# SmartThings vs ThriveWell

The clearest difference is update cadence: SmartThings at monthly against ThriveWell's every 17 months. SmartThings also leads on chart position (#5 vs unranked). ThriveWell's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

SmartThings ships an update monthly, ThriveWell every 17 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and December 19, 2025 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartThings | ThriveWell |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (809K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartthings/id1222822904/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **809K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 31.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 17 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 961 MB | 162 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/359580642) | [Stark Group Pte. Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1219881311) |

## What reviewers say

### SmartThings

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

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Free · Lifestyle, #147 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


### ThriveWell

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thrivewell/id6449253188)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SmartThings free?

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

### Is ThriveWell free?

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

### Do SmartThings or ThriveWell have ads?

Neither SmartThings nor ThriveWell shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SmartThings or ThriveWell?

SmartThings ships an update monthly, and ThriveWell every 17 months. Most recently, SmartThings was updated on September 26, 2026 and ThriveWell on December 19, 2025.

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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.*