Control4 for OS 3 vs Stellar Lighting
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.
Stellar Lighting
Control your holiday and accent lights with custom programs or hundreds of presets. Easily change colors, patterns, and special effects to transform your home for any occasion throughout the year.
- Custom light programs
- Hundreds of preset programs
- 16 million+ color options
- Modify patterns and effects
- Year-round accent lighting control
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The Stellar Lighting app allows you to control your exterior holiday and accent lights. Create your own custom programs or use the 100s of preset programs that come with the app. Easily modify colors (16 million+), patterns, special effects, and accent programs to transform your home for different occasions. Effortlessly manage your lights using this app and create the experience you’re looking for throughout the whole year.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Stellar Lighting at 5.0 against Control4 for OS 3's 3.0. Stellar Lighting also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.0). Control4 for OS 3's advantage is ratings volume (577 vs 2) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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.
Stellar Lighting holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Control4 for OS 3 has 577 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Control4 for OS 3 ships an update fortnightly, Stellar Lighting every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Control4 for OS 3 | Stellar Lighting |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (577 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 21.8% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 577 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 207 MB | 405 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Snap One, LLC | Garrett Forsgren |
Customer experience
Control4 for OS 3
Stellar Lighting
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
Stellar Lighting
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Control4 for OS 3
No in-app purchases
Stellar Lighting
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Control4 for OS 3 free?
Is Stellar Lighting free?
Which has better reviews, Control4 for OS 3 or Stellar Lighting?
Do Control4 for OS 3 or Stellar Lighting have ads?
Which is updated more often, Control4 for OS 3 or Stellar Lighting?
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