Comparison

nRF Toolbox vs Bluetooth Serial Connect

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity
  • Demonstrates BLE profiles
  • Heart Rate Monitor support
  • Glucose Monitor support
  • Cycling Speed and Cadence
  • Running Speed and Cadence
Read full description

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

About

Bluetooth Serial Connect

Control your Arduino projects with your phone. Design custom interfaces with buttons, joysticks, and displays to send and receive data via Bluetooth low-energy modules. An integrated library simplifies the connection process.

Highlights
  • Customizable control boards
  • Button and joystick inputs
  • Display integration
  • Bluetooth low-energy module support
  • Arduino library for easy integration
Features
Read full description

Turn your iPhone or iPad into a custom control panel for Arduino and BLE projects, without building a dedicated iOS app. Bluetooth Serial Connect lets you design a board, connect to an HM-10-style Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) UART module, and exchange commands and live readouts with your hardware. The companion Bluetooth Serial Connect Arduino library makes it straightforward to read controls and update displays, indicators, and gauges in your sketch. DESIGN YOUR BOARD Place, move, resize, and customize nine component types: • Buttons with momentary, latch, and repeat behavior • Joysticks, sliders, toggles, and D-pads • Text displays, labels, indicators, and gauges Assign channel numbers that stay fixed when you rearrange controls. Fine-tune colors, labels, value ranges, board appearance, and haptic feedback. Undo and redo changes, duplicate and lock controls, snap them to the grid, and adjust their front-to-back order. START WITH TEMPLATES AND EXAMPLES Explore seven editable board templates for RC cars, robotic arms, menu remotes, sensor hubs, smart-home relays, and more. Companion Arduino sketches and protocol examples help you connect the app to your code. Follow the interactive walkthrough or try a board with simulated data—no hardware required. Import, export, share, and duplicate boards as your projects grow. CONNECT AND TROUBLESHOOT Scan for nearby BLE devices, follow clear connection progress, remember frequently used modules for quick reconnecting, and configure service and characteristic UUIDs. Use the timestamped two-way console to inspect sent and received messages or send console text while you troubleshoot. Setup guides, wiring help, complete examples, and the wire protocol reference are available at bluetooth.henhen1227.com. Bluetooth Serial Connect is designed for HM-10-style BLE modules. Other BLE UART hardware may work when its service and characteristic UUIDs match the app settings. HC-05 and HC-06 Bluetooth Classic modules are not supported. A compatible BLE module is required for live hardware control. FREE OR PRO Start with one board free. Add more by watching rewarded ads, or unlock Bluetooth Serial Pro with a one-time in-app purchase for unlimited boards and no ads. The free version may also show occasional ads after edits. Existing boards remain available to use. No app account is required. Board files stay on your device unless you choose to share them.

Screenshots

nRF Toolbox4 screens
Bluetooth Serial Connect4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Bluetooth Serial Connect at 3.7 against nRF Toolbox's 2.6. Bluetooth Serial Connect also leads on iOS requirement (16.2 vs 18.0). nRF Toolbox's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 10 months). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Bluetooth Serial Connect holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 2.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 7 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 22% of nRF Toolbox's written reviews are positive against 0% of Bluetooth Serial Connect's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

nRF Toolbox ships an update every 5 weeks, Bluetooth Serial Connect every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
nRF Toolbox versus Bluetooth Serial Connect: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameternRF ToolboxBluetooth Serial Connect
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.6 (8 ratings)3.7 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews22.2% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings8 — better7
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks — betterEvery 10 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.016.2 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNordic Semiconductor ASAHenry Abrahamsen

Customer experience

nRF Toolbox

All ratings8 ratings
Positive37.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative62.5%
Written reviews18 reviews
Positive22.2%
Neutral16.7%
Negative61.1%

Bluetooth Serial Connect

All ratings7 ratings
Positive57.1%
Neutral28.6%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

nRF Toolbox

No in-app purchases

None

Bluetooth Serial Connect

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is nRF Toolbox free?
nRF Toolbox is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Bluetooth Serial Connect free?
Bluetooth Serial Connect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, nRF Toolbox or Bluetooth Serial Connect?
Bluetooth Serial Connect is rated higher. nRF Toolbox averages 2.6 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Bluetooth Serial Connect averages 3.7 from 7 ratings.
Do nRF Toolbox or Bluetooth Serial Connect have ads?
Bluetooth Serial Connect shows ads; nRF Toolbox does not.
Which is updated more often, nRF Toolbox or Bluetooth Serial Connect?
nRF Toolbox ships an update every 5 weeks, and Bluetooth Serial Connect every 10 months. Most recently, nRF Toolbox was updated on October 6, 2026 and Bluetooth Serial Connect on September 29, 2026.

Other comparisons