Comparison

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.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Personalized user interface
  • Control lights, thermostats, security
  • Manage music and video
  • Access favorites and room-specific settings
  • Intuitive volume control
  • Customizable room wallpapers
Features
Read full description

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.

About

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.

Highlights
  • Adopt and manage Protect devices
  • Stream low-latency livestreams
  • Download localized recordings
  • Cloudless recording storage
  • Timelapse footage scrubbing
  • Personalized security notifications
Features
Read full description

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

Control4 for OS 34 screens
UniFi Protect4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Control4 for OS 3 versus UniFi Protect: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterControl4 for OS 3UniFi Protect
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (577 ratings)4.8 (78K ratings) — better
Positive reviews21.8% of reviews52.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings57778K — better
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, Apple TV
Requires iOS18.018.0
Further details — not scored
Size212 MB270 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSnap One, LLCUbiquiti Inc.

Customer experience

Control4 for OS 3

All ratings577 ratings
Positive46.3%
Neutral7.6%
Negative46.1%
Written reviews275 reviews
Positive21.8%
Neutral7.6%
Negative70.5%

UniFi Protect

All ratings76,232 ratings
Positive96.1%
Neutral1.6%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews1,010 reviews
Positive52.7%
Neutral12.4%
Negative35.0%

User reviews

Control4 for OS 3

From 577 App Store ratings

What 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 ratings

What 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

None

Control4 for OS 3

No in-app purchases

None

UniFi Protect

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Control4 for OS 3 free?
Control4 for OS 3 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is UniFi Protect free?
UniFi Protect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Control4 for OS 3 or UniFi Protect?
UniFi Protect is rated higher. Control4 for OS 3 averages 3.0 out of 5 from 577 ratings, while UniFi Protect averages 4.8 from 78K ratings.
Do Control4 for OS 3 or UniFi Protect have ads?
Neither Control4 for OS 3 nor UniFi Protect shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Control4 for OS 3 or UniFi Protect?
Control4 for OS 3 ships an update fortnightly, and UniFi Protect every 3 weeks. Most recently, Control4 for OS 3 was updated on November 6, 2026 and UniFi Protect on November 8, 2026.

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