FAQ
Questions, answered
The short version of what people ask most. Still stuck? Head to Support, or start with the 15 minute guide.
Does Plynx need WiFi, or does it work over Bluetooth (BLE)?
Both. Over WiFi or Ethernet the app talks to your board through a small server (self-hosted or the free public one), which is what gives you remote access, history and push. Direct Bluetooth (BLE) control, with no WiFi and no server at all, is available as a beta starting with Plynx 1.2.2 on iOS: the app scans, connects to your ESP32 and drives the pins straight over BLE. It is a local, phone-to-board mode, so remote access and history stay on the WiFi and server path. See the blog for a full walkthrough.
Is Plynx really free?
Yes. Plynx is free on the App Store, with no ads, no subscriptions and no per-device fees. If you self-host the server you run everything yourself at no cost.
Does Plynx work with Siri and the Shortcuts app?
Yes, and it is already in the app: four actions ship built in, Toggle Pin, Write Pin, Read Pin and Activate Scene. Say "Toggle pin in Plynx" to Siri, or drop the same actions into any Shortcut or personal automation, so a pin can flip when you arrive home, at sunset, or when an alarm goes off. Nothing to set up beyond adding the board.
Do I need a cloud account with you? Where does my data go?
No cloud account with us is required. You can run the open source server on your own Raspberry Pi, so your data never leaves your network. Prefer not to self-host? A free public server is available too.
Which boards are supported?
ESP32, ESP8266, and Arduino boards with a network connection, plus Raspberry Pi and anything else that speaks the classic Blynk Legacy protocol. You flash a small library and you are done.
Do I have to write a web server or any HTML?
No. Flash the Plynx library, drag widgets onto a canvas in the app, and bind each one to a pin. Buttons and sliders write to pins, gauges and charts read from them. You never write a web page, run a broker, or learn a firmware framework. There is a web editor at editor.plynx.cc if you prefer writing your sketch on a computer, but it is optional and it is not something you have to build.
Is Plynx compatible with Blynk Legacy?
The protocol is the same, so existing legacy servers and dashboards keep working and the wire format is unchanged. Your sketch needs a mechanical rename first: the library exports no legacy identifiers at all, so BLYNK_WRITE becomes PLYNX_WRITE, BLYNK_CONNECTED becomes PLYNX_CONNECTED, the Blynk object becomes Plynx, BlynkTimer becomes PlynxTimer and BlynkParam becomes PlynxParam. Swapping only the include leaves code that does not compile.
Does it work when the internet is down?
With a self-hosted server on your own network, yes. Your phone, the server and your boards all live on your LAN, so everything keeps working offline. The app also caches the last known values when a board is unreachable.
Is there an Android app?
iOS is available today on the App Store. An Android app is in development.
What can I build with it?
Irrigation controllers, aquarium and terrarium monitors, garage door openers, weather stations, battery monitors for vans and boats, car interior lighting, and whatever you are soldering this weekend. If it has a pin, you can put it on your phone.
How long does it take to get started?
About 15 minutes from a bare board to live data on your phone. Create a project, flash the library with the token the app gives you, and your widgets start talking to your pins.