# SmartApfel vs Mac Life

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Mac Life at 100% against SmartApfel's 65%. Mac Life also leads on rating (4.3 vs 4.0) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). SmartApfel's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SmartApfel sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month and Mac Life sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Mac Life holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 9 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of SmartApfel's written reviews are positive against 100% of Mac Life's.

SmartApfel ships an update fortnightly, Mac Life every 3 months. Both last shipped on November 2, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartApfel | Mac Life |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartapfel/id1056322079/reviews) | **[4.3 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mac-life/id1075865415/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **9** |
| Positive reviews | 64.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 26 MB | 58 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [acasa Software GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/974663980) | [falkemedia digital GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/406680206) |

## What reviewers say

### SmartApfel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartapfel/id1056322079)

Stay updated on Apple HomeKit and Matter smart home technology. Get the latest news, device information, automation ideas, and warnings about problematic firmware updates. Perfect for both beginners and experienced users.

**Highlights:** Latest news on HomeKit & Matter, Device overview, Automation examples, Firmware update warnings, Beginner-friendly information

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small coffee (monthly) | $1.49 | per month |
| Large coffee (monthly) | $3.49 | per month |
| Espresso | $0.99 | one-time |
| Cup of coffee | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pot of coffee | $3.99 | one-time |


### Mac Life

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mac-life/id1075865415)

Stay updated with the latest Apple news, rumors, and tips. Get exclusive content and early access to articles from a leading European Apple magazine. Offers a comprehensive archive and ad-free reading experience for subscribers.

**Highlights:** Daily Apple news updates, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch coverage, Push notifications for breaking news, Searchable article archive, Exclusive subscriber content, Ad-free reading experience

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MacLife Plus Abo monatlich | $5.99 | per month |
| MacLife Plus Abo jährlich | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SmartApfel free?

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

### Is Mac Life free?

Mac Life is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, SmartApfel or Mac Life?

Mac Life is rated higher. SmartApfel averages 4.0 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Mac Life averages 4.3 from 9 ratings.

### Do SmartApfel or Mac Life have ads?

Neither SmartApfel nor Mac Life shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SmartApfel or Mac Life?

SmartApfel ships an update fortnightly, and Mac Life every 3 months. Most recently, SmartApfel was updated on November 2, 2026 and Mac Life on November 2, 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.*