Gimbal Beacon Manager vs HID Reader Manager
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Gimbal Beacon Manager
This application allows developers to view and configure Gimbal beacons. It provides tools for managing beacon settings and data.
- View Gimbal beacons
- Configure Gimbal beacons
- Manage beacon settings
- Access beacon data
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For Gimbal developers to view and configure their Gimbal beacons.
HID Reader Manager
This app simplifies the management of compatible HID readers. It allows administrators to configure settings, update firmware, and export reader status. Users can also upgrade readers to support Bluetooth and OSDP.
- Configure reader settings
- Upgrade reader firmware
- Inspect and export reader status
- Enable Bluetooth support
- Enable OSDP support
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HID Reader Manager streamlines management of compatible HID Signo, iCLASS SE® and multiCLASS SE readers in the field. Administrators can easily adjust configuration settings, upgrade firmware, inspect and export current reader status, and upgrade compatible readers to support Bluetooth and/or OSDP. -Bluetooth is used to communicate with the reader hardware. If Bluetooth is not enabled communication to readers will not function. -Calendar is used to log the error/information. If Calendar is not enabled logging will not function. -Location is used to obtain the location of the Reader for administration purpose and improving user experience. If Location is not enabled communication to readers will not function.
Screenshots
Verdict
Gimbal Beacon Manager and HID Reader Manager both sit at 2.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 43% of Gimbal Beacon Manager's written reviews are positive against 13% of HID Reader Manager's. Gimbal Beacon Manager also leads on iOS requirement (7.0 vs 14.0). HID Reader Manager's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (26 vs 5). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 2.6 for Gimbal Beacon Manager against 2.6 for HID Reader Manager. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HID Reader Manager has 26 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 43% of Gimbal Beacon Manager's written reviews are positive against 13% of HID Reader Manager's.
Gimbal Beacon Manager ships an update every 4 months, HID Reader Manager every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on June 7, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Gimbal Beacon Manager | HID Reader Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.6 (5 ratings) | 2.6 (26 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews — better | 12.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 5 | 26 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 7.0 — better | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 174 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Gimbal, Inc | HID Global |
Customer experience
Gimbal Beacon Manager
HID Reader Manager
In-app purchases
Gimbal Beacon Manager
No in-app purchases
HID Reader Manager
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Gimbal Beacon Manager free?
Is HID Reader Manager free?
Which has better reviews, Gimbal Beacon Manager or HID Reader Manager?
Do Gimbal Beacon Manager or HID Reader Manager have ads?
Which is updated more often, Gimbal Beacon Manager or HID Reader Manager?
Other comparisons
