Comparison

Vent vs Calex Smart

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

Calex Smart

Control your smart lights and appliances with ease. Automate your devices using smart routines for seamless on/off control. Enjoy plug-and-play installation via WiFi without needing an extra hub.

Highlights
  • Control smart lights and appliances
  • Create smart routines
  • Plug and Play WiFi installation
  • No additional gateway needed
Features
Read full description

1. Easily control your smart lights and appliances via the Calex Smart app 2. Use smart routines to switch lights and appliances on and off 3. Plug and Play installation based on WiFi 4. You do not need an additional gateway/Hub

Screenshots

Vent4 screens
Calex Smart4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Vent at 5.0 against Calex Smart's 4.3. Calex Smart's advantage is ratings volume (35 vs 1) and review sentiment (34% vs 20%). 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 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Calex Smart has 35 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 34% of Calex Smart'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 October 24, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Vent versus Calex Smart: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVentCalex Smart
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.3 (35 ratings)
Positive reviews19.8% of reviews33.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings135 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS16.414.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size70 MB256 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVolution GroupElectro Cirkel Retail B.V

Customer experience

Vent

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

Calex Smart

All ratings35 ratings
Positive88.6%
Neutral5.7%
Negative5.7%
Written reviews116 reviews
Positive33.6%
Neutral11.2%
Negative55.2%

User reviews

Vent

From 1 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Fan hardware works well
  • 👍 Easier to program than old fans
  • 👍 Works well with Kinetic Advance MHVR units
  • 👍 App works fine for PureAir Sense
  • 👍 Love this fan and App

Room to improve

  • 👎 App has fewer features than before
  • 👎 Controller disconnects frequently
  • 👎 Clunky UI, difficult to use
  • 👎 App feels unfinished
  • 👎 PIN code required repeatedly

Calex Smart

From 35 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💡 Good value for money
  • 👍 Intuitive and flexible app
  • 💡 Lights work well
  • 💡 Easy to use app
  • 💡 Good control over brightness and hue

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent connection issues
  • 🐛 App crashes frequently
  • 🐛 Difficult device pairing
  • 🐛 Poor integration with Apple Home
  • 🐛 Devices go offline randomly

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

Calex Smart

Reported bugs

52 issues
  • App crashes when changing color
  • App crashes on iPhone
  • App keeps crashing or losing connection
  • App loses connection for no reason
  • Devices go offline and won't reconnect
Show 47 more
  • App duplicates automation routines on edit
  • Light stops responding, app stops responding
  • Smart plug flashing blue and won't reset
  • Bulb in disco mode, app refuses to pair
  • Lights start flashing sometimes
  • App can't find devices
  • Scheduled automations don't happen
  • Verification code not sent
  • Popup about bad signal obstructs settings
  • Timer function randomly closes app
  • App no longer allows music sync for lights
  • App gives non-stop reviews
  • Bluetooth connection issues, app hardly recognizes bulbs
  • App forgets bulbs after going to home page
  • Cannot change warmth of light, stuck on cool white
  • Bulb appears offline when away from home
  • App refuses to pair
  • Unskippable ad to turn off light
  • Advertisements every time app is opened
  • Device doesn't connect sometimes
  • Randomly loses connection and lamp flashes
  • App crashes
  • Account cannot be verified or network error
  • Cannot reset password, account doesn't exist
  • Devices keep dropping out and need re-adding
  • Bulb goes offline and needs resetting
  • Siri integration doesn't work, custom keyword reverts
  • Annoying dialog after executing a task
  • Bulb keeps going offline and flashing
  • Getting alerts outside of scheduled times
  • Pairing process is terrible for multiple devices
  • Cannot pair all bulbs on a single switch
  • App keeps losing connection with the watch
  • Apple Watch integration is poor
  • Randomly woken up by light turning on/flickering
  • App doesn't realize bulb isn't responding
  • Bulb doesn't respond to commands
  • Update made lights unusable, cannot connect
  • Disconnects randomly
  • LEDs started flashing and couldn't be turned off
  • Have to sign back into room every time
  • Half of LED strip fell off
  • Doesn't change colors, only dims
  • Cannot link lamp
  • No option to use as Bluetooth bulb
  • App requests location services to add devices
  • Old version of Apple widgets used

Requested features

22 requests
  • Widget support for Home Screen
  • Dark mode
  • Better Apple HomeKit integration
  • Create widgets for iPhone Home Screen
  • Integrate with Apple Shortcuts for custom automation
Show 17 more
  • Add colour changing cycle to a scene
  • Link items together to sync
  • Proper control of colour cycling timings
  • Sync multiple lights
  • Add colour cycle to a scene
  • Camera mode to sync lights with TV colors
  • Dusk-dawn switching that follows sunset/sunrise
  • Lock Screen widget for quick control
  • Ability to turn all devices in a room on/off with one touch
  • Scenes for entire rooms or home
  • Fade up and fade down options
  • Chain tasks together (e.g., 'turn off all lights')
  • Define sets of colors for tasks
  • Preview of color when setting up a task
  • Use alternating color for configuration instead of strobing flash
  • Add multiple devices at once connecting to the same WLAN
  • Fade up and fade down instead of just on and off

In-app purchases

None

Vent

No in-app purchases

None

Calex Smart

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Vent free?
Vent is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Calex Smart free?
Calex Smart is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Vent or Calex Smart?
Vent is rated higher. Vent averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Calex Smart averages 4.3 from 35 ratings.
Do Vent or Calex Smart have ads?
Neither Vent nor Calex Smart shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Vent or Calex Smart?
Vent ships an update every 2 months, and Calex Smart every 2 months. Most recently, Vent was updated on October 24, 2026 and Calex Smart on October 24, 2026.

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