# SmartThings vs RCA Smart Remote

The clearest difference is rating: SmartThings at 4.6 against RCA Smart Remote's 2.2. SmartThings also leads on ratings volume (809K vs 99) and review sentiment (31% vs 15%). RCA Smart Remote's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 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 2.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SmartThings has 809K ratings behind it against 99, 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 RCA Smart Remote's.

SmartThings ships an update monthly, RCA Smart Remote every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartThings | RCA Smart Remote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (809K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartthings/id1222822904/reviews)** | [2.2 (99 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rca-smart-remote/id6444114099/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **809K** | 99 |
| Positive reviews | **31.1% of reviews** | 15.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#7** | — |
| Size | 961 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/359580642) | [Voxx international Corp](https://appshunter.io/developer/590474280) |

## What reviewers say

### SmartThings

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

**Currently charting:** #7 Top Free · Lifestyle, #198 Top Free (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


### RCA Smart Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rca-smart-remote/id6444114099)

Control your entertainment devices with ease. This app provides access to a comprehensive code library for programming remotes and includes a helpful feature to locate your misplaced remote.

**Highlights:** Program remote controls, Access extensive code library, Control entertainment devices, Find misplaced remote, Support for major brands

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SmartThings free?

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

### Is RCA Smart Remote free?

RCA Smart Remote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SmartThings or RCA Smart Remote?

SmartThings is rated higher. SmartThings averages 4.6 out of 5 from 809K ratings, while RCA Smart Remote averages 2.2 from 99 ratings.

### Do SmartThings or RCA Smart Remote have ads?

Neither SmartThings nor RCA Smart Remote shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SmartThings or RCA Smart Remote?

SmartThings ships an update monthly, and RCA Smart Remote every 3 weeks. Most recently, SmartThings was updated on September 25, 2026 and RCA Smart Remote on September 22, 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.*