# SmartThings vs FzRemote Universal Control

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.

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 25, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartThings | FzRemote Universal Control |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (809K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartthings/id1222822904/reviews)** | [2.4 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fzremote-universal-control/id1343575116/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **809K** | 22 |
| Positive reviews | **31.1% of reviews** | 15.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 961 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/359580642) | [Zheng Fang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1258046278) |

## What reviewers say

### SmartThings

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartthings/id1222822904)

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Free · Lifestyle (US App Store)

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:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to add or remove devices
- Inconsistent device status updates
- Notifications not working as expected

**Requested features**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fzremote-universal-control/id1343575116)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SmartThings free?

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

### Is FzRemote Universal Control free?

FzRemote Universal Control is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SmartThings or FzRemote Universal Control?

SmartThings is rated higher. SmartThings averages 4.6 out of 5 from 809K ratings, while FzRemote Universal Control averages 2.4 from 22 ratings.

### Do SmartThings or FzRemote Universal Control have ads?

Neither SmartThings nor FzRemote Universal Control shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SmartThings or FzRemote Universal Control?

SmartThings ships an update monthly, and FzRemote Universal Control every 6 weeks. Most recently, SmartThings was updated on September 25, 2026 and FzRemote Universal Control on June 1, 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.*