# Carson Living vs NEX Smart

The clearest difference is review sentiment: NEX Smart at 100% against Carson Living's 19%. NEX Smart also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.2). Carson Living's advantage is ratings volume (28 vs 3). 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.

NEX Smart holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Carson Living has 28 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 19% of Carson Living's written reviews are positive against 100% of NEX Smart's.

Carson Living ships an update monthly, NEX Smart every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Carson Living | NEX Smart |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.2 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/carson-living/id1273755261/reviews) | **[4.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nex-smart/id6463395957/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **28** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 19.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 143 MB | 227 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Carson Living Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1273755260) | [Nex Cloud Tech LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1704297695) |

## What reviewers say

### Carson Living

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/carson-living/id1273755261)

This app enables remote access for residents, staff, and visitors in multi-family apartment buildings and HOA communities. It facilitates instant communication between property managers and residents for important building updates and notifications.

**Highlights:** Remote access for staff, residents, and visitors, Instant communication between staff and residents, Property hardware and software integration, Building update notifications, Visitor and courier access management

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🚀 Seamless integration with building access
- 📦 Convenient package delivery notifications

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable digital keys and access
- 🔒 Security concerns with lack of physical keys
- ⏱️ Slow and laggy performance
- 🤯 Frustrating user experience

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Digital keys randomly stop working
- Inconsistent Bluetooth connectivity
- Delivery notifications not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Apple Watch app support
- Customizable widget options
- Improved guest access management
- Lower resolution video feed option


### NEX Smart

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nex-smart/id6463395957)

Control and monitor your NEXhome intercom devices remotely. Engage in video intercoms, unlock doors, and manage multiple residents from anywhere. Access call and unlocking history for enhanced security and convenience.

**Highlights:** Remote video intercom, Remote unlocking, Calling and unlocking record query, Multi-resident management, Works with NEX Smart Cloud Platform

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Carson Living free?

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

### Is NEX Smart free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Carson Living or NEX Smart?

NEX Smart is rated higher. Carson Living averages 3.2 out of 5 from 28 ratings, while NEX Smart averages 4.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Carson Living or NEX Smart have ads?

Neither Carson Living nor NEX Smart shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Carson Living or NEX Smart?

Carson Living ships an update monthly, and NEX Smart every 2 weeks. Most recently, Carson Living was updated on October 26, 2026 and NEX Smart on October 25, 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.*