# ZK SmartKey vs Shepherd One

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: ZK SmartKey at 9.0 against Shepherd One's 15.6. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

ZK SmartKey ships an update monthly, Shepherd One every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ZK SmartKey | Shepherd One |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[1.7 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zk-smartkey/id1399544296/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **13** | — |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 145 MB | 73 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [ZKTeco Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/955313767) | [Shepherd Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/1441460017) |

## What reviewers say

### ZK SmartKey

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zk-smartkey/id1399544296)

Manage your smart door locks from your mobile device. Grant temporary access, register users via fingerprint or PIN, and track entry records. Control lock volume and reset settings remotely.

**Highlights:** Visitor mode with temporary passcode sharing, User registration via fingerprint, card, or PIN, Access records check (who and when), Time zone access control, Adjustable volume settings (high, low, mute), Remote lock initialization and normal open, Real-time battery status monitoring

**In-app purchases:** none


### Shepherd One

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shepherd-one/id6756651325)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ZK SmartKey free?

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

### Is Shepherd One free?

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

### Do ZK SmartKey or Shepherd One have ads?

Neither ZK SmartKey nor Shepherd One shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ZK SmartKey or Shepherd One?

ZK SmartKey ships an update monthly, and Shepherd One every 5 weeks. Most recently, ZK SmartKey was updated on October 25, 2026 and Shepherd One on September 26, 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.*