Comparison

Home Assistant vs AlcaStars

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

AlcaStars

Discover local businesses, earn points with every visit, and redeem them for real rewards. This platform connects you with restaurants, cafes, and services in your neighborhood, while also keeping you informed about local events and recommendations from community influencers.

Highlights
  • Local business directory
  • Points-based rewards program
  • Discover local events
  • Follow community influencers
  • Become a community creator
Features
Read full description

Descubre los mejores negocios de tu comunidad, acumula puntos con cada visita y canjéalos por premios reales. AlcaStars es la plataforma de tu vecindario. Directorio local Encuentra restaurantes, cafeterías, barberías, bodegones, veterinarias y mucho más — todos cerca de ti, todos recomendados por tu comunidad. AlcaPerks — Tu programa de puntos Acumula puntos en cada visita a tus negocios favoritos y canjéalos por descuentos, productos gratis o premios especiales. Sin tarjetas de cartón, todo desde tu celular. Eventos locales Entérate de lo que está pasando en tu zona — eventos, promociones especiales y activaciones de los negocios que ya conoces y quieres. AlcaCreators Sigue a los influencers y creadores de tu comunidad y descubre los negocios que ellos recomiendan. O conviértete tú en AlcaCreator y comparte tus favoritos con tu audiencia. ¿Por qué AlcaStars? Porque tu barrio tiene mucho que ofrecer — y nosotros te ayudamos a descubrirlo, disfrutarlo y volver siempre.

Screenshots

Home Assistant4 screens
AlcaStars4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Home Assistant at 4K against AlcaStars's 1. Home Assistant also leads on device support (4 vs 2). AlcaStars's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 10 days). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AlcaStars holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Home Assistant has 4K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Home Assistant ships an update every 10 days, AlcaStars every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Home Assistant versus AlcaStars: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHome AssistantAlcaStars
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (4K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews54.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings4K — better1
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.415.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size229 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNabu Casa, IncALCA Software LLC

In-app purchases

None

Home Assistant

No in-app purchases

None

AlcaStars

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Home Assistant free?
Home Assistant is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is AlcaStars free?
AlcaStars is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Home Assistant or AlcaStars?
AlcaStars is rated higher. Home Assistant averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4K ratings, while AlcaStars averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Home Assistant or AlcaStars have ads?
Neither Home Assistant nor AlcaStars shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Home Assistant or AlcaStars?
Home Assistant ships an update every 10 days, and AlcaStars every 3 days. Most recently, Home Assistant was updated on October 29, 2026 and AlcaStars on October 25, 2026.

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