# NorthStar Home vs Sunnova

The clearest difference is rating: Sunnova at 3.9 against NorthStar Home's 3.2. Sunnova also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (857 vs 59). On price, review sentiment, 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.

Sunnova holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sunnova has 857 ratings behind it against 59, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 7% and 6% positive.

NorthStar Home ships an update every 2 months, Sunnova every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NorthStar Home | Sunnova |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.2 (59 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/northstar-home/id1494477150/reviews) | **[3.9 (857 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sunnova/id1604631393/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 59 | **857** |
| Positive reviews | **7.1% of reviews** | 6.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 377 MB | 87 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Northstar Alarm Services, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/978891992) | [Sunnova Energy Corp](https://appshunter.io/developer/1435520898) |

## What reviewers say

### NorthStar Home

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/northstar-home/id1494477150)

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:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Sunnova

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sunnova/id1604631393)

Take charge of your home's energy consumption. This app integrates solar, storage, and electric vehicle management into a single platform. Monitor performance, optimize usage, and gain insights into your energy ecosystem.

**Highlights:** Manage solar, storage, and EV devices, View energy performance (hourly, daily, monthly), Optimize home energy usage, Centralized energy ecosystem management, Control Sunnova Adaptive Home™

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Intuitive interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- ⚠️ Unreliable data
- 🔒 Login issues
- 💸 Poor customer service
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes on startup
- Incorrect or missing production data
- Billing information not updating properly

**Requested features**

- Custom date range for production data
- Real-time energy usage and generation data
- Ability to view individual panel performance


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NorthStar Home free?

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

### Is Sunnova free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NorthStar Home or Sunnova?

Sunnova is rated higher. NorthStar Home averages 3.2 out of 5 from 59 ratings, while Sunnova averages 3.9 from 857 ratings.

### Do NorthStar Home or Sunnova have ads?

Neither NorthStar Home nor Sunnova shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NorthStar Home or Sunnova?

NorthStar Home ships an update every 2 months, and Sunnova every 3 weeks. Most recently, NorthStar Home was updated on October 24, 2026 and Sunnova on October 22, 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.*