# Calex Smart vs publicroam

The clearest difference is rating: Calex Smart at 4.3 against publicroam's 1.3. Calex Smart also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 13 months) and review sentiment (34% vs 10%). On price, ratings volume, 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.

Calex Smart holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 1.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 35 and 13 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 34% of Calex Smart's written reviews are positive against 10% of publicroam's.

Calex Smart ships an update every 2 months, publicroam every 13 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and July 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Calex Smart | publicroam |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calex-smart/id1471978691/reviews)** | [1.3 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/publicroam/id1576180928/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **35** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | **33.9% of reviews** | 10.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 13 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 253 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 14.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Electro Cirkel Retail B.V](https://appshunter.io/developer/1461044589) | [Publicroam](https://appshunter.io/developer/1576180930) |

## What reviewers say

### Calex Smart

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calex-smart/id1471978691)

Control your smart lights and appliances with ease. Automate your devices using smart routines for seamless on/off control. Enjoy plug-and-play installation via WiFi without needing an extra hub.

**Highlights:** Control smart lights and appliances, Create smart routines, Plug and Play WiFi installation, No additional gateway needed

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Good value for money
- 👍 Intuitive and flexible app
- 💡 Lights work well
- 💡 Easy to use app
- 💡 Good control over brightness and hue

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent connection issues
- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Difficult device pairing
- 🐛 Poor integration with Apple Home
- 🐛 Devices go offline randomly

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when changing color
- App crashes on iPhone
- App keeps crashing or losing connection
- App loses connection for no reason
- Devices go offline and won't reconnect

**Requested features**

- Widget support for Home Screen
- Dark mode
- Better Apple HomeKit integration
- Create widgets for iPhone Home Screen
- Integrate with Apple Shortcuts for custom automation


### publicroam

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/publicroam/id1576180928)

Gain automatic and secure access to guest WiFi at various participating organizations. Manage your personal account and connect multiple devices to the network. Enjoy free and private internet access.

**Highlights:** Automatic WiFi connection, Secure guest network access, Connect multiple devices, Personal account management, Access at diverse venues

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Calex Smart free?

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

### Is publicroam free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Calex Smart or publicroam?

Calex Smart is rated higher. Calex Smart averages 4.3 out of 5 from 35 ratings, while publicroam averages 1.3 from 13 ratings.

### Do Calex Smart or publicroam have ads?

Neither Calex Smart nor publicroam shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Calex Smart or publicroam?

Calex Smart ships an update every 2 months, and publicroam every 13 months. Most recently, Calex Smart was updated on September 25, 2026 and publicroam on July 7, 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.*