# The Shade Store V2 vs Control4

The clearest difference is update cadence: Control4 at fortnightly against The Shade Store V2's every 5 months. Control4 also leads on review sentiment (38% vs 15%). The Shade Store V2's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

The Shade Store V2 ships an update every 5 months, Control4 fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Shade Store V2 | Control4 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[3.5 (72 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/control4/id6618112371/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **72** |
| Positive reviews | 14.8% of reviews | **38.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 130 MB | 253 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The Shade Store, LLC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1165318929) | [Snap One, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/417819127) |

## What reviewers say

### The Shade Store V2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-shade-store-v2/id1469402211)

Control your motorized shades, blinds, and drapery remotely. Set custom positions, schedule timers for natural light, and group treatments by room or individually. Requires a wireless link accessory.

**Highlights:** Motorized shade, blind, and drapery control, Set up to 30 shade configurations, Schedule automatic timers, Control shades individually or in groups, Remote control from anywhere

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✅ Shades themselves are high quality and beautiful
- 🏠 HomeKit integration works well (when functional)
- 🎯 Easy to set up scenes and timers (once connected)
- 🔊 Voice control with Alexa/Google Home works
- ⚡ Improved performance with newer hub versions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App frequently deletes all devices and settings
- 🔌 Hub connectivity is extremely unreliable
- 📡 Poor WiFi range, requires hub in each room
- 🔗 Incompatible with dual-band routers without workarounds
- 😤 Setup process is unnecessarily complex and fragile

**Reported bugs**

- App loses all saved devices after hub unplugging
- Shades randomly disappear from app
- Hub won't reconnect after power outages
- Firmware requires frequent soft resets
- App stuck in endless pairing loop

**Requested features**

- Battery percentage display in app
- Sunrise/sunset timer functionality
- Labeled buttons during setup process
- Display upcoming timer activation times
- Correct sunrise/sunset time calculations


### Control4

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/control4/id6618112371)

Manage your smart home devices like lighting, music, and security from a single, intuitive interface. Customize your home screen and create automated routines for seamless control. Integrates with Apple HomeKit for Siri voice commands.

**Highlights:** All-in-one home screen control, Customizable favorites and widgets, Automated routines and scenes, Multiroom entertainment management, Live camera views and security alerts, Apple HomeKit and Siri integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Shade Store V2 free?

The Shade Store V2 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Control4 free?

Control4 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do The Shade Store V2 or Control4 have ads?

Neither The Shade Store V2 nor Control4 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Shade Store V2 or Control4?

The Shade Store V2 ships an update every 5 months, and Control4 fortnightly. Most recently, The Shade Store V2 was updated on October 19, 2026 and Control4 on October 21, 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.*