# SwitchBot vs Controller for HomeKit

The clearest difference is rating: Controller for HomeKit at 4.1 against SwitchBot's 3.4. Controller for HomeKit also leads on ratings volume (2.8K vs 838). SwitchBot's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SwitchBot sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and Controller for HomeKit sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Controller for HomeKit holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 838 and 2.8K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 32% of SwitchBot's written reviews are positive against 27% of Controller for HomeKit's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SwitchBot ships an update fortnightly, Controller for HomeKit every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SwitchBot | Controller for HomeKit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.4 (838 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/switchbot/id1087374760/reviews) | **[4.1 (2.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/controller-for-homekit/id1198176727/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 838 | **2.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **32.0% of reviews** | 26.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 647 MB | 210 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [wonderlabs, Incorporated](https://appshunter.io/developer/1087374759) | [acasa Software GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/974663980) |

## What reviewers say

### SwitchBot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/switchbot/id1087374760)

Control smart devices like bots, hubs, and sensors remotely. Schedule appliance operation and monitor environmental conditions. Expand your smart home ecosystem with new devices and features.

**Highlights:** Remote device control, Appliance scheduling, Environmental monitoring, Hub integration, Camera cloud storage

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (18)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| cloud storage-2cams weekly | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| AI Agent Plan | $1.69 | per month |
| Basic Monthly Plan | $3.99 | per month |
| Test | $3.99 | per month |
| Test | $3.99 | per month |
| Starter Plan | $4.99 | per month |
| Plus Monthly Plan | $6.99 | per month |
| Home Plan | $8.99 | per month |
| Basic Monthly Plan | $9.99 | per month |
| cloud storage-3cams monthly | $10.99 | per month |
| Home Plus | $13.99 | per month |
| Family Monthly Plan | $20.99 | per month |
| Home Max | $22.99 | per month |
| Basic Annual Plan | $34.99 | per year |
| Starter Plan(Annual) | $49.99 | per year |
| Plus Annual Plan | $69.99 | per year |
| cloud storage-1cam weekly | $99.99 | per 7 days |
| Family Annual Plan | $209.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Reliable and stable app
- 👍 Easy to use and set up
- 💡 Useful features like temperature/humidity monitoring
- 🚀 Responsive customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with frequent crashes and disconnections
- 👎 Poor user interface and unintuitive navigation
- 🔋 Battery life issues with some devices
- 🔒 Security concerns with mandatory account creation and data sharing

**Reported bugs**

- Firmware update issues
- Devices disappearing from the app
- Unreliable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity
- Incorrect temperature and humidity readings

**Requested features**

- Sunrise/sunset automation support
- Ability to set more than 5 schedules
- Improved widget functionality
- Integration with Apple HomeKit and Siri


### Controller for HomeKit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/controller-for-homekit/id1198176727)

Enhance your smart home experience with advanced control and automation. Visualize your home with floor plans, track device performance with charts, and create complex automations tailored to your needs. Organize devices, store setup codes, and monitor your entire smart home ecosystem.

**Highlights:** Floor plan visualization with LiDAR, Device performance charts, Complex automations and workflows, Custom notifications, Smart folders and filters, Setup code storage, Device maintenance and logs

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Controller Essentials | $4.99 | per month |
| Essentials Lifetime - Plus Addon | $4.99 | per month |
| Controller Plus | $8.99 | per month |
| Essentials Lifetime - Plus Addon | $39.99 | per year |
| Controller Essentials | $39.99 | per year |
| Controller Plus | $79.99 | per year |
| Controller Essentials Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |
| Controller Essentials Lifetime | $139.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful automation features
- 📚 Helpful backup and restore functionality
- 🔍 Detailed logging and troubleshooting
- 🧠 Advanced HomeKit control and customization

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crash-prone
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🤖 Poor customer support
- 🤔 Confusing and unintuitive UI

**Reported bugs**

- Backup and restore issues
- Disappearing automations and accessories
- Compatibility problems with iOS 16.2
- Slow performance and unresponsiveness

**Requested features**

- Improved documentation and tutorials
- Better integration with Apple Home app
- Support for more HomeKit device types
- Ability to customize automation triggers


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SwitchBot free?

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

### Is Controller for HomeKit free?

Controller for HomeKit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, SwitchBot or Controller for HomeKit?

Controller for HomeKit is rated higher. SwitchBot averages 3.4 out of 5 from 838 ratings, while Controller for HomeKit averages 4.1 from 2.8K ratings.

### Do SwitchBot or Controller for HomeKit have ads?

Neither SwitchBot nor Controller for HomeKit shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SwitchBot or Controller for HomeKit?

SwitchBot ships an update fortnightly, and Controller for HomeKit every 10 days. Most recently, SwitchBot was updated on October 19, 2026 and Controller for HomeKit 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.*