# Smart Shades vs Authenticate Luxe

The clearest difference is rating: Smart Shades at 2.1 against Authenticate Luxe's 1.0. Smart Shades also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (62 vs 1). Authenticate Luxe's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Authenticate Luxe sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Smart Shades asks for nothing beyond the download.

Smart Shades holds the better App Store score, 2.1 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Smart Shades has 62 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Smart Shades ships an update every 2 months, Authenticate Luxe every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Smart Shades | Authenticate Luxe |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.1 (62 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-shades/id1016406862/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/authenticate-luxe/id6766146285/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **62** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 47 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Wazombi](https://appshunter.io/developer/922472388) | [Pascal Peltriaux](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895413186) |

## What reviewers say

### Smart Shades

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-shades/id1016406862)

Transform your existing window shades into smart devices with this solar-powered, wireless gadget. Control your blinds remotely via a smartphone app, setting custom schedules and automated movements for enhanced convenience.

**Highlights:** Turns regular shades into smart shades, Solar-powered operation, Wireless and easy installation, Smartphone app control, Automated patterns and schedules, Bluetooth Low Energy communication

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works with HomeKit
- 👍 Automations and scenes work
- 👍 Good product, great service
- 👍 Easy to set up
- 👍 Works well with HomeKit

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 App not opening
- 🐛 Basic and poorly designed
- 🐛 Unreliable connectivity
- 🐛 Software awful

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes with Smart Shades 3
- App crashes after update
- App crashes instantly
- App closes itself right away
- App won't open at all

**Requested features**

- Matter support
- Change app language
- Change highest/lowest position
- Recalibrate function
- Simple up and down buttons


### Authenticate Luxe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/authenticate-luxe/id6766146285)

Instantly authenticate and value luxury items like handbags, watches, and jewelry using your phone's camera. Get brand and product identification, authenticity assessments, and resale market values. Ideal for buying, selling, or simply identifying luxury goods.

**Highlights:** AI-powered authentication, Brand and product identification, Resale value estimation, Verifiable authenticity reports, Resale listing generator, Collection value tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Pro Yearly | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Smart Shades free?

Smart Shades is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Authenticate Luxe free?

Authenticate Luxe is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Smart Shades or Authenticate Luxe?

Smart Shades is rated higher. Smart Shades averages 2.1 out of 5 from 62 ratings, while Authenticate Luxe averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Smart Shades or Authenticate Luxe have ads?

Neither Smart Shades nor Authenticate Luxe shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Smart Shades or Authenticate Luxe?

Smart Shades ships an update every 2 months, and Authenticate Luxe every 5 days. Most recently, Smart Shades was updated on October 5, 2026 and Authenticate Luxe on October 18, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*