# Home Assistant vs Narwal

The clearest difference is rating: Home Assistant at 4.7 against Narwal's 3.7. Home Assistant also leads on review sentiment (54% vs 41%) and ratings volume (4K vs 617). 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.

Home Assistant holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Home Assistant has 4K ratings behind it against 617, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of Home Assistant's written reviews are positive against 41% of Narwal's.

Home Assistant ships an update every 10 days, Narwal every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Home Assistant | Narwal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/home-assistant/id1099568401/reviews)** | [3.7 (617 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/narwal/id1636748263/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4K** | 617 |
| Positive reviews | **54.1% of reviews** | 41.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 261 MB | 322 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nabu Casa, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1525301324) | [Yunjing Intelligence Innovation (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1462004351) |

## 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


### Narwal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/narwal/id1636748263)

Remotely control and monitor your cleaning robot from anywhere. Customize cleaning modes, schedules, and spot cleaning for a spotless home. Receive detailed cleaning reports and manage room layouts with no-go zones.

**Highlights:** Remote control and monitoring, Multiple cleaning modes, Customized cleaning plans, Spot cleaning functionality, Map management with no-go zones, Customized cleaning reports

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great machine, easy to operate
- 👍 Dependable and helps with allergies
- 💡 Excellent app and device
- 👍 Fantastic cleaning performance
- 👍 Seamless on hardwood and carpets

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Mapping and room splitting issues
- 🐛 Connectivity problems with app
- 🐛 Buggy and unstable app
- 🐛 Difficult to use app interface
- 🐛 Lack of push notifications and status updates

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes
- Connectivity issues between app and robot
- Mapping errors and inability to edit maps
- Unreliable scheduling and cleaning tasks
- Unexpected robot behavior and getting stuck

**Requested features**

- Ability to split rooms and create custom zones
- Improved mapping and room editing features
- More scheduling options (e.g., every 2 weeks, monthly)
- Integration with voice assistants
- Ability to order replacement parts directly from the app


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Home Assistant free?

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

### Is Narwal free?

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

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

Home Assistant is rated higher. Home Assistant averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4K ratings, while Narwal averages 3.7 from 617 ratings.

### Do Home Assistant or Narwal have ads?

Neither Home Assistant nor Narwal shows ads.

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

Home Assistant ships an update every 10 days, and Narwal every 2 weeks. Most recently, Home Assistant was updated on October 20, 2026 and Narwal on October 19, 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.*