Comparison

Home Assistant vs Rou

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 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
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

Rou

Features
Read full description

Rou is a premium, high-fidelity shared space designed exclusively for two. More than just a utility, Rou is a digital sanctuary for your relationship, blending stunning "Liquid Glass" aesthetics with real-time connectivity to keep you and your partner in perfect sync. KEY FEATURES: • THE PULSE: A real-time heartbeat of your connection. Feel close, no matter the distance. • MOOD SLIDER: Share your vibe instantly. Integrated with Live Activities and Dynamic Island so your partner’s mood is always just a glance away. • DECISION MAKER: Stop the "What should we eat?" loop. Swipe together on Cuisines, Movies, TV Shows, and Music to find your perfect match. • OPEN WHEN: Create timed letters and digital capsules for those specific moments when they need you most. • MILESTONES: Every core memory deserves a home. Track your special dates and relationship history in a beautiful, dedicated timeline. • GIFT IDEAS: A shared wishlist for the things that matter. Never miss a chance to surprise them with something they actually love. • RESOLUTION CENTER: A dedicated space to heal and talk through the hard moments with clarity and care. • DAILY QUOTES: Hand-picked inspiration to fuel your lover’s discourse every single day. One subscription covers both partners. No hidden fees, just pure connection. Join Rou and start your discourse today. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Home Assistant4 screens
Rou4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Home Assistant at none against Rou's 3. Home Assistant also leads on device support (4 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads 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. Rou sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Home Assistant asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Home Assistant ships an update every 10 days, Rou every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Home Assistant versus Rou: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHome AssistantRou
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (4K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews54.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings4K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.4 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size229 MB27 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNabu Casa, IncHassan ElGamal

In-app purchases

None

Home Assistant

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Rou

Subscriptions2
  • Rou Monthly$0.991 Month
  • Rou Yearly$3.991 Year
One-time1
  • Forever Vow$4.99

Questions

Is Home Assistant free?
Home Assistant is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Rou free?
Rou is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Home Assistant or Rou have ads?
Neither Home Assistant nor Rou shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Home Assistant or Rou?
Home Assistant ships an update every 10 days, and Rou every 6 days. Most recently, Home Assistant was updated on October 26, 2026 and Rou on October 4, 2026.

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