# Ember vs HotKup

The clearest difference is rating: Ember at 3.3 against HotKup's 1.0. Ember also leads on ratings volume (7.4K vs 3) and review sentiment (18% vs 0%). HotKup's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.4 vs 16.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Ember holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ember has 7.4K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 18% of Ember's written reviews are positive against 0% of HotKup's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and June 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ember | HotKup |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.3 (7.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ember-temperature-control/id1147470931/reviews)** | [1.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hotkup-temperature-control-mug/id1624277809/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7.4K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **18.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 63 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **12.4** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ember Technologies Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1063861447) | [Sinospec](https://appshunter.io/developer/1385398412) |

## What reviewers say

### Ember

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ember-temperature-control/id1147470931)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ 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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### HotKup

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hotkup-temperature-control-mug/id1624277809)

This app allows you to control the temperature of your mug, boil water, brew beverages, and maintain your ideal drinking temperature. It offers both app and manual control, with versatile power options including battery, AC, and 12v car power.

**Highlights:** Boil water, Brew coffee/tea, Maintain perfect temperature, App and manual control, Battery, AC, and 12v power options

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ember free?

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

### Is HotKup free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Ember or HotKup?

Ember is rated higher. Ember averages 3.3 out of 5 from 7.4K ratings, while HotKup averages 1.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Ember or HotKup have ads?

Neither Ember nor HotKup shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ember or HotKup?

Ember ships an update every 2 months, and HotKup every 2 months. Most recently, Ember was updated on September 25, 2026 and HotKup on June 5, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*