Control4 for OS 3 vs UniFi Protect
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Control4 for OS 3
Transform your iPhone or iPad into a personal interface for your smart home. Control all connected devices, including lights, thermostats, security, and media, with a redesigned, personalized experience. Requires a Control4 Smart Home OS 3 system.
- Personalized user interface
- Control lights, thermostats, security
- Manage music and video
- Access favorites and room-specific settings
- Intuitive volume control
- Customizable room wallpapers
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This Control4 app is specifically designed to be used with Control4 Smart Homes running OS 3. It turns your iPhone or iPad into your personal user interface to control all your smart home devices. ------------ NOTE: Prior to using this app, your Control4 system must be updated to Control4 Smart Home OS 3 or later. If you are unsure of the software version on your system, check with your Control4 Dealer or login to your Control4 account at control4.com. ------------ Smart Home OS 3 was thoughtfully redesigned to make it more personal and the smart home OS of choice for families. It enables you to check on the status and control your entire smart home including music, video, lights, thermostats, security system, cameras, door locks, garage doors, pools, and much more. New features in OS 3 • Favorites give you fast access to the devices and sources that you use most • Quickly personalize the interface right from the app • Each room can have its own favorites for fast access to the things you use most • Hide icons that are less important, but easily access them through the room menu • Swipe between favorite rooms to quickly navigate around the home • Filtering lets you see all lights, locks and shades, or just those that are on, unlocked or open • All-new Active Media Bar shows what’s currently playing and gives you fast control of media • Easily adjust volume through a new, intuitive volume slider control • Background wallpapers for each room can now be easily changed right from the app Visit Control4.com to learn more, find a showroom near you, or find a independent professional integrator.
UniFi Protect
Access your camera security system from your mobile device. Stream live feeds, manage devices, and download recordings. Offers cloudless storage and customizable alerts for residential and commercial users.
- Adopt and manage Protect devices
- Stream low-latency livestreams
- Download localized recordings
- Cloudless recording storage
- Timelapse footage scrubbing
- Personalized security notifications
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UniFi Protect brings the full functionality of our web-based camera security application to your mobile device. Adopt and manage your Protect devices, stream low-latency livestreams, and download localized recordings directly to your phone. Designed for residential and commercial use, UniFi Protect also allows you to: - Maintain complete data privacy with Cloudless recording storage. - Quickly scrub through hours of Timelapse footage to pinpoint the exact moments you're looking for. - Personalize security notifications based on a wide variety of individual, vehicular, and atmospheric-based detections.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: UniFi Protect at 4.8 against Control4 for OS 3's 3.0. UniFi Protect also leads on review sentiment (53% vs 22%) and ratings volume (78K vs 577). 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.
UniFi Protect holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: UniFi Protect has 78K ratings behind it against 577, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 22% of Control4 for OS 3's written reviews are positive against 53% of UniFi Protect's.
Control4 for OS 3 ships an update fortnightly, UniFi Protect every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Control4 for OS 3 | UniFi Protect |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (577 ratings) | 4.8 (78K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 21.8% of reviews | 52.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 577 | 78K — better |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 212 MB | 270 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Snap One, LLC | Ubiquiti Inc. |
Customer experience
Control4 for OS 3
UniFi Protect
User reviews
Control4 for OS 3
From 577 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Responsive and fast
- 🌟 Elegant and modern UI
- 🔒 Robust security features
- 👍 Customizable and personalized
- 🎨 Improved visual design
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- ⏱️ Slow load times and reconnections
- 🔌 Unreliable connectivity
- 🤖 Lacking integration with smart home platforms
- 💰 Expensive and costly to maintain
UniFi Protect
From 78K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Fast and reliable
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 🔒 Secure local storage
- 💡 Powerful AI detection features
- 👍 Seamless integration with Unifi ecosystem
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and freezes
- 🔋 Slow to connect and load video
- 🔒 Requires cloud account for remote access
- 🔍 Limited customization options
- 🔍 Inconsistent experience across devices
Bugs and requests
Control4 for OS 3
Reported bugs
5 issues- Intercom and doorbell issues
- Thermostat controls not working as expected
- Inability to connect to the system remotely
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions
- Unexpected app crashes and freezes
Requested features
5 requests- Apple Watch app support
- Better integration with Apple ecosystem
- Improved voice control and Alexa integration
- More customization options for users
- Faster and more responsive app performance
UniFi Protect
Reported bugs
5 issues- Geofencing not working as expected
- Doorbell audio/video not syncing properly
- Frequent disconnections from cameras
- Playback issues and video not loading
- Notifications not reliable or timely
Requested features
5 requests- Add option to snooze/silence notifications
- Improve video scrubbing and playback controls
- Integrate with Apple HomeKit
- Add custom notification sounds
- Enhance multi-view and layout options
In-app purchases
Control4 for OS 3
No in-app purchases
UniFi Protect
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Control4 for OS 3 free?
Is UniFi Protect free?
Which has better reviews, Control4 for OS 3 or UniFi Protect?
Do Control4 for OS 3 or UniFi Protect have ads?
Which is updated more often, Control4 for OS 3 or UniFi Protect?
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