Comparison

Ember vs Xthings Home(formerly U home)

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

Head to head
About

Ember

This app allows you to precisely control the temperature of your hot beverages using a smart mug. Customize presets, receive notifications when your drink reaches the perfect temperature, and explore recipes. Personalize your mug settings for an enhanced drinking experience.

Highlights
  • Precise temperature control
  • Save temperature presets
  • Beverage recipes and blogs
  • Customizable notifications
  • Manage multiple mugs
  • Personalize mug settings
Features
Read full description

At Ember®, we use temperature control to change the world in ordinary (and extraordinary) ways. With an Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug and the Ember app, you can transform your mornings by making hot beverages set to your chosen temperature an everyday reality. Our redesigned Ember app is simple, easy to use, and customizable. Whether you are a first-time user or a long-time customer, get ready for a whole new temperature control experience. The Ember app seamlessly pairs with your Ember products to precisely adjust your favorite hot drinks to your preferred drinking temperature, saves temperature presets, offers recipes, sends notifications when your desired drinking temperature has been reached, and more. Ember App Features: - Control the temperature of your beverage down to the degree - Use your previous temperature setting for a set-it-and-forget-it beverage experience - Manage unlimited paired mugs on an all-new Ember home screen - Find recipes and blogs you can save and share with friends and family in the new Explore section - Receive notifications when your preferred temperature has been reached, or your battery is low - Customize presets for multiple beverages and engage timers - Personalize your mugs with names and adjust the color of the smart LED - Easily switch between °C/°F and control sounds and haptic feedback in the redesigned Account section - Access Ember x Health with Apple Health

About

Xthings Home(formerly U home)

Manage all your smart home devices from a single app. Control smart locks, cameras, lights, and more, with features for automation, security alerts, and shared access. Experience enhanced connectivity and privacy in a unified ecosystem.

Highlights
  • Unified smart device management
  • Scene automation and routines
  • Shared home access and permissions
  • Real-time security alerts
  • Control smart locks, lights, cameras, and sensors
  • Two-way intercom functionality
Features
Read full description

Xthings Home (formerly U home) is your all-in-one solution for smart home automation and security. Redesigned with a unified Xthings ecosystem, the app offers more powerful device management, smoother connectivity, and stronger privacy protection—while keeping the familiar features you love. With Xthings Home, you can easily manage all your smart devices from one place. Control ULTRALOQ smart locks, UTEC Matter-enabled lighting and power devices, Ulticam security cameras, and more. Lock or unlock doors, add users, view live camera feeds, use two-way intercom, adjust lighting, and automate your daily routines with ease. Smart Device Management Control all supported devices—including smart locks, smart lights, switches, plugs, cameras, and sensors—directly from the app. Enjoy quick setup, stable connectivity, and real-time status updates. Scene Automation Create custom automations that work across your devices. For example: “When I arrive home → unlock the door + turn on porch lights.” Build a smart home that adapts to your lifestyle. Shared Home Access Invite family members, roommates, or trusted guests. Share device access securely and manage permissions with granular control. Real-Time Security Alerts Receive instant notifications for lock activities, motion detection, door access events, automation triggers, and more—keeping your home protected at all times. Welcome to the New Xthings Home • U home has officially upgraded to Xthings Home • Developer changed to Xthings Industry LLC • All your existing devices, settings, and history remain intact • Improved performance, onboarding, and cloud reliability Experience the next generation of smart home convenience and security with Xthings Home.

Screenshots

Ember4 screens
Xthings Home(formerly U home)4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Xthings Home(formerly U home) at 4.6 against Ember's 3.3. Xthings Home(formerly U home) also leads on review sentiment (52% vs 18%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

Xthings Home(formerly U home) holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7.5K and 8.1K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 18% of Ember's written reviews are positive against 52% of Xthings Home(formerly U home)'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ember ships an update every 2 months, Xthings Home(formerly U home) every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Ember versus Xthings Home(formerly U home): the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEmberXthings Home(formerly U home)
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.3 (7.5K ratings)4.6 (8.1K ratings) — better
Positive reviews17.7% of reviews52.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings7.5K8.1K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS16.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size63 MB150 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEmber Technologies Inc.XTHINGS INDUSTRY LLC

Customer experience

Ember

All ratings7,459 ratings
Positive54.5%
Neutral4.8%
Negative40.7%
Written reviews1,330 reviews
Positive17.7%
Neutral8.3%
Negative74.0%

Xthings Home(formerly U home)

All ratings8,069 ratings
Positive90.2%
Neutral3.2%
Negative6.6%
Written reviews496 reviews
Positive52.0%
Neutral12.3%
Negative35.7%

User reviews

Ember

From 7.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • ⭐ Keeps drink at perfect temperature
  • 🍵 Great for tea and coffee drinkers
  • 🎨 Customizable LED light colors
  • 🔋 Decent battery life when used properly
  • 🤖 Apple Watch app integration

Room to improve

  • 🔌 Requires frequent charging and docking
  • 🔒 Forced account creation and login
  • 🔄 Unreliable Bluetooth connectivity
  • 🐛 Buggy app with frequent issues
  • 🤔 Confusing app UI and controls

Xthings Home(formerly U home)

From 8.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great smartlock
  • 🚀 Reliable and easy to use
  • 🚀 Excellent device
  • 🚀 Excelente producto
  • 🚀 Capable lock that's easy to set up

Room to improve

  • 🔌 Application en français svp
  • 🔋 The only problem is that it does not have a warning for when battery is low
  • 🐛 Usuarios temporales
  • 🐛 Frustratingly Slow
  • 🐛 Wifi connection is useless

Bugs and requests

Ember

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • App frequently logs users out
  • Mug disconnects from app randomly
  • Firmware update process often fails
  • App doesn't always detect liquid in mug
  • Presets and settings get lost after updates

Requested features

5 requests
  • Battery level indicator on main screen
  • Improved Apple Watch app functionality
  • Wireless charging option
  • Ability to lock temperature settings
  • Automatic temperature adjustment based on volume

Xthings Home(formerly U home)

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • Temporary users settings not saving
  • Admin login issues after updates
  • Inconsistent lock/unlock status reporting
  • Bluetooth connectivity problems
  • WiFi connectivity issues
Show 2 more
  • Fingerprint reader failures
  • Notifications not working as expected

Requested features

4 requests
  • Auto lock time extension
  • More customizable auto lock settings
  • Apple Home integration
  • Alexa/Google Home integration

In-app purchases

None

Ember

No in-app purchases

None

Xthings Home(formerly U home)

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Ember free?
Ember is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Xthings Home(formerly U home) free?
Xthings Home(formerly U home) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Ember or Xthings Home(formerly U home)?
Xthings Home(formerly U home) is rated higher. Ember averages 3.3 out of 5 from 7.5K ratings, while Xthings Home(formerly U home) averages 4.6 from 8.1K ratings.
Do Ember or Xthings Home(formerly U home) have ads?
Neither Ember nor Xthings Home(formerly U home) shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ember or Xthings Home(formerly U home)?
Ember ships an update every 2 months, and Xthings Home(formerly U home) every 3 weeks. Most recently, Ember was updated on October 25, 2026 and Xthings Home(formerly U home) on October 26, 2026.

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