Offline Protocol vs Nearby Connections
Google Nearby Connections is Google's API for peer-to-peer connectivity between nearby devices, built for Android over Bluetooth, BLE, and WiFi, with an iOS library limited to Wi-Fi LAN. It establishes direct links between nearby devices rather than a multi-hop routed mesh, and does not include a built-in encrypted identity and service-discovery layer. Offline Protocol is a cross-platform SDK: a routed multi-hop mesh over BLE, WiFi Direct, and internet with automatic failover and 8-hop relay, plus MLS encryption, Ed25519 identity, and serverless service discovery. Nearby Connections is a solid direct-link primitive on Android. Offline Protocol is the routed mesh with identity and discovery on top, across iOS and Android.
Covers itPartly, or with conditionsNot part of the product Taken from each product's own documentation. The detailed table below carries the specifics.
The specifics
| Capability | Offline Protocol | Google Nearby Connections |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Cross-platform mesh SDK and coordination layer | Google peer-to-peer connectivity API, Android first |
| Topology | Routed multi-hop mesh, 8-hop relay | Direct links between nearby devices |
| Transports | BLE, WiFi Direct, internet with failover | Bluetooth, BLE, and WiFi |
| Platforms | Cross-platform iOS and Android | Android; the iOS library supports Wi-Fi LAN only, so devices must share a Wi-Fi network |
| Encryption and identity | MLS (RFC 9420), Ed25519 OfflineID | Encrypted transport, no built-in identity layer |
| Service discovery | Serverless request and response across the mesh | Advertise and discover for direct connection |
| Server | Optional, serverless by default | No server, direct device links |
| Primary artifact | Rust core SDK with React Native binding | Platform API in Google Play services |
| Licensing and cost | Mesh SDK free under AGPL-3.0, including in production. Closed-source and App Store apps need the commercial license; contact us for pricing. Hosted services from $0 (Free), $99 a month (Pro), $499 a month (Scale). Local mesh traffic is never metered. Pricing | Open source under Apache-2.0, with no published fee; on Android it ships with Google Play services. google/nearby |
How they differ
Google Nearby Connections is Google's API for peer-to-peer connectivity between nearby devices. On Android it advertises, discovers, and establishes direct links over Bluetooth, BLE, and WiFi so two devices in range can exchange data without the internet (developers.google.com). Google also ships an iOS library, but its repository lists Wi-Fi LAN as the only medium supported on Apple platforms, so an iPhone and an Android phone connect only on a shared Wi-Fi network. It is a direct-link primitive: the connection is between nearby devices, not routed across a multi-hop mesh, and it leaves identity and higher-level discovery to the app.
Offline Protocol is a routed multi-hop mesh over BLE, WiFi Direct, and internet with automatic failover and 8-hop relay, so devices that are not in direct range still reach each other through relays. It ships cross-platform across iOS and Android, and layers on MLS (RFC 9420) encryption, an Ed25519 OfflineID for verifying devices with no server, and serverless service discovery so any device can advertise and invoke a capability across the mesh.
So the split is direct-link API versus routed mesh with identity and discovery. Nearby Connections is a strong choice when you need Android devices in range to talk directly. Offline Protocol adds multi-hop routing, cross-platform reach, device-owned identity, and capability invocation, which is what a product platform usually needs.
When to choose each
Choose Google Nearby Connections if your app is Android-first and devices only need direct links in range, or your iOS devices share a Wi-Fi network. Choose Offline Protocol if iPhones and Android phones must reach each other with no shared network, messages must relay beyond direct range, or you need built-in identity and MLS encryption.
Choose Google Nearby Connections when
Your app is Android first, you need nearby devices in direct range to exchange data without the internet, or your iOS devices share a Wi-Fi network, and a platform-native direct-link API without multi-hop routing or a built-in identity layer meets the requirement.
Choose Offline Protocol when
You need routed multi-hop relay beyond direct range, cross-platform reach on iOS and Android, device-owned device identity, MLS encryption, and serverless service discovery, delivered as one SDK.
See routed mesh with identity and discovery in the field across logistics, events, and the public sector.
Offline Protocol vs Google Nearby Connections FAQ
What is the difference between Offline Protocol and Google Nearby Connections?
Google Nearby Connections is Google's API for peer-to-peer connectivity between nearby devices, built for Android over Bluetooth, BLE, and WiFi, with an iOS library limited to Wi-Fi LAN. It establishes direct links between nearby devices rather than a multi-hop routed mesh, and does not include a built-in encrypted identity and service-discovery layer (developers.google.com). Offline Protocol is a cross-platform SDK: a routed multi-hop mesh over BLE, WiFi Direct, and internet with automatic failover and 8-hop relay, plus MLS (RFC 9420) encryption, Ed25519 OfflineID identity, and serverless service discovery.
Does Google Nearby Connections do multi-hop mesh routing?
Nearby Connections establishes direct links between nearby devices, so it is a direct-link API rather than a multi-hop routed mesh (developers.google.com). Offline Protocol routes across up to 8 hops with ack, retry, and deduplication, so devices that are not in direct range can still reach each other through relays.
Is Google Nearby Connections available on iOS?
Yes, with limits. Google ships a Swift library for iOS, and iOS and Android devices running Nearby Connections can connect to each other. On Apple platforms, Google's Nearby repository lists Wi-Fi LAN as the only supported medium, so both devices need to be on the same Wi-Fi network, and the Bluetooth paths Android uses are not listed as implemented there. Links are still direct, with no multi-hop routing. Offline Protocol runs on iOS and Android from one SDK, a Rust core with a React Native binding, and phones reach each other over BLE with no shared network. See the Nearby Connections README.
Does Offline Protocol add identity and discovery on top of the transport?
Yes. Beyond connecting devices, Offline Protocol provides an Ed25519 OfflineID for verifying devices with no server, MLS encryption by default, and serverless service discovery so any device can advertise and invoke a capability. Nearby Connections focuses on the direct transport and does not provide that built-in identity and discovery layer.
How do licensing and cost compare with Google Nearby Connections?
The Offline Protocol mesh SDK is free under AGPL-3.0-only, including in production, and local mesh traffic is never metered on any plan. Closed-source apps and apps distributed through the Apple App Store need the commercial license, which has no published price, so contact us for pricing. Hosted services are optional and run on Free ($0), Pro ($99 a month), Scale ($499 a month), and Enterprise plans. Google Nearby Connections is open source under Apache-2.0, Google publishes no fee for it, and on Android it ships with Google Play services. See the google/nearby repository.
