SmartThings vs FzRemote Universal Control
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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
FzRemote Universal Control
This app allows you to control various home devices using a compatible remote. It offers universal control for over a million devices, voice control via Siri shortcuts, and activity control to manage multiple devices with a single click.
- Universal control for over a million devices
- Voice control with Siri shortcut
- Activity control for multiple devices
- Supports amplifiers, TVs, receivers, and more
- Easy remote setup
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FzRemote works with ZRC compatible remote control, if you don't have such a remote, please don't download this App and review it as useless. With FzRemote you can easily setup a remote control for all your home device. if you already have a iPhone IR blaster and you are looking for universal remote app work with it, you may have a look at my another app EzRemote. •UNIVERSAL control over one million devices. •VOICE control with Siri shortcut. •ACTIVITY control multiple device with one click. Supported device - Amplifier, Audio, BluRay, Cable, CD, DVD, DVR, FAN, HTiB, IPTV, Projector, Receiver, Satellite, STB, TV, VCR.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: SmartThings at 4.6 against FzRemote Universal Control's 2.4. SmartThings also leads on ratings volume (809K vs 22) and review sentiment (31% vs 15%). FzRemote Universal Control's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
SmartThings holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SmartThings has 809K ratings behind it against 22, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 31% of SmartThings's written reviews are positive against 15% of FzRemote Universal Control's.
SmartThings ships an update monthly, FzRemote Universal Control every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SmartThings | FzRemote Universal Control |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (809K ratings) — better | 2.4 (22 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 31.1% of reviews — better | 15.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 809K — better | 22 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #7 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 961 MB | 12 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Zheng Fang |
Customer experience
SmartThings
FzRemote Universal Control
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
FzRemote Universal Control
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
SmartThings
No in-app purchases
FzRemote Universal Control
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is SmartThings free?
Is FzRemote Universal Control free?
Which has better reviews, SmartThings or FzRemote Universal Control?
Do SmartThings or FzRemote Universal Control have ads?
Which is updated more often, SmartThings or FzRemote Universal Control?
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