Comparison

Home Assistant vs Access Control by Shelly

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Home Assistant

Control your smart home devices from anywhere with this open-source solution. Automate routines, monitor your home's status, and integrate thousands of devices for enhanced privacy and sustainability.

Highlights
  • Control thousands of smart devices
  • Automate home routines
  • Discover and configure new devices
  • Securely share location for automation
  • Receive home status notifications
  • Build custom widgets
  • Integrate with voice assistants
Features
Read full description

The Home Assistant Companion app allows you to access your Home Assistant instance on the go. Home Assistant is the smart home solution focused on privacy, choice, and sustainability. It runs locally in your home via a device like the Home Assistant Green or Raspberry Pi. This app connects to all the most powerful features of Home Assistant, - One app to control the whole home - Home Assistant is compatible with the biggest brands in the smart home, connecting to thousands of smart devices and services. - Discover automatically and quickly configure new devices - such as Philips Hue, Sonos, and IKEA Tradfri. - Automate everything - Make all the devices in your home work in harmony - have your lights dim when you start watching a movie, or turn off your heat when you’re away from home. - Keep your home’s data in the home - use it privately to see past trends and averages. - Connect to open standards with hardware add-ons - including Z-Wave, Zigbee, Matter, Thread, and Bluetooth. - Connect anywhere - If you would like to access this app while away from home, the most secure and simple way to get started is Home Assistant Cloud. The app unlocks your smartphone or tablet as a home automation tool. - Securely share your location, using it to automate heating, security, and so much more. - Get notifications on what's happening in your home, from detecting leaks to doors left open, you have full control over what it tells you. - Carplay functionality lets you open a garage or disable the security system from the dash of your car. - Build your own widgets to control any device in your home with a tap. - Integrate Home Assistant's functionality into Shortcuts, for example have your phone’s morning alarm turn on the coffee machine. - Apple Watch compatibility can show your home's temperature on a watch face or quickly activate devices. - Text or talk to your local voice assistant on your device. - Mac compatibility allows you to control your home from your desktop, but also to share data to build automation, like having your streaming lights turn on when your camera is active. Join the over 1 million users and empower your home with better privacy, choice and sustainability. Compatible with: Airthings, Amazon Alexa, Amcrest, Apple HomeKit, Apple TV, ASUSWRT, August, Belink WeMo, Bluetooth, Bose SoundTouch, Broadlink, BTHome, deCONZ, Denon, Devolo, DLNA, Ecobee, Ecovacs, Ecowitt, Elgato, EZVIZ, Fritz, Fully Kiosk, GoodWe, Govee, Growatt, Hikvision, Hive, Home Connect, Homematic, HomeWizard, Honeywell, iCloud, IFTTT, IKEA Tradfri, Insteon, Jellyfin, LG Smart TVs, LIFX, Logitech Harmony, Lutron Caseta, Magic Home, Matter, MotionEye, MQTT, MusicCast, Nanoleaf, Netatmo, Nuki, OctoPrint, ONVIF, Opower, Overkiz, OwnTracks, Panasonic Viera, Philips Hue, Pi-hole, Plex, Reolink, Ring, Roborock, Roku, Samsung TVs, Sense, Sensiba, Shelly, SmartThings, SolarEdge, Sonarr, Sonos, Sony Bravia, Spotify, Steam, SwitchBot, Synology, Tado, Tasmota, Tesla Wall, Thread, Tile, TP-Link Smart Home, Tuya, UniFi, UPnP, Verisure, Vizio, Wallbox, WebRTC, WiZ, WLED, Xbox, Xiaomi BLE, Yale, Yeelight, YoLink, Z-Wave, Zigbe

About

Access Control by Shelly

Features
Read full description

Welcome to the forefront of access control management with our Shelly Access Control application. Designed to streamline and fortify your security infrastructure, our application puts you in full command of who enters your premises and when. Say farewell to antiquated, manual methods and embrace the efficiency of digital access management. Our Shelly Access Control application empowers you to effortlessly administer access permissions remotely, ensuring your premises remain secure from anywhere in the world. With customizable permission settings, you receive the flexibility to tailor access levels to individual users or groups, ensuring precise control over who has access to sensitive areas. Stay vigilant with real-time monitoring features that provide instant notifications and live updates on access events. Whether it's granting access to employees, visitors, or service personnel, our application ensures you're always in the know. We understand that integration is key to a seamless security ecosystem. That's why our application seamlessly integrates with your existing hardware and systems, providing a comprehensive access control solution that works harmoniously with your infrastructure. Experience the ease of access control management with our user-friendly interface. Navigating through access permissions, monitoring access events, and configuring settings has never been simpler. Take the next step in modernizing your security infrastructure. Contact us today to learn more about how our Shelly Access Control application can elevate your security measures and provide unparalleled peace of mind.

Screenshots

Home Assistant4 screens
Access Control by Shelly4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Home Assistant at every 10 days against Access Control by Shelly's every 2 months. Home Assistant also leads on device support (4 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Home Assistant ships an update every 10 days, Access Control by Shelly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Home Assistant versus Access Control by Shelly: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHome AssistantAccess Control by Shelly
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (4.1K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews54.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings4.1K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.415.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size232 MB10 MB
Age rating+44+
DeveloperNabu Casa, IncSHELLY EUROPE EOOD

In-app purchases

None

Home Assistant

No in-app purchases

None

Access Control by Shelly

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Home Assistant free?
Home Assistant is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Access Control by Shelly free?
Access Control by Shelly is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Home Assistant or Access Control by Shelly have ads?
Neither Home Assistant nor Access Control by Shelly shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Home Assistant or Access Control by Shelly?
Home Assistant ships an update every 10 days, and Access Control by Shelly every 2 months. Most recently, Home Assistant was updated on November 6, 2026 and Access Control by Shelly on November 8, 2026.

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