Comparison

Vent vs EMBER Smart Heating Control

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Vent

Control and customize Vent-Axia ventilation fans like Svara®, Pure Air Sense®, and Svensa® via Bluetooth. Adjust settings, set schedules, monitor performance, and receive fault indications for optimal air quality.

Highlights
  • Bluetooth fan control
  • Customizable fan settings
  • Scheduling by weekday/weekend
  • Humidity and light sensor adjustment
  • Real-time air pressure monitoring
  • Fault indication and recovery
Features
Read full description

Vent-Axia Connect - Functions and settings for Lo-Carbon Svara® and Pure Air Sense®/Svensa® via app. Svara® App Control Each Vent-Axia Svara® contains a unique code, which is required to pair the fan with the app. Enter or scan the code using the app’s setup wizard. The code may be found on the back of the product manual or on the arm of the pull out motor hub. When the fan is supplied, it is pre-set to be an automatic bathroom fan with constant trickle flow of 30m³/h and humidity / light detectors which activate to a boost flow of up to 95m³/h. The app control via Bluetooth gives you the functionality of five fans in one. Via this app, you can set up Svara® for various functions and environments. You can easily set Svara® to function as an intermittent fan which is humidity or light activated. Via the app you can also use a simple calendar function where you can activate various functions depending on weekdays or weekends, such as purge or silent running hours. Fault indication: A red LED on the fan indicates power failure when the calendar function has been activated. This is easily recovered by the opening the app and re-synchronising with the fan. PUREAIR Sense®/Svensa® App Control The PUREAIR Sense/Svensa Fan is simple to pair with the VA Connect app. Press and hold the connect icon at the bottom of the touch panel on the fan for 8 seconds. The icon will flash and the app will prompt to finish the connection set up with the fan. The fan is supplied factory set for optimum use in a bathroom. The app allows all functions of the fan to be monitored and fully customized if required, to suit different environments and situations. The icons in the app represent the icons on the touch screen of the fan and provide clear indication as to which function, or functions are running. Individual function boost speeds can be adjusted, as well as the timer, it’s delay and the sensitivity of the light, humidity and odour sensors. Airing function activity settings can also be adjusted, as well as choosing between intermittent and continuous fan modes. The fan can also be paused or boosted with dedicated app buttons. The pause function can also be customized to different timings if needed. Real time monitoring is also active in the app, showing the fan’s current air pressure status. This will change as different functions become active. When the app is in use, changing the settings on the touch panel is not possible. Head back out to the main menu of the app and the fan will re-activate the touch panel. Please see fan instructions for more details on connecting to the app and using the touch panel. Sentinel Kinetic Advance® App Control The Sentinel Kinetic Advance® WiFi controller (supplied as standard with SX model) must first linked with the app before it can be used. The new device wizard guides the user through this process, involving connecting to the product’s WiFi hot-spot, then connecting securely by scanning the QR code (or entering the security key manually), as printed on the WiFi controller. Once connected, there is the possibility to boost the Advance for a period of 15/30/45/60 minutes, configure scheduled modes, silent hours and summer bypass operation, monitor the temperatures and heat recovered by the unit and check the status of filter-change and service count-down timers. In commissioner mode (protected behind the same PIN as the product’s touchscreen controller), the app comes into its own by allowing the preset flows to be configured, without having to return to the installed unit. This allows flows at the diffuser to be adjusted and measured in real-time.

About

EMBER Smart Heating Control

Control multiple heating systems, including radiators and underfloor heating, from your smartphone. Manage multiple zones and homes with intuitive navigation and advanced features like grouping and setback modes.

Highlights
  • Control 4 heating system types
  • Manage multiple zones and homes
  • Zone grouping for simultaneous control
  • Setback mode for energy saving
  • Quick Boost temperature setting
  • Eco Monitor for usage tracking
  • Improved setup and user management
Features
Read full description

One App, Four Systems! EMBER Smart Heating Control has been updated to control a new range of EPH Controls products with the EMBER logo including the smart Radiator System RS and smart Underfloor System US. Ask your installer for EPH EMBER today. With improved and intuitive navigation you will have easier access to your homes heating system and improved control of multiple zones and multiple homes from the palm of your hand. EMBER Smart Heating can control 4 types of heating systems: EMBER PS – Programmer System. Version 1: This system is comprised of our wireless enabled R-Series programmers, thermostats using the GW01 gateway Version 2: This system is comprised of our wireless enabled R-Series version 2 programmers and thermostats using the GW04 gateway. EMBER RS – Radiator System. This system is comprised of our new RF16 controller, eTRV and eTRV-HW using the GW04 gateway. EMBER TS – Thermostat System. Version 1: This system is comprised of our WiFi ready CP4-OT and CP4-HW-OT thermostats using the GW03 gateway. Version 2: This system is comprised of our version 2 WiFi ready CP4v2, CP4D and CP4-HW thermostats using the GW04 gateway EMBER US –Underfloor System. This system is comprised of our new Underfloor heating controller UFH10-RF and thermostats using the GW04 gateway. New Features Grouping It is now possible to group zones to allow control of multiple areas at once, the user can set up to 10 groups and add their zones to these groups for easier control of the whole house. Setback (PS and US only) It is possible to set a heating zone to operate in a setback mode. This will allow the user to set a value from 1-10°C. When the system is timed off it will turn the temperature down by this value and activate if it falls below the lower level. Quick Boost It is now possible to set the Quick Boost temperature for heating zones with an expanded range. Eco Monitor The Eco monitor is now available on the TS and all version 2 products in the EMBER range. It can be activated in the Home Info section of the menu. It will show temperature logs for each zone and overall usage of the system in hours. Advance Function (PS and US only) Advance function can now be activated from the Zone Control screen. Improved Setup process For enhanced security and convenience, this version allows the installer to set up a customer home with their own credentials. When the home owner logs in, the installer will be removed from the home and the home owner will be assigned Super Admin status. Upgraded User Management The user management function has been improved with an extra security layer and more detailed user information. Schedule Overview A complete overview of your programming schedule is now available on the Schedule screen

