# SmartESS vs PVbutler

The clearest difference is update cadence: SmartESS at monthly against PVbutler's every 3 months. SmartESS also leads on ratings volume (125 vs 15). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

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

PVbutler holds the better App Store score, 2.9 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SmartESS has 125 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 20% of SmartESS's written reviews are positive against 18% of PVbutler's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SmartESS ships an update monthly, PVbutler every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 7, 2026 and August 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartESS | PVbutler |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.7 (125 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartess/id1334656760/reviews) | **[2.9 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pvbutler/id1418322399/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **125** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | **19.7% of reviews** | 17.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 198 MB | 214 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [祥梯 孟](https://appshunter.io/developer/1070155084) | [Shenzhen Growatt New Energy Technology Co.,Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1135731820) |

## What reviewers say

### SmartESS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartess/id1334656760)

Monitor your energy storage machine's status in real-time with this mobile application. It offers easy-to-understand data visualization, historical data access from anywhere, and displays information in multiple dimensions. The app is designed for efficient data transfer with minimal internet traffic usage.

**Highlights:** Real-time energy storage machine monitoring, Intelligent data visualization, Simple and easy-to-understand charts, Access historical data anytime, anywhere, Multi-dimensional data display, Low internet traffic usage

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### PVbutler

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pvbutler/id1418322399)

Monitor your photovoltaic plant's performance remotely. Access energy yield, income, and system status wirelessly. Requires registration with the Sacolar PV Data Center.

**Highlights:** Remote monitoring of photovoltaic plants, Access energy yield data, Track income generation, View system status, Wireless data access, Compatible with Sacolar PV Data Center

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SmartESS free?

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

### Is PVbutler free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SmartESS or PVbutler?

PVbutler is rated higher. SmartESS averages 2.7 out of 5 from 125 ratings, while PVbutler averages 2.9 from 15 ratings.

### Do SmartESS or PVbutler have ads?

Neither SmartESS nor PVbutler shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SmartESS or PVbutler?

SmartESS ships an update monthly, and PVbutler every 3 months. Most recently, SmartESS was updated on September 7, 2026 and PVbutler on August 15, 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.*