Alarm Relay vs Smartlink Security
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Alarm Relay
Control your entire home security system, cameras, lights, and other connected devices remotely. Receive instant notifications for alarms or system changes, and view live video feeds from your cameras. Requires an existing account with the service.
- Remote arm/disarm of security system
- Real-time alarm notifications
- Live video streaming from cameras
- Control Z-Wave home automation devices
- Text and email alerts
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Alarm Relay gives you complete control over your security system, cameras, lights, locks, thermostats and other connected devices from anywhere in the world. Key Features: Arm and disarm your home security system from anywhere Receive text and/or email notifications in the event of an alarm, or when the system is disarmed Watch and record live video through your home security cameras Control your home automation-enabled Z-Wave devices PLEASE NOTE: To access this app, you must have an account set up with Alarm Relay.
Smartlink Security
Manage your home's security, lighting, climate, and cameras from one app. Receive real-time alerts, remotely arm/disarm your system, and monitor live video feeds. Control various connected devices for comprehensive home automation.
- Remote security system control
- Real-time alarm status and alerts
- Live video monitoring
- Event recording for security events
- Control lights, locks, and thermostats
- Monitor family and pets remotely
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Smartlink+ lets you control your lighting, climate, cameras, and security from a single application. STAY CONNECTED FROM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD Receive real-time alarm status and arm or disarm your security system remotely. Get instant alerts in the event of a security alarm, or simply to be notified when your family arrives home. REAL-TIME VIDEO MONITORING AND EVENT RECORDING Set cameras to automatically record security events in your home. Check in on your family and pets when you can’t be there. See who is at the door, or monitor your premises from multiple cameras at once. A SINGLE APP TO CONTROL YOUR ENTIRE HOME Enjoy full interactive home control including lights, locks, cameras, thermostats, garage doors, and other connected devices.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Alarm Relay at 67% against Smartlink Security's 9%. Alarm Relay also leads on rating (3.7 vs 2.3) and iOS requirement (6.1 vs 13.0). Smartlink Security's advantage is ratings volume (103 vs 13) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Alarm Relay holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Smartlink Security has 103 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Alarm Relay's written reviews are positive against 9% of Smartlink Security's.
Alarm Relay ships an update every 5 months, Smartlink Security every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on August 24, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Alarm Relay | Smartlink Security |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.7 (13 ratings) — better | 2.3 (103 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better | 9.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 13 | 103 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 6.1 — better | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 40 MB | 101 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Alarm Relay | SecureNet Technologies, LLC |
Customer experience
Alarm Relay
Smartlink Security
Bugs and requests
Alarm Relay
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Smartlink Security
Reported bugs
60 issues- App crashes instantly on opening
- App keeps crashing, forcing reinstallation
- App crashes when trying to disarm
- Login fails with 'Json parser error: Unrecognized token '<''
- Secure Connection Error / No Connection
Show 55 moreShow fewer
- App says system is offline or has no power
- FaceID doesn't work, cannot reset password
- App stops working after iOS update
- Login stops working after update
- App takes forever to load after update
- Recipes are not useable, do not show room/device/time/place
- Cannot arm or disarm system on schedule
- Cannot get it to stay connected
- App spins forever on login
- Buttons tiny for passcode causing touch points to be terrible
- Malfunctions when disarming, causing multiple dispatch calls and false alarms
- Always glitching or logging me out
- Always changing my setting back to default with every update
- App mostly says No Connection
- Connection is usually slow
- App disconnects and can't connect back
- Login takes over a minute or does not log in at all
- Recipes cannot be edited or looked at after they are made and not flexible for custom days of the week
- App is slow to login
- Text updates appear hours/days later
- App works sometimes, most times need to restart phone
- App works even less since update
- App takes forever to log in after update
- App runs extremely slow after last update
- Unable to open app services to turn on/off alarm or unlock doors
- Username or password incorrect after update
- Login stopped working after update
- Cannot see cameras, toggle missing
- History of zones opening and closing stopped working
- App isn't in synch, needs to be shut down and reloaded
- Recipes sometimes work, sometimes don't
- App closes out when trying to lock the door
- App doesn't open anymore
- Stopped allowing guest users to use the App
- Previous app would send push notifications, doesn't happen anymore
- App shows no connection through cell phone
- Latest update broke the app, crashes instantly
- System is either offline or has no power even when standing right next to the system
- App has minimal functionality, often crashes, and never notifies of an alarm until the service calls
- Keeps disconnecting and reconnecting, needs to check power and network connection
- App doesn't stay logged into user, no notifications
- Emails from the system are delayed
- Panic code notification delayed
- Trouble connecting to service if not on WiFi
- Pop up saying wrong username or password when not on WiFi
- Can only disarm using the phone if I power off and back on again
- App isn't recognizing ID or password on new iPhone
- Forgot Password link says 'Please try again: No Internet detected'
- Throws an error that either User Name or Password is incorrect
- Forgot Password brings two fields that don't allow values to be entered
- Sensor display is corrupted making it impossible to view status and control individual sensors
- App used to work but now fails with Json parser error
- Push notifications stopped all of a sudden
- Cannot turn on notifications in the app
- Was getting text messages and now it doesn't and will not let you select the option
Requested features
9 requests- Add text alerts for specific zones
- Allow logging out after closing the app
- Enable push notifications for alarm events
- Improve integration with other security apps (Arlo, SkyBell)
- Add widget for iOS
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- Add Siri/Google Assistant integration
- Add Alexa integration
- Allow users to see history of zones opening and closing
- Add toggle for cameras
In-app purchases
Alarm Relay
No in-app purchases
Smartlink Security
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Alarm Relay free?
Is Smartlink Security free?
Which has better reviews, Alarm Relay or Smartlink Security?
Do Alarm Relay or Smartlink Security have ads?
Which is updated more often, Alarm Relay or Smartlink Security?
Other comparisons
