Comparison

Bluefruit Connect 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

Bluefruit Connect

Wirelessly connect your iOS device to Adafruit Bluefruit LE modules. Control projects, send sensor data, and communicate via UART or CircuitPython. Features include a control pad, NeoPixel control, and a serial plotter.

Highlights
  • Wireless sensor and GPS data transmission
  • Control Pad for project direction
  • Arduino pin input/output control
  • UART and CircuitPython message monitoring
  • Interactive NeoPixel color picker
  • Bluetooth LE peripheral scanning
  • Serial data plotting
Features
Read full description

Wirelessly connect your iOS device to Adafruit Bluefruit LE modules for control & communication with your projects. Features: • Send iOS sensor & GPS data wirelessly over Bluetooth LE (Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life) • Control Pad for simple directional control of your projects • Control Arduino Digital, Analog, & PWM pin input & output • Send & receive messages via UART monitor in Hex or ASCII format • Send & receive messages via CircuitPython REPL • Control NeoPixels individually with an interactive color picker • Scan & list nearby Bluetooth LE peripherals with RSSI and Advertisement data • Connect & List peripheral Services & Characteristics in Info mode • Serial Plotter to plot numeric data graphically • Multiple simultaneous connections (UART and Serial Plotter only) • Send Images via UART • Update your Bluefruit device to the latest firmware version from within the app • Use Apple Watch to control Bluefruit with Color Picker & Control Pad Learn more about Adafruit Bluefruit LE at: http://www.adafruit.com/bluefruitle

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

Bluefruit Connect4 screens
Bluetooth Serial Connect4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Bluefruit Connect at 69% against Bluetooth Serial Connect's 0%. Bluefruit Connect also leads on rating (4.3 vs 3.7) and ads (none vs shown). 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

Bluefruit Connect holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 19 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Bluefruit Connect's written reviews are positive against 0% of Bluetooth Serial Connect's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bluefruit Connect ships an update every 2 months, Bluetooth Serial Connect every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and July 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Bluefruit Connect versus Bluetooth Serial Connect: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBluefruit ConnectBluetooth Serial Connect
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (19 ratings) — better3.7 (7 ratings)
Positive reviews69.2% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings19 — better7
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 10 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.2
Further details — not scored
Size44 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAdafruit IndustriesHenry Abrahamsen

Customer experience

Bluefruit Connect

All ratings19 ratings
Positive84.2%
Neutral5.3%
Negative10.5%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive69.2%
Neutral7.7%
Negative23.1%

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

Bluefruit Connect

No in-app purchases

None

Bluetooth Serial Connect

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bluefruit Connect free?
Bluefruit Connect 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, Bluefruit Connect or Bluetooth Serial Connect?
Bluefruit Connect is rated higher. Bluefruit Connect averages 4.3 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while Bluetooth Serial Connect averages 3.7 from 7 ratings.
Do Bluefruit Connect or Bluetooth Serial Connect have ads?
Bluetooth Serial Connect shows ads; Bluefruit Connect does not.
Which is updated more often, Bluefruit Connect or Bluetooth Serial Connect?
Bluefruit Connect ships an update every 2 months, and Bluetooth Serial Connect every 10 months. Most recently, Bluefruit Connect was updated on September 19, 2026 and Bluetooth Serial Connect on July 21, 2026.

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