# Z vs Brightlayer Home

The clearest difference is rating: Brightlayer Home at 4.7 against Z's 2.3. Brightlayer Home also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (2.1K vs 17). Z's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Brightlayer Home holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brightlayer Home has 2.1K ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 19% of Z's written reviews are positive against 30% of Brightlayer Home's.

Z ships an update every 4 months, Brightlayer Home every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Z | Brightlayer Home |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.3 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/z-tool-plus/id1018864080/reviews) | **[4.7 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brightlayer-home/id1598965906/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 17 | **2.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 18.8% of reviews | **30.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 34 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HomeSeer](https://appshunter.io/developer/333195371) | [Eaton Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/439590491) |

## What reviewers say

### Z

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/z-tool-plus/id1018864080)

This tool simplifies the setup of Z-Wave devices for your smart home. It allows you to easily add, remove, and name devices directly from your phone or tablet. Once configured, you can manage advanced settings through your HomeSeer web interface.

**Highlights:** Include Z-Wave devices, Exclude Z-Wave devices, Name Z-Wave devices, Use with phone or tablet, Integrates with HomeSeer

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Brightlayer Home

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brightlayer-home/id1598965906)

Monitor and control your home's power usage with smart breakers and wiring devices. Gain energy insights, set schedules for cost savings, and receive important notifications. Manage connected devices remotely and enhance security with features like vacation mode.

**Highlights:** Real-time energy insights, Historical energy usage data, Customizable energy-saving schedules, Remote device control, Out-of-ordinary activity notifications, Vacation mode for security, Voice control integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use app
- 🚀 Seamless connection to devices
- 💡 Useful scheduling features
- 🔒 Secure remote control

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable device connectivity
- 🐛 Inconsistent scheduling functionality
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and bugs
- 🤔 Lacking key features (e.g. EV charger support)

**Reported bugs**

- Schedules randomly disappearing
- Devices disconnecting from WiFi
- App login issues and account creation problems
- Incompatibility with certain WiFi routers

**Requested features**

- Add advanced scheduling options (e.g. if-then rules)
- Improve app stability and reliability
- Integrate with popular smart home platforms (e.g. Alexa, Google Home)
- Add support for more device types (e.g. EV chargers)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Z free?

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

### Is Brightlayer Home free?

Brightlayer Home is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Z or Brightlayer Home?

Brightlayer Home is rated higher. Z averages 2.3 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Brightlayer Home averages 4.7 from 2.1K ratings.

### Do Z or Brightlayer Home have ads?

Neither Z nor Brightlayer Home shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Z or Brightlayer Home?

Z ships an update every 4 months, and Brightlayer Home every 3 weeks. Most recently, Z was updated on October 7, 2026 and Brightlayer Home on October 20, 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.*