Open Pi vs BleControlsPi
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Open Pi
Manage your Raspberry Pi devices remotely without cloud services. Monitor system health, control Docker, run commands, transfer files, and manage GPIO from a modern, privacy-focused interface.
- Real-time system monitoring
- SSH terminal access
- Docker container management
- GPIO control
- File manager
- Wake-on-LAN Helper
- Remote system actions
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Direct, local, and private Raspberry Pi management. Open Pi lets you monitor system health, manage Docker containers, and run SSH commands on your Raspberry Pi right from your phone. No cloud servers, accounts, or subscriptions. Built for homelabs, self-hosting, IoT projects, and software development. Key Features • System Health: Real-time CPU, RAM, storage, and temperature metrics • Docker Management: View, start, stop, and restart containers • Terminal: Secure SSH command-line access over local network or VPN • File Manager: Direct file uploads and downloads • GPIO Control: Monitor and toggle pins • Auto-Discovery: Detect devices automatically on local networks • System Actions: Wake-on-LAN helper, remote reboot, and alerts Privacy • Native SSH connection with no background agents • No accounts, tracking, or telemetry • Local-first architecture with zero subscriptions • All data stays on your local network
BleControlsPi
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The BLEControlsPi App allows to create various iOS controls such as Button,Toggle, Sliders, Steppers, Pickers (color, date, options) to Control a Raspberry Pi. Manipulating these controls sends their value to the Raspberry Pi (or linux device) in real time over Bluetooth Low Energy(BLE). You can also define Display controls such as Gauges and Text Displays, to create a Dashboard, where the Raspberry Pi sends info to the iPhone/iPad also in real time over Bluetooth. You can create, edit, size, and positions the controls in the app without being connected to a Raspberry Pi. However, before you can connect to, and control the Raspberry Pi you must instal the Python code (see below). IMPORTANT: You must install the free companion Python Software on the Raspberry Pi - where you define your own handlers (callback) functions that take actions on the Raspberry Pi, or fetch data on the Raspberry Pi to send to the iPhone/iPad. The code is provided with an automated installer for the Raspberry Pi. See https://github.com/bluepieapps/blecontrolspi-python and the README. The app provides 2 free controls. These can be created , deleted and re-created as often as you wish, allowing you to test any configuration, or run a simple control scheme. If you need more controls, you can use In-App Purchases to buy Control Packs (in quantity 1,3,5 or 9) for a small fee. This is not a subscription. Once you own the pack - it is yours to use. Packs allow the creation of any controls offered in the app, and any such controls can be edited, deleted and re-created at will. You can install the app on multiple iPhones/iPads that all use the same Apple ID. Controls Packs, and Controls you define on one device are synchronized to the other devices on app restart. Add a new control on your iPhone, and it will show up on your iPad. delete a controls from your iPad, and it will be deleted from your iPhone. See a video of the app at: https://youtu.be/8y3t2luLw3k See the documentation at: https://bluepieapps.com/Control-Pi-over-bluetooth/ - There is docs on how the controls, working which type of controls are available. - There is also an explanation of how you create handlers in the Python Code on the Raspberry Pi to have the RPi react to the controls you have defined.
Screenshots
Verdict
Open Pi and BleControlsPi are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters — price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
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. Open Pi sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and BleControlsPi sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
| Parameter | Open Pi | BleControlsPi |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (9 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 9 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 43 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Artem Svitelskyi | Normand Frenette |
In-app purchases
Open Pi
- Single (Lifetime)$5.99
- Family (Lifetime)$12.99
BleControlsPi
- Controls Pack 1$0.99
- Controls Pack 3$2.69
- Controls Pack 5$3.99
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- Controls Pack 9$6.99









