# Home Assistant vs Controller for HomeKit

The clearest difference is rating: Home Assistant at 4.7 against Controller for HomeKit's 4.1. Home Assistant also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and review sentiment (54% vs 26%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Controller for HomeKit sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Home Assistant asks for nothing beyond the download.

Home Assistant holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3.9K and 2.7K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of Home Assistant's written reviews are positive against 26% of Controller for HomeKit's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 10 days. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Home Assistant | Controller for HomeKit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/home-assistant/id1099568401/reviews)** | [4.1 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/controller-for-homekit/id1198176727/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.9K** | 2.7K |
| Positive reviews | **53.8% of reviews** | 26.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 252 MB | 212 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nabu Casa, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1525301324) | [acasa Software GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/974663980) |

## What reviewers say

### Home Assistant

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/home-assistant/id1099568401)

Control your entire smart home from one app, locally and privately. Automate devices, receive notifications, and manage your home's data securely. Integrates with thousands of smart devices and open standards.

**Highlights:** Control entire home from one app, Discover and configure new devices, Automate device actions, Local data privacy, Connect to open standards (Z-Wave, Zigbee, Matter), Remote access via Home Assistant Cloud, Location-based automation

**Features:** Siri integration, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Controller Essentials | $4.99 | per month |
| Essentials Lifetime - Plus Addon | $4.99 | per month |
| Controller Plus | $8.99 | per month |
| Controller Essentials | $39.99 | per year |
| Essentials Lifetime - Plus Addon | $39.99 | per year |
| Controller Plus | $79.99 | per year |
| Controller Essentials Lifetime | $99.99 | 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 Home Assistant free?

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

### Is Controller for HomeKit free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Home Assistant or Controller for HomeKit?

Home Assistant is rated higher. Home Assistant averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.9K ratings, while Controller for HomeKit averages 4.1 from 2.7K ratings.

### Do Home Assistant or Controller for HomeKit have ads?

Neither Home Assistant nor Controller for HomeKit shows ads.

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

Home Assistant ships an update every 10 days, and Controller for HomeKit every 10 days. Most recently, Home Assistant was updated on September 23, 2026 and Controller for HomeKit on September 23, 2026.

---

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