Screenshots

Vent4 screens
EMBER Smart Heating Control4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Vent at 5.0 against EMBER Smart Heating Control's 3.4. EMBER Smart Heating Control's advantage is review sentiment (52% vs 20%) and ratings volume (9 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Vent holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: EMBER Smart Heating Control has 9 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 20% of Vent's written reviews are positive against 52% of EMBER Smart Heating Control's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 2, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Vent versus EMBER Smart Heating Control: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVentEMBER Smart Heating Control
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better3.4 (9 ratings)
Positive reviews19.8% of reviews52.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings19 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.412.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size70 MB55 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVolution GroupEPH Controls Ltd

Customer experience

Vent

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews91 reviews
Positive19.8%
Neutral9.9%
Negative70.3%

EMBER Smart Heating Control

All ratings9 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews69 reviews
Positive52.2%
Neutral8.7%
Negative39.1%

Bugs and requests

Vent

Reported bugs

47 issues
  • Controller disconnects
  • Boost function doesn't work
  • PIN code required repeatedly
  • Unit shows red light after power cut, requires Bluetooth reconnect
  • App update forgot all devices, difficult to reconnect
Show 42 more
  • Fan comes on when room is dry, stays off when humid
  • Update wiped fans, required re-setup
  • Fan no longer connects after update
  • App update forgot device connections, requires re-pairing
  • Location tracking requested without clear explanation
  • UI has taken a backward step, usability suffered
  • Functions that took one click now take three
  • Update deleted all fans, requires re-setup
  • App tries to force user to share location
  • Silent hours bug, cannot set across midnight, cannot delete
  • Fan shows red indicator after power cut, needs app reconnect
  • App never connects via Bluetooth
  • Humidity sensor not working
  • Fan stops automatically switching on with light
  • Fan switches off when app is minimized
  • App not displayed properly on iPhone 12 mini
  • App freezes or won't connect when left open
  • Fan sensors are useless, set on high sensitivity but don't work
  • Boost function only for 15 minutes
  • App crashes when trying to adjust silent mode
  • App disconnects all the time
  • Settings aren't saved
  • Individual sensor settings don't work
  • App doesn't work with dark mode
  • Text and descriptions fail to render, unlabelled switches
  • Previously paired fans fail to reconnect
  • Can't see text in dark mode
  • Controls don't work for humidity sensor
  • Light sensor reverts to medium
  • Fan speed for odour and humidity are connected
  • Odour sensor has a mind of its own
  • Fan runs for hours at full speed after shower
  • App crashes every time trying to adjust silent mode
  • App doesn't work on iPhone
  • Some text is truncated on iPhone 11
  • Explanatory text on options is cut off
  • App crashes when trying to adjust silent mode
  • Fan doesn't turn on immediately with light
  • Fan usually never turns off
  • App doesn't render properly, text and menus not visible
  • Cannot add another fan to app's menu list without switching Bluetooth off/on
  • App crashes on iPhone 12 Pro when accessing settings

Requested features

27 requests
  • Bring back missing features
  • Improve stability and design of the app
  • Add cloud backend for remote access
  • Improve UI and polish
  • Add dark mode option
Show 22 more
  • Allow reordering of fans
  • Explain why location data is needed
  • Offer method to disable location tracking
  • Bring back usability
  • Add integration with smart hubs like Alexa
  • Show current light and humidity levels
  • Allow different fan speeds for different circumstances
  • Add user guide for Sentinel Multivents
  • Add timer function
  • Allow manual on/off switch
  • Add option to turn off fan
  • Allow custom fan speeds for sensor triggers
  • Fix silent hours bug across midnight
  • Allow deletion of silent hours
  • Add option to set constant mode by day/night
  • Add option for constant mode on/off hourly
  • Show current mode in the app
  • Add immediate pause and boost buttons
  • Add configurable pause and boost buttons
  • Make other options clearer
  • Add recommended presets
  • Allow factory reset of fan

EMBER Smart Heating Control

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Vent

No in-app purchases

None

EMBER Smart Heating Control

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Vent free?
Vent is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is EMBER Smart Heating Control free?
EMBER Smart Heating Control is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Vent or EMBER Smart Heating Control?
Vent is rated higher. Vent averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while EMBER Smart Heating Control averages 3.4 from 9 ratings.
Do Vent or EMBER Smart Heating Control have ads?
Neither Vent nor EMBER Smart Heating Control shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Vent or EMBER Smart Heating Control?
Vent ships an update every 2 months, and EMBER Smart Heating Control every 2 months. Most recently, Vent was updated on November 2, 2026 and EMBER Smart Heating Control on November 2, 2026.

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