Comparison

SmartThings vs Meross

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

Head to head
About

SmartThings

Unify and manage all your smart home devices from a single application. Connect hundreds of brands, create custom scenes and routines, and control your home remotely. Monitor energy usage and even get meal planning assistance.

Highlights
  • Connect and control devices from multiple brands
  • Create custom scenes and routines
  • Remote home monitoring and control
  • Automated notifications and status updates
  • Voice control with Google Assistant
  • Energy tracking and saving features
  • Smart cooking and meal planning assistance
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Quickly and easily connect and control your smart home devices through SmartThings. SmartThings is compatible with 100s of smart home brands. So, you can control all of your smart home gadgets in one place, including your Samsung Smart TV and smart home appliances. With SmartThings, you can connect, monitor and control multiple smart home devices quicker and easier. Connect your Samsung smart TVs, smart appliances, smart speakers and brands like Ring, Nest and Philips Hue - all from one app. Then control your smart devices using voice assistants including Google Assistant [Key Features] - Control and check in on your home from wherever you are - Connect your smart devices across many different brands to work together by setting ‘scenes’ - Build routines that are set on time, weather, and device status, so your home runs smoothly in the background - Allow shared control by giving access to other users - Receive status updates about your devices with automated notifications - Talk to your devices using Google Assistant - Track, monitor and save money on energy with SmartThings Energy. See how much your home and compatible Samsung devices cost to run, and try various energy saving features, such as AI saving mode, or schedule devices to run during off peak hours. - Receive recipe recommendations by scanning meal kits, wine, and meat. Plan, shop and prep meals with the help of SmartThings Cooking ※ Some features may not be available in all countries. [App requirements] Some mobile devices may not be supported. - iOS 17.0 or later / iPhone XR or later / iPad 6 or later ※ App permissions The following permissions are required for the app service. For optional permissions, the default functionality of the service is turned on, but not allowed. [Optional access permissions] • Apple Health : Used to sync with Apple Health data to give you better Family Care insights • Apple Music : Used to read music album information • Bluetooth : Used to scan for nearby devices using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) • Camera: Used to scan QR codes so you can easily add members and devices to SmartThings • Contacts : Used to get phone numbers of your contacts to send text message notifications • Location : Used to locate your devices, create routines based on your location, and scan for nearby devices using Wi-Fi • Local Network : Used to find Wi-Fi connected devices • Microphone: Used to add certain devices to SmartThings using high-frequency sounds • Notification : Used to provide notifications about SmartThings devices and features • NFC : Used to check information about devices that you intend to connect • Photos : Used to play photos and videos on SmartThings devices • Voice recognition : Used to convert voice to text

About

Meross

Control and manage a wide range of smart home devices remotely. Set schedules, create custom scenes, and integrate with voice assistants for automated control. Access troubleshooting guides, firmware updates, and community forums for support.

Highlights
  • Remote device control
  • Custom schedules and scenes
  • Voice assistant integration
  • Firmware updates
  • In-app hardware guides
  • Consumer forum
Features
Read full description

Meross app can help you set up and manage smart WiFi bulb, plug, switch, garage door opener, thermostat, air purifier, sensor, humidifier and so on. Meross app offers you special value that other platform apps can not offer such as in-app hardware guide and troubleshooting, in-app setup guide and dedicated troubleshooting, firmware update, cloud service maintenance notice, digital user manual, consumer forum, and new product release information. With Meross app, you can 1. Turn on and off your devices remotely from anywhere with internet. 2. Set schedules and scenes for your devices so that they can run automatically as you wish. 3. Link your devices to your voice assistant platform. 4. Check and update your devices to the latest firmware. 5. Share great product experience with others and discuss about how to use products in Forum. 6. Find information about special offer and new product release. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

SmartThings4 screens
Meross4 screens

Verdict

The call

SmartThings and Meross both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 78% of Meross's written reviews are positive against 31% of SmartThings's. Meross also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). SmartThings's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8) and ratings volume (809K vs 7.8K). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. Meross sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. SmartThings asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for SmartThings against 4.5 for Meross. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SmartThings has 809K ratings behind it against 7.8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 31% of SmartThings's written reviews are positive against 78% of Meross's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SmartThings ships an update monthly, Meross fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
SmartThings versus Meross: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSmartThingsMeross
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (809K ratings) — better4.5 (7.8K ratings)
Positive reviews31.1% of reviews78.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings809K — better7.8K
Update frequencyMonthlyFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#8 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS17.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size961 MB231 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Chengdu Meross Technology Co.,Ltd.

Customer experience

SmartThings

All ratings808,682 ratings
Positive89.1%
Neutral2.9%
Negative7.9%
Written reviews7,323 reviews
Positive31.1%
Neutral6.4%
Negative62.5%

Meross

All ratings7,784 ratings
Positive89.6%
Neutral2.8%
Negative7.7%
Written reviews927 reviews
Positive78.0%
Neutral5.2%
Negative16.8%

User reviews

SmartThings

From 809K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Remote control functionality
  • 📚 Laundry cycle recommendations
  • 🤖 Automation and scheduling capabilities
  • 🔧 Customizable settings

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent disconnections and crashes
  • ⏱️ Slow and laggy performance
  • 🔍 Difficulty connecting and configuring devices
  • 🤔 Confusing and unintuitive user interface
  • 🔒 Privacy concerns with location tracking

Meross

From 7.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use app
  • 🚀 Reliable and stable performance
  • 💡 Useful features like power consumption monitoring
  • 🔒 Secure and private
  • 🔌 Seamless integration with smart home platforms

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional connectivity issues and device disconnections
  • 🔧 Setup can be tricky at times
  • 📱 Limited customization options in the app
  • 🕰️ Routines and scheduling could be more flexible

Bugs and requests

SmartThings

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inability to add or remove devices
  • Inconsistent device status updates
  • Notifications not working as expected

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to control TV without remote
  • Improved photo/artwork management for Frame TV
  • More advanced automation and scheduling options
  • Better integration with other smart home platforms

Meross

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Unreliable garage door status reporting
  • Compatibility issues with iOS 16 updates
  • Inconsistent device discovery and pairing

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add support for more smart home platforms
  • Improve app interface and allow for more customization
  • Enhance scheduling and automation features
  • Provide more detailed energy consumption reporting

In-app purchases

None

SmartThings

No in-app purchases

8 purchases

Meross

Subscriptions6
  • 10 SMS for a month$0.991 Month
  • 优惠测试-月$1.991 Month
  • 优惠测试-年$1.991 Year
Show 3 more
  • 优惠测试-周$1.997 Days
  • 30 SMS for a month1 Month trial$2.491 Month
  • 100 SMS for a month$6.991 Month
One-time2
  • 30 SMS$3.49
  • 100 SMS$9.99

Questions

Is SmartThings free?
SmartThings is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Meross free?
Meross is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SmartThings or Meross?
SmartThings is rated higher. SmartThings averages 4.6 out of 5 from 809K ratings, while Meross averages 4.5 from 7.8K ratings.
Do SmartThings or Meross have ads?
Neither SmartThings nor Meross shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SmartThings or Meross?
SmartThings ships an update monthly, and Meross fortnightly. Most recently, SmartThings was updated on September 24, 2026 and Meross on September 23, 2026.

Other comparisons