Comparison

Visual Home vs IoT MQTT Panel

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Visual Home

Unify and control your smart home devices from a single dashboard. Visualize data from various sources and trigger actions on connected devices. Offers advanced features through an optional subscription.

Highlights
  • Unified dashboard for smart home data
  • Control connected devices
  • Support for Philips Hue, HomeKit, Homematic, and more
  • MQTT and HTTP REST client
  • JavaScript Lambda functions
  • Homescreen widgets
  • Favorites management
Features
Read full description

Visual displays the data from different sources on an unified dashboard. In addition it allows controlling and triggering actions on connected devices. Directly supported are currently - Philips Hue - HomeKit - Homematic - Ezcontrol XS1 - HTML Widgets - Open Weather Map - PVOutput.org The more experienced user can also use - MQTT Client (Subscribe, Publish) - HTTP REST Client - JavaScript Lambda functions # Information on HomeKit Visual offers to visualize the values of all HomeKit accessories with readable characteristics and scalar data formats (e.g. integer, float). In addition Visual can set values to writable characteristics with scalar data formats. # Information on the In-App purchase • This App offers an auto-renewing subscription "Advanced Features" that unlock extended features: - JavaScript Lambda functions - Search and filter datapoints - Trigger scenes defined in the Philips Hue bridge - Debug logging for all endpoints - Multi column dashboard - Homescreen Widgets - Favorites • This In-App purchase is an auto-renewing subscription • The subscription duration is 1 month • For the price please check the In-App purchase details on AppStore or in the App itself • Your iTunes account will be charged for the purchase at the time of subscription purchase. • The subscription is renewed automatically, unless the automatic renewal is terminated at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. • Your iTunes account will be charged the same amount as the original subscription within 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. • Subscriptions can be managed and auto-renewal can be disabled in your iTunes account after the original purchase.

About

IoT MQTT Panel

Create DIY smart home projects quickly with a configurable dashboard. This app supports MQTT and Websocket protocols with SSL for secure communication. It offers real-time updates, customizable panels with over 250 icons, and various data visualization options.

Highlights
  • Always-on dashboard
  • MQTT & Websocket support
  • SSL secure communication
  • Real-time panel updates
  • 250+ customizable icons
  • Dark theme
  • Import/Export configuration
Features
Read full description

With this app you can make DIY Smart Home project in a minute. The configurations are very simple. Well documented FAQ and User Guide are available at application info page. Features: 1. Can run as always on Dashboard. 2. Supports both MQTT (TCP) and Websocket protocol. 3. SSL for secure communication. 4. JSON Support for both subscribe and publish message. 5. Panels subscribe and / or publish the topic automatically, hence get updated in real time. 6. Designed to work with public broker efficiently (using device prefix). 7. Sent and Received timestamp from broker. 8. Material design. 9. Flexible panel width, merge any panels 10. More than 250 icons to customize specific panels. 11. Dark theme for comfortable use in low light. 12. Clone connection, device or panel for effortless configuration 13. Import/Export application configuration for easy share with multiple devices. 14. Re-connects automatically if connection lost. 15. Persist export message for log and graph. Available panels: -Button -Slider -Switch -LED Indicator -Combo Box -Radio Buttons -Multi-State Indicator -Progress -Gauge -Color Picker -Time Picker -Text Input -Text Log -Image -Barcode Scanner -Line graph -Bar graph -Chart -URI Launcher This list will grow upon feedback from users. Your feedback is much appreciated. If you find any issue please feel free to leave a comment in my blog with steps to reproduce. https://blog.snrlab.in/iot/iot-mqtt-panel-user-guide/

Screenshots

Visual Home4 screens
IoT MQTT Panel4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: IoT MQTT Panel at 85% against Visual Home's 13%. IoT MQTT Panel also leads on rating (4.8 vs 1.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). Visual Home's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, monetization model and device support 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. Visual Home sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.49 per month. IoT MQTT Panel asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

IoT MQTT Panel holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: IoT MQTT Panel has 44 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 13% of Visual Home's written reviews are positive against 85% of IoT MQTT Panel's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Visual Home ships an update every 4 months, IoT MQTT Panel fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Visual Home versus IoT MQTT Panel: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVisual HomeIoT MQTT Panel
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.0 (1 ratings)4.8 (44 ratings) — better
Positive reviews12.5% of reviews84.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings144 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB34 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperAndreas BinnerRahul Kundu

Customer experience

Visual Home

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive12.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative87.5%

IoT MQTT Panel

All ratings43 ratings
Positive95.3%
Neutral2.3%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews46 reviews
Positive84.8%
Neutral8.7%
Negative6.5%

Bugs and requests

Visual Home

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

IoT MQTT Panel

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • Randomly won't connect to public MQTT brokers
  • App fails to connect to broker frequently
  • Connectivity seems very inconsistent
  • App freezes when trying to input URL in web page panel
  • App does not reconnect after MQTT server disconnects, requires restart
Show 2 more
  • After update, panel window periodically moves up
  • Sometimes switches sensor tabs with significant delay or stops working

Requested features

13 requests
  • Configuration example would be useful
  • Gauges showing color portions instead of whole gauge changing color
  • Apple Watch support for viewing data
  • Option to search for keywords in payload
  • Icon for opening and closing windows
Show 8 more
  • Ability to print user guide
  • Siri shortcuts integration
  • Widgets support
  • Customizable graph scales
  • Alarm rules and notifications
  • Ability to change font color in Text Log widget, possibly based on value condition
  • Traditional Chinese language support
  • More options for panel size on iPad

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Visual Home

Subscriptions1
  • Advanced Features$1.491 Month
None

IoT MQTT Panel

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Visual Home free?
Visual Home is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is IoT MQTT Panel free?
IoT MQTT Panel is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Visual Home or IoT MQTT Panel?
IoT MQTT Panel is rated higher. Visual Home averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while IoT MQTT Panel averages 4.8 from 44 ratings.
Do Visual Home or IoT MQTT Panel have ads?
IoT MQTT Panel shows ads; Visual Home does not.
Which is updated more often, Visual Home or IoT MQTT Panel?
Visual Home ships an update every 4 months, and IoT MQTT Panel fortnightly. Most recently, Visual Home was updated on October 24, 2026 and IoT MQTT Panel on October 24, 2026.

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