# Alpha Smart Control Unit vs Access Control by Shelly

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Alpha Smart Control Unit at 8.0 against Access Control by Shelly's 15.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Alpha Smart Control Unit | Access Control by Shelly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Size | 27 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Teranovo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1250774924) | [SHELLY EUROPE EOOD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1521653049) |

## What reviewers say

### Alpha Smart Control Unit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alpha-smart-control-unit/id1081722956)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Access Control by Shelly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/access-control-by-shelly/id6474441948)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Alpha Smart Control Unit free?

Alpha Smart Control Unit is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Access Control by Shelly free?

Access Control by Shelly is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Alpha Smart Control Unit or Access Control by Shelly have ads?

Neither Alpha Smart Control Unit nor Access Control by Shelly shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Alpha Smart Control Unit or Access Control by Shelly?

Alpha Smart Control Unit ships an update every 2 months, and Access Control by Shelly every 2 months. Most recently, Alpha Smart Control Unit was updated on September 10, 2026 and Access Control by Shelly on September 19, 2026.

---

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