# Lightcloud vs Smart Shade Control

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Lightcloud at none against Smart Shade Control's 1. Lightcloud also leads on ratings volume (10 vs 2). Smart Shade Control's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Smart Shade Control sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Lightcloud asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Lightcloud against 5.0 for Smart Shade Control. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lightcloud has 10 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Lightcloud ships an update every 4 months, Smart Shade Control monthly. Both last shipped on October 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lightcloud | Smart Shade Control |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightcloud/id1176200092/reviews) | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-shade-control/id6765481489/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **10** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 25 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RAB Lighting Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/934145783) | [Gary Cox](https://appshunter.io/developer/1083086974) |

## What reviewers say

### Lightcloud

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightcloud/id1176200092)

This app allows remote control of commercial lighting systems, offering features like dimming and scene creation. It aims to optimize energy usage and reduce costs. Free technical support is available for users.

**Highlights:** Remote light control, Adjustable dimming, Customizable scenes, Energy savings up to 68%, Unlimited technical support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Smart Shade Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-shade-control/id6765481489)

Effortlessly manage your smart window shades with direct local control. Automate opening and closing based on schedules, sunrise/sunset, or your location. Integrate with Siri and Shortcuts for hands-free operation and create custom scenes.

**Highlights:** Direct Matter/Thread pairing, Local cloud-free operation, Sunrise/sunset automation, Geofence triggers, Siri and Shortcuts integration, Customizable scenes, Usage analytics

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime Pro Access | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lightcloud free?

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

### Is Smart Shade Control free?

Smart Shade Control is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Lightcloud or Smart Shade Control?

Lightcloud and Smart Shade Control are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 10 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do Lightcloud or Smart Shade Control have ads?

Neither Lightcloud nor Smart Shade Control shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lightcloud or Smart Shade Control?

Lightcloud ships an update every 4 months, and Smart Shade Control monthly. Most recently, Lightcloud was updated on October 6, 2026 and Smart Shade Control on October 6, 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.*