# SwitchBot vs RT617

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: RT617 at none against SwitchBot's 10. RT617 also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs fortnightly) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.1). SwitchBot's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SwitchBot sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $1.69 per month. RT617 asks for nothing beyond the download.

SwitchBot ships an update fortnightly, RT617 every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SwitchBot | RT617 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.3 (843 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/switchbot/id1087374760/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **843** | — |
| Positive reviews | 34.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 647 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **11.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [wonderlabs, Incorporated](https://appshunter.io/developer/1087374759) | [Radiance Instruments Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1239283044) |

## What reviewers say

### SwitchBot

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

Control smart home devices with a tap or schedule them to automate your routines. Monitor your environment with integrated sensors and expand functionality with cloud storage services. This app works with a range of smart devices to enhance your home automation experience.

**Highlights:** Tap to control devices, Schedule appliance on/off, Monitor temperature and humidity, Camera cloud storage service, Automate home routines

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AI Agent Plan | $1.69 | per month |
| Basic Monthly Plan | $3.99 | per month |
| Starter Plan | $4.99 | per month |
| Plus Monthly Plan | $6.99 | per month |
| Basic Monthly Plan | $9.99 | per month |
| cloud storage-3cams monthly | $10.99 | per month |
| Home Plus | $13.99 | per month |
| Home Max | $22.99 | per month |
| Starter Plan(Annual) | $49.99 | 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


### RT617

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rt617/id6473766555)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SwitchBot free?

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

### Is RT617 free?

RT617 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do SwitchBot or RT617 have ads?

Neither SwitchBot nor RT617 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SwitchBot or RT617?

SwitchBot ships an update fortnightly, and RT617 every 4 days. Most recently, SwitchBot was updated on November 2, 2026 and RT617 on November 4, 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.*