nRF Beacons vs ST BLE Toolbox
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
nRF Beacons
This utility app demonstrates the capabilities of a Bluetooth beacon kit. It enables users to configure beacon settings and define actions triggered by proximity events. Supported actions include displaying content, opening web links, and playing alarms.
- Configure beacon UUID, Major, and Minor
- Set calibrated RSSI
- Define actions for proximity events
- Trigger web browser opening
- Play alarm sounds
- Monitor multiple beacons simultaneously
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The nRF Beacon application has been designed to demonstrate all the features of the nRF8122 Bluetooth® Smart Beacon Kit. It allows you to register actions that will be triggered when a specified event occurs and it also allows you to modify the content of a beacon including the beacon’s UUID, Major, Minor and calibrated RSSI. Currently the app supports the following actions: •Show an object (Mona Lisa painting) •Open a web browser •Play an alarm The app supports the following four events: •User enters the Beacon’s range. •User exits the Beacon’s range. •User is near to the Beacon. •User is at the Beacon. Note: •Supported on IOS 7.0 or later and iPhone 4S or later. •Supports simultaneous monitoring of multiple beacons. •Compatible with nRF51822 Bluetooth® Smart Beacon Kit. •You may find more information about nRF51822 Bluetooth® Smart Beacon Kit on our website: http://www.nordicsemi.com/eng/Products/Bluetooth-R-low-energy/nRF51822-Bluetooth-Smart-Beacon-Kit . •The source code of the app nRF Beacon is available on http://www.nordicsemi.com and can be downloaded if you have purchased the nRF51822 Bluetooth® Smart Beacon Kit. Note: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.
ST BLE Toolbox
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The ST BLE Toolbox is a user-friendly application to interact and debug ST Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices. Upon launch, the app scans for BLE devices. For each device found it is possible to display advertisements and connect to it. The key features are: - Discovery peripherals - Show output of standard profiles - Show peripheral services and characteristics - Perform Read, write and notification interactions with peripherals
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: nRF Beacons at 8.0 against ST BLE Toolbox's 15.0. 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.
nRF Beacons ships an update every 4 months, ST BLE Toolbox every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | nRF Beacons | ST BLE Toolbox |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.5 (2 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months — better | Every 6 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 16 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Nordic Semiconductor ASA | STMicroelectronics |
In-app purchases
nRF Beacons
No in-app purchases
ST BLE Toolbox
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is nRF Beacons free?
Is ST BLE Toolbox free?
Do nRF Beacons or ST BLE Toolbox have ads?
Which is updated more often, nRF Beacons or ST BLE Toolbox?
Other comparisons
