# U vs Trace

The clearest difference is update cadence: Trace at every 8 days against U's every 2 months. U's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

U ships an update every 2 months, Trace every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | U | Trace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/u-smart/id1444766879/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **10** | — |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 200 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Umax Czech a.s.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1444766878) | [Semicolon Dev Co.,Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1870802692) |

## What reviewers say

### U

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/u-smart/id1444766879)

Control and manage your smart home devices from a single application. Easily share access with household members and monitor various UMAX U-Smart devices like cameras, sensors, and lighting.

**Highlights:** Remote device control, Household member sharing, Energy measurement sockets, Security camera monitoring, Sensor integration (motion, smoke, gas), Smart lighting control

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Trace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trace-write-portrait-diary/id6761172479)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is U free?

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

### Is Trace free?

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

### Do U or Trace have ads?

Neither U nor Trace shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, U or Trace?

U ships an update every 2 months, and Trace every 8 days. Most recently, U was updated on September 14, 2026 and Trace on September 20, 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.*