# Home Assistant vs TP

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Home Assistant at none against TP's 15. TP's advantage is review sentiment (74% vs 54%) and chart position (#11 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TP sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month. Home Assistant asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Home Assistant against 4.8 for TP. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TP has 21K ratings behind it against 4K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 54% of Home Assistant's written reviews are positive against 74% of TP's.

Home Assistant ships an update every 10 days, TP every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Home Assistant | TP |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/home-assistant/id1099568401/reviews) | **[4.8 (21K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tp-link-tapo/id1472718009/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4K | **21K** |
| Positive reviews | 54.3% of reviews | **73.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#11** |
| Size | 229 MB | 822 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nabu Casa, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1525301324) | [TP-Link Systems Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1713842892) |

## 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


### TP

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tp-link-tapo/id1472718009)

**Currently charting:** #11 Top Grossing · Lifestyle, #26 Top Free · Lifestyle (US App Store)

Manage and control your smart home devices, including cameras, plugs, and lighting, from a single app. Monitor your home in real-time, automate routines with Smart Actions, and enjoy hands-free voice control. Enhance your home's security and convenience with intelligent features.

**Highlights:** Remote device control, Real-time status monitoring, Instant notifications, Smart Actions automation, Voice control integration, Device sharing

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

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tapo Care Basic 1 Cam/monthly | $2.49 | per month |
| Tapo Care Premium 1 Cam/month | $3.49 | per month |
| Tapo Care Cloud – 1 Camera | $3.49 | per month |
| Tapo Care Cloud – 2 Cameras | $6.99 | per month |
| Tapo Care Premium 2 Cam/month | $6.99 | per month |
| Tapo Care Basic 5 Cam/month | $8.99 | per month |
| Tapo Care Premium 3 Cam/month | $10.49 | per month |
| Tapo Care Premium (Monthly) | $11.99 | per month |
| Tapo Care Cloud Advanced | $11.99 | per month |
| Tapo Care Cloud Advanced AI | $19.99 | per month |
| Tapo Care Premium 1 Cam/year | $34.99 | per year |
| Tapo Care Premium 2 Cam/year | $69.99 | per year |
| Tapo Care Premium 3 Cam/year | $104.99 | per year |
| Tapo Care Premium (Yearly) | $119.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy setup and use
- 👍 Clear and responsive app
- 🔒 Reliable security features
- 💡 Customizable settings and modes
- 🔍 Excellent video and audio quality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional connectivity issues
- 🔒 Limited user sharing/access controls
- 🔋 Frequent notifications/timeout prompts
- 💻 Compatibility issues on some devices
- 💰 Subscription required for full functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent camera positioning/control
- Date/time stamp errors on recordings
- Unreliable motion detection triggering
- Frequent app crashes or freezes

**Requested features**

- Ability to delete recorded footage
- Landscape mode support on tablets
- Customizable motion detection zones
- Improved Alexa/Google Home integration
- Battery-powered camera option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Home Assistant free?

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

### Is TP free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Home Assistant or TP?

TP is rated higher. Home Assistant averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4K ratings, while TP averages 4.8 from 21K ratings.

### Do Home Assistant or TP have ads?

Neither Home Assistant nor TP shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Home Assistant or TP?

Home Assistant ships an update every 10 days, and TP every 2 weeks. Most recently, Home Assistant was updated on October 24, 2026 and TP on October 26, 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.*