Explore and interact with BLE services and characteristics, including read, write, and notification handling with full control. ⢠Real-Time Data Streaming Interact with devices in real time with low latency and high throughput. ⢠Live Monitoring & Logging Track device activity, debug issues, and monitor performance with built-in logging. ⢠Production-Ready Performance Designed for real-world conditions including packet loss, interruptions, and unstable environments. ⢠Developer-Friendly Architecture Simple integration with a clean API structure for rapid development. BLE Services & Payload Communication: Novyble provides a structured communication layer over BLE services and characteristics, enabling reliable and controlled data exchange between mobile and embedded devices. ⢠Custom service and characteristic support for flexible integration ⢠Payload-based communication with structured data packets ⢠Sequence-based delivery to maintain correct data order ⢠Lightweight packet design optimized for BLE throughput ⢠Built-in handling for acknowledgments and retries ⢠Designed for low-latency and efficient communication Payloads are constructed to ensure safe and consistent transmission across unstable connections, making the system reliable in real-world conditions. OTA Firmware Update: Novyble includes a high-speed, reliable OTA engine built on a packet-based payload system for firmware delivery. ⢠Structured payload packets with validation layers ⢠Resume-capable updates with automatic recovery ⢠CRC16 and SHA256 verification for data integrity ⢠Sequence tracking for ordered delivery ⢠Optimized throughput (40ā80 KB/s) ⢠Stable performance under packet loss and interruptions The OTA pipeline ensures firmware updates are delivered securely, efficiently, and without data corruption. Use Cases: ⢠IoT device communication ⢠BLE-based applications ⢠Firmware update systems ⢠Device testing and debugging ⢠Production monitoring tools Novyble is built for teams that need reliability, performance, and visibility in BLE communication. No instability. No guesswork. Just a production-grade BLE platform.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: PharoSmalltalk at weekly against NovyblePlatform's every 4 months. PharoSmalltalk also leads on device support (4 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
PharoSmalltalk ships an update weekly, NovyblePlatform every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PharoSmalltalk | NovyblePlatform |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Weekly ā better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac ā better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 ā better | 16.6 |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Aaron Wohl | Gopal Sorathiya |
In-app purchases
PharoSmalltalk
No in-app purchases
NovyblePlatform
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is PharoSmalltalk free?
Is NovyblePlatform free?
Do PharoSmalltalk or NovyblePlatform have ads?
Which is updated more often, PharoSmalltalk or NovyblePlatform?
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