# Controller for HomeKit vs Join

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Join at none against Controller for HomeKit's 10. Join also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). Controller for HomeKit's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 23 months) and device support (5 vs 2). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Controller for HomeKit sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Join asks for nothing beyond the download.

Controller for HomeKit ships an update every 10 days, Join every 23 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Controller for HomeKit | Join |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/controller-for-homekit/id1198176727/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2.7K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 26.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 23 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 210 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [acasa Software GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/974663980) | [YCS Group, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/545353031) |

## What reviewers say

### Controller for HomeKit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/controller-for-homekit/id1198176727)

Enhance your smart home experience with advanced control and automation. Visualize your home with floor plans, track device performance with charts, and create complex automations tailored to your needs. Organize devices, store setup codes, and monitor your entire smart home ecosystem.

**Highlights:** Floor plan visualization with LiDAR, Device performance charts, Complex automations and workflows, Custom notifications, Smart folders and filters, Setup code storage, Device maintenance and logs

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Controller Essentials | $4.99 | per month |
| Essentials Lifetime - Plus Addon | $4.99 | per month |
| Controller Plus | $8.99 | per month |
| Essentials Lifetime - Plus Addon | $39.99 | per year |
| Controller Essentials | $39.99 | per year |
| Controller Plus | $79.99 | per year |
| Controller Essentials Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |
| Controller Essentials Lifetime | $139.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful automation features
- 📚 Helpful backup and restore functionality
- 🔍 Detailed logging and troubleshooting
- 🧠 Advanced HomeKit control and customization

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crash-prone
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🤖 Poor customer support
- 🤔 Confusing and unintuitive UI

**Reported bugs**

- Backup and restore issues
- Disappearing automations and accessories
- Compatibility problems with iOS 16.2
- Slow performance and unresponsiveness

**Requested features**

- Improved documentation and tutorials
- Better integration with Apple Home app
- Support for more HomeKit device types
- Ability to customize automation triggers


### Join

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/join-hero/id6443680866)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Controller for HomeKit free?

Controller for HomeKit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Join free?

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

### Do Controller for HomeKit or Join have ads?

Neither Controller for HomeKit nor Join shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Controller for HomeKit or Join?

Controller for HomeKit ships an update every 10 days, and Join every 23 months. Most recently, Controller for HomeKit was updated on October 15, 2026 and Join 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.*