# AUTOMATE SHADES vs Reader Ultra

The clearest difference is price: AUTOMATE SHADES at Free against Reader Ultra's $9.99. AUTOMATE SHADES also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.5). Reader Ultra's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 6 weeks) and chart position (#143 vs unranked). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

AUTOMATE SHADES is free to download; Reader Ultra costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

AUTOMATE SHADES ships an update every 6 weeks, Reader Ultra daily. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AUTOMATE SHADES | Reader Ultra |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $9.99 |
| Rating | **[3.1 (93 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/automate-shades/id1460852253/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **93** | — |
| Positive reviews | 32.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Best chart rank | — | **#143** |
| Size | 151 MB | 120 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 26.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [ROLLEASE ACMEDA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1134859288) | [Jonathan Clarke](https://appshunter.io/developer/1891606137) |

## What reviewers say

### AUTOMATE SHADES

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/automate-shades/id1460852253)

Effortlessly control and automate motorized window shades. Organize shades by room, group them into scenes, and set timers for daily routines. Monitor battery levels and signal strength for all shades remotely.

**Highlights:** Room-based organization, Scene creation and activation, Automated timers, Remote control, Battery and signal monitoring, Sunrise/sunset automation

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great customer service
- 🚀 Fantastic support
- 🚀 Works as described
- 🚀 Excellent functionality and flexibility
- 🚀 Timer function is exceptional

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
- 🐛 Frequent disconnections and sync issues
- 🐛 Difficult to set up and configure
- 🐛 Poor HomeKit and smart home integration
- 🐛 Unresponsive devices

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Shades disappearing from the app
- Timers and schedules not working as expected
- Connectivity issues between hub and shades
- Inconsistent performance after updates

**Requested features**

- Improved user interface and navigation
- Better sync and reliability across devices
- Enhanced smart home integrations
- Customizable shade positioning and automation
- Battery level notifications


### Reader Ultra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reader-ultra/id6770337270)

**Currently charting:** #143 Top Paid · Lifestyle (US App Store)

**Features:** Safari Extension, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AUTOMATE SHADES free?

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

### Is Reader Ultra free?

Reader Ultra costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do AUTOMATE SHADES or Reader Ultra have ads?

Neither AUTOMATE SHADES nor Reader Ultra shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AUTOMATE SHADES or Reader Ultra?

AUTOMATE SHADES ships an update every 6 weeks, and Reader Ultra daily. Most recently, AUTOMATE SHADES was updated on October 21, 2026 and Reader Ultra on October 25, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*