nRF Toolbox vs GATTBrowser
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
nRF Toolbox
This utility app connects to various Bluetooth Low Energy accessories. It demonstrates multiple BLE profiles, including health and fitness sensors, allowing users to monitor data from devices like heart rate monitors and glucose monitors.
- Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity
- Demonstrates BLE profiles
- Heart Rate Monitor support
- Glucose Monitor support
- Cycling Speed and Cadence
- Running Speed and Cadence
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nRF Toolbox works with a wide range of Bluetooth Low Energy accessories. It contains applications demonstrating BLE profiles: Cycling Speed and Cadence, Running Speed and Cadence, Heart Rate Monitor, Blood Pressure Monitor, Health Thermometer, Glucose Monitor, Continuous Glucose Monitor, Monitoring & Diagnostic and more. The source code of this application is available on GitHub: https://github.com/nordicsemi/iOS-nRF-Toolbox
GATTBrowser
Scan and communicate with Bluetooth Low Energy devices. Discover advertising data, RSSI, and connect to various BLE devices, including specific Renesas products. Customize service and characteristic names for easier management.
- Scan nearby BLE devices
- Display advertising data and RSSI
- Connect to BLE devices
- View services and characteristics
- Support for Renesas BLE products
- Register custom UUID names
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GATTBrowser is the best generic application to scan nearby Bluetooth Low Energy devices and communicate with them. It also provides specific features to communicate with the Renesas Bluetooth Low Energy products. [Features] - Scans nearby Bluetooth Low Energy devices - Displays the Advertising data - Displays the Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) - Connects to Renesas Bluetooth Low Energy Products as well as other Bluetooth Low Energy devices - Displays the Services and Characteristics information - Communicates with Bluetooth Low Energy devices - Supports Renesas specific Services and Characteristics - Allows you to register names for custom Service/Characteristic 128 bit UUIDs - Allows you to edit and/or delete the registerd names for the custom Service/Characteristic 128 bit UUIDs [Note] - Supported on iOS Version 12 or later - Tested on iPhone 6, iPhone 8, iPhone SE (2nd generation) and iPad Air (3rd generation) Refer to the following about Renesas Bluetooth Low Energy products: https://www.renesas.com/application/key-technology/bluetooth-low-energy https://www.renesas.com/products/interface-connectivity/wireless-communications/bluetooth-low-energy Refer to the following about GATTBrowser User's Manual (R21AN0017): https://www.renesas.com/document/apn/gattbrowser-ios-smartphone-application-instruction-manual-rev112
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: GATTBrowser at 70% against nRF Toolbox's 22%. GATTBrowser also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.6) and ratings volume (210 vs 8). On price, update cadence, 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.
GATTBrowser holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GATTBrowser has 210 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 22% of nRF Toolbox's written reviews are positive against 70% of GATTBrowser's.
nRF Toolbox ships an update every 5 weeks, GATTBrowser every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | nRF Toolbox | GATTBrowser |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.6 (8 ratings) | 4.6 (210 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 22.2% of reviews | 70.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 8 | 210 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Nordic Semiconductor ASA | Renesas Electronics |
Customer experience
nRF Toolbox
GATTBrowser
In-app purchases
nRF Toolbox
No in-app purchases
GATTBrowser
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is nRF Toolbox free?
Is GATTBrowser free?
Which has better reviews, nRF Toolbox or GATTBrowser?
Do nRF Toolbox or GATTBrowser have ads?
Which is updated more often, nRF Toolbox or GATTBrowser?
Other comparisons
