Comparison

Beaconator vs Serin

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

Head to head
About

Beaconator

Features
Read full description

Beaconator is an all-in-one iBeacon broadcaster and detector for developers, testers, and educators. Whether you're building an indoor navigation app, testing proximity interactions, validating hardware, or learning about Bluetooth beacons, Beaconator makes iBeacon development simple. Configure a custom UUID, Major, and Minor, then instantly turn your iPhone into an iBeacon transmitter. On another device, detect nearby beacons, monitor signal strength, verify your configuration, and troubleshoot deployments without additional hardware. Features • Broadcast fully configurable iBeacon signals • Detect nearby iBeacons in real time • Adjustable UUID, Major, and Minor values • Generate random UUIDs for testing • Share beacon configurations with QR codes • Scan QR codes to configure another device instantly • View beacon proximity, RSSI, and estimated distance • Clean SwiftUI interface optimized for quick testing Perfect for • iOS developers • Bluetooth LE developers • Indoor positioning projects • Museum and exhibit installations • Retail and proximity marketing prototypes • Classroom demonstrations • QA and field testing • Hardware validation Typical Workflow 1. Configure a beacon on one device. 2. Display a QR code containing the beacon UUID. 3. Scan the QR code with a second device. 4. Begin ranging immediately to verify the broadcast. No typing. No extra hardware. No complicated setup. Beaconator was created by a developer who needed a simple way to test iBeacon-enabled applications in real-world environments. It has helped validate countless Bluetooth beacon deployments and continues to evolve with modern iOS and SwiftUI. All of the code is open-source and available at https://github.com/jeffreality/beaconator . Whether you're shipping a production app or experimenting with Core Location and Bluetooth LE, Beaconator gives you the tools you need to test quickly and confidently.

About

Serin

This app acts as a personal privacy scanner, detecting nearby smart glasses, hidden cameras, and Bluetooth trackers. It offers guided sweeps for rooms and travel, and a digital mirror to see your own device broadcasts. Privacy is prioritized with no account required and data syncing only via iCloud.

Highlights
  • Detects smart glasses and wearables
  • Flags Bluetooth trackers
  • Scans networked cameras
  • Infrared reflection scanning for hidden lenses
  • Guided room and travel sweeps
  • Digital mirror for device broadcasts
  • Privacy-focused with no account needed
Features
Read full description

Serin turns your iPhone into a personal privacy scanner. It looks for the devices that watch you — smart glasses, hidden cameras, and Bluetooth trackers — and tells you what is nearby. CANARY MODE A single glanceable status orb. Green means your surroundings are clear of known recording devices. Amber and red mean something worth a look. WHAT SERIN FINDS • Camera glasses and AI wearables — smart glasses, Spectacles, AI pins, and similar recording hardware • Bluetooth trackers — anonymous tags that stay near you across time are flagged after sustained proximity • Networked cameras — IP cameras, streaming devices, and smart-home hardware on the WiFi you are connected to • Hidden lenses — infrared reflection scanning to spot camera optics in a room ROOM SWEEP & TRAVEL SWEEP Guided walkthroughs for hotel rooms and rentals. Serin steps you through each zone, records what it finds, and produces a shareable report. DIGITAL MIRROR See what your own devices broadcast to everyone around you. PRIVACY BY DESIGN No account. No sign-up. Detections stay on your device and sync only through your private iCloud. Serin never uploads location or scan history. SERIN PRO — ONE PURCHASE, NO SUBSCRIPTION • Infrared camera finder • Full travel sweep with PDF export • Deep network scanning • Live Activities on the Lock Screen • Personal insights and trends • Unlimited detection history • No ads IMPORTANT Serin detects wireless signals and visible optical reflections. It cannot find devices that are powered off, hardwired without wireless, or shielded. Signal strength indicates rough proximity, not exact distance. Serin is an awareness tool, not a tool for confrontation, investigation, or emergency response.

Screenshots

Beaconator1 screens
Serin4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Beaconator at none against Serin's 1. Beaconator also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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. Serin sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Beaconator asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Beaconator versus Serin: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBeaconatorSerin
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 7 months—
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.2 — better18.2
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerpushplay.netSummit Veil LLC

In-app purchases

None

Beaconator

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Serin

One-time1
  • Serin Pro$5.99

Questions

Is Beaconator free?
Beaconator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Serin free?
Serin is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Beaconator or Serin have ads?
Serin shows ads; Beaconator does not.

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