Chip vs Chip

STM32WB55 vs BlueNRG-LP

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Side-by-side comparison of STM32WB55 and BlueNRG-LP BLE SoCs.

    
    

      
    

  


  
  
  

    
      

        A
        
STM32WB55

      

      

    
    
      

        B
        
BlueNRG-LP

      

      

    
  

  

  
  

  






  
  

    
STM32WB55 vs BlueNRG-LP: STMicroelectronics BLE SoC Comparison


Overview


Both the STM32WB55 and the BlueNRG-LP come from STMicroelectronics, yet they target very different applications. The STM32WB55 is a mid-range, multiprotocol dual-core SoC for smart home and industrial IoT applications. The BlueNRG-LP is a purpose-built ultra-low-power BLE SoC designed for healthcare wearables, medical patches, and battery-constrained sensing applications. Choosing between them within the ST ecosystem is primarily a question of firmware complexity, power budget, and required peripherals.


The STM32WB55 employs ST's signature dual-core architecture: a Cortex-M4F running at up to 64 MHz for application code and a Cortex-M0+ running the BLE/Zigbee/OpenThread stack in isolation. This separation gives the application developer full use of an M4F with FPU and rich peripherals (USB FS, SPI, I2C, ADC, SAI) while the radio processor handles timing-critical BLE operations without interference. The 1 MB Flash and 256 KB RAM provide ample headroom for FreeRTOS applications, dual-bank OTA, and complex ATT">GATT profiles.


The BlueNRG-LP simplifies dramatically: a single Cortex-M0+ core, 256 KB Flash, 64 KB RAM, an integrated DC-DC converter and LDO for direct coin-cell operation, and a radio architecture optimized for the lowest possible sleep current. It is not a general-purpose microcontroller with a radio attached — it is a BLE radio with enough CPU to run the profiles required for healthcare standards (IEEE 11073, Bluetooth SIG HDP, CGM, CPP).




Key Differences


    

  • Architecture: STM32WB55 uses dual-core M4F + M0+ for application/radio isolation; BlueNRG-LP uses a single M0+ core.
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  • Memory: STM32WB55 has 1 MB Flash / 256 KB RAM; BlueNRG-LP has 256 KB Flash / 64 KB RAM — a 4× difference in both dimensions.
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  • USB: STM32WB55 includes USB 2.0 FS; BlueNRG-LP does not — critical for USB HID bridges or DFU.
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  • Protocols: STM32WB55 supports BLE 5.0/5.2 + Zigbee + OpenThread; BlueNRG-LP is BLE 5.2-only.
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  • Power: BlueNRG-LP achieves sub-1 µA sleep with integrated PMU — its primary differentiator; STM32WB55 reaches approximately 2.4 µA in Stop2.
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  • Package size: BlueNRG-LP is available in 3.2×3.2 mm QFN32; STM32WB55 comes in VFQFPN68 (8×8 mm) and UFBGA129 — much larger footprints.
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  • Cost: BlueNRG-LP is significantly less expensive than STM32WB55.
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  • SDK: Both use STMicroelectronics tools — STM32CubeWB for WB55, cube.BlueNRG for BlueNRG-LP — though they are separate frameworks.
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Use Cases


STM32WB55 is ideal for:
- Smart home end devices requiring concurrent BLE + Zigbee or BLE + Thread
- USB HID bridges, BLE dongles, and applications requiring USB DFU
- Complex IoT firmware running FreeRTOS on M4F with isolated BLE radio timing on M0+
- Products where STM32 HAL/LL middleware compatibility is a development requirement


BlueNRG-LP is ideal for:
- Healthcare wearables (continuous glucose monitors, blood pressure cuffs, ECG patches) with aggressive power budgets
- Disposable or single-use BLE patches on coin cells or thin-film batteries
- Simple, stable BLE peripheral profiles (Health Thermometer, Heart Rate, Blood Pressure) where the M0+ compute floor is sufficient
- Compact, board-space-limited designs where 3.2×3.2 mm is a hard constraint




Verdict


Within the ST ecosystem, the choice is clear: the STM32WB55 for feature-rich, multiprotocol applications with USB and dual-core determinism; the BlueNRG-LP for the most power-constrained, compact BLE peripheral use cases. Both chips are well-supported by ST, but their SDKs are separate ecosystems — switching between them is not trivial, so the selection should be made carefully at the project outset.

  

  

  
  

  
  

    




  
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Our comparisons use verified datasheet specifications to create side-by-side tables. Each comparison includes a verdict explaining when to choose each option based on your project requirements.