# Alarm Relay vs Smartlink Security

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Alarm Relay | Smartlink Security |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.7 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alarm-relay/id1137021227/reviews)** | [2.3 (103 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartlink-security/id1266830174/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 13 | **103** |
| Positive reviews | **66.7% of reviews** | 9.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 40 MB | 101 MB |
| Requires iOS | **6.1** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alarm Relay](https://appshunter.io/developer/1137021226) | [SecureNet Technologies, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/890342713) |

## What reviewers say

### Alarm Relay

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alarm-relay/id1137021227)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Smartlink Security

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartlink-security/id1266830174)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Two-way voice and camera functionality
- 💡 New 'Recipes' feature for event recording
- 👍 Works well with specific systems (e.g., iotega)
- 👍 Responsive and works every time (for some users)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes
- 🐛 App does not open
- 🐛 Login issues (slow, fails, freezes)
- 🐛 Connectivity problems (no connection, disconnects)
- 🐛 App settings reset after updates

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Alarm Relay free?

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

### Is Smartlink Security free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Alarm Relay or Smartlink Security?

Alarm Relay is rated higher. Alarm Relay averages 3.7 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while Smartlink Security averages 2.3 from 103 ratings.

### Do Alarm Relay or Smartlink Security have ads?

Neither Alarm Relay nor Smartlink Security shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Alarm Relay or Smartlink Security?

Alarm Relay ships an update every 5 months, and Smartlink Security every 2 months. Most recently, Alarm Relay was updated on August 24, 2026 and Smartlink Security on September 21, 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.*