Comparison

ADT Control ® vs NorthStar Home

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

Head to head
About

ADT Control ®

This app provides a unified platform to control and monitor various smart home devices, including security systems, locks, lights, and thermostats. Users can manage their home environment remotely, receive alerts, and view video feeds from a single interface.

Highlights
  • Remote security system control
  • Smart lock management
  • Lighting and thermostat adjustment
  • Garage door operation
  • Live video monitoring
  • Customizable alerts
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The new ADT Control app delivers on ADT’s commitment to provide new and innovative ways to help protect what matters most. More than a smart app, ADT Control app is the new interactive service that seamlessly connects the key devices in customers’ homes on one platform—so they work together and work smarter. ADT allows customers to control the security system, locks, lights, garage doors and thermostats, watch video and get alerts from a single screen.

About

NorthStar Home

Monitor and control your home or business remotely from your Apple devices. Manage security, view live video, and automate devices like lights and thermostats. Receive real-time notifications for important events.

Highlights
  • Real-time remote monitoring
  • Interactive security control
  • Live video streaming
  • Home automation management
  • Customizable push notifications
  • Apple Watch integration
Features
Read full description

With a NorthStar Home security system, you can monitor and control your home or business in real-time and from anywhere - from your iPhone, iPad, or your Apple Watch. NorthStar Home's interactive security, video monitoring, energy management, and home automation solutions give you instant awareness and remote control for the places you care about most. With Apple Watch support, your home is always at your fingertips, and on your wrist. Glances let you quickly see home status, and through the watch app you can control your key devices and even view live video from your home. Note: This app requires a compatible system and an interactive NorthStar Home service plan. Feature availability varies based on system, equipment, and service plan. Visit www.northstarhome.com for more information. Remote features: • See what’s happening at your property • Arm or disarm your security panel • Watch live video and recorded clips from your security cameras • Turn on or off lights • Set the ideal temperature • Lock or unlock doors • Search your complete system event history • And much more! With NorthStar Home, you can also receive real-time email, text message, and push notifications for the specific events that matter to you. Beyond important emergency related events, you can also immediately know when: Your kids get home from school

Screenshots

ADT Control ®4 screens
NorthStar Home4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: ADT Control ® at 4.8 against NorthStar Home's 3.2. ADT Control ® also leads on ratings volume (495K vs 59) and chart position (#99 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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

ADT Control ® holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ADT Control ® has 495K ratings behind it against 59, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 12% of ADT Control ®'s written reviews are positive against 7% of NorthStar Home's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ADT Control ® ships an update every 4 months, NorthStar Home every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
ADT Control ® versus NorthStar Home: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterADT Control ®NorthStar Home
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (495K ratings) — better3.2 (59 ratings)
Positive reviews12.0% of reviews — better7.1% of reviews
Number of ratings495K — better59
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#99 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size360 MB377 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperADT LLCNorthstar Alarm Services, LLC

Customer experience

ADT Control ®

All ratings494,786 ratings
Positive96.5%
Neutral1.6%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews1,352 reviews
Positive12.0%
Neutral8.7%
Negative79.4%

NorthStar Home

All ratings59 ratings
Positive52.5%
Neutral3.4%
Negative44.1%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive7.1%
Neutral7.1%
Negative85.7%

Bugs and requests

ADT Control ®

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Frequent app freezes and crashes
  • Inconsistent camera connectivity
  • Inaccurate alarm status reporting
  • Inability to change default camera screenshot

Requested features

5 requests
  • Panic button feature
  • Ability to customize camera settings
  • Improved video playback and storage
  • Seamless integration with other smart home devices
  • Automated arming/disarming based on location

NorthStar Home

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

ADT Control ®

No in-app purchases

None

NorthStar Home

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ADT Control ® free?
ADT Control ® is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is NorthStar Home free?
NorthStar Home is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ADT Control ® or NorthStar Home?
ADT Control ® is rated higher. ADT Control ® averages 4.8 out of 5 from 495K ratings, while NorthStar Home averages 3.2 from 59 ratings.
Do ADT Control ® or NorthStar Home have ads?
Neither ADT Control ® nor NorthStar Home shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ADT Control ® or NorthStar Home?
ADT Control ® ships an update every 4 months, and NorthStar Home every 2 months. Most recently, ADT Control ® was updated on November 6, 2026 and NorthStar Home on November 3, 2026.

Other comparisons