# Hostplus vs Smartly

Hostplus and Smartly both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 49% of Hostplus's written reviews are positive against 32% of Smartly's. Smartly's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Hostplus against 4.8 for Smartly. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 80 and 35 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 49% of Hostplus's written reviews are positive against 32% of Smartly's.

Hostplus ships an update every 2 months, Smartly monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hostplus | Smartly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (80 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hostplus/id1499755194/reviews)** | [4.8 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartly/id1590031328/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **80** | 35 |
| Positive reviews | **49.2% of reviews** | 31.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 30 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HOSTPLUS Super](https://appshunter.io/developer/960507091) | [SmartPayroll](https://appshunter.io/developer/975779688) |

## What reviewers say

### Hostplus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hostplus/id1499755194)

Manage your superannuation and insurance on the go. Check your balance, track contributions, and access useful features securely. Designed for existing members, it offers a simple and intuitive experience.

**Highlights:** Check account balance, Track contributions, View insurance details, Secure login (PIN, Touch ID, Face ID), Simple and easy to understand

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and navigate interface
- 📱 Clean, modern, and intuitive design
- ⚡ Quick access to balance and account information
- 📊 Helpful graphs and visual balance tracking
- 🔔 Real-time balance update notifications

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and errors
- ⏱️ Slow loading times and laggy performance
- 🔄 Frequent maintenance windows and downtime
- ❌ Login failures and authentication issues
- 📉 Real-time balance updates degraded to 1-2 days

**Reported bugs**

- App stuck on loading screen after PIN entry
- Login button unresponsive after recent updates
- Error 122: Minimum security requirements violation
- Unexpected error messages preventing app access
- Session timeout during password recovery

**Requested features**

- Historical balance tracking by specific dates
- Financial year earnings breakdown (not just 12 months)
- Better graphs and detailed performance analysis
- Investment switching capability on app
- Two-factor authentication via authenticator app


### Smartly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartly/id1590031328)

This app allows employees to manage their payroll information, including viewing payslips, applying for leave, and submitting timesheets. Employers must set up employee accounts for access. It simplifies payroll management for both employees and businesses.

**Highlights:** View payslips, Apply for leave, Submit timesheets, Track leave balances, Assign hours to jobs, Email PDF payslips

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Intuitive design
- 👍 Straightforward
- 👍 Good for tracking shifts
- 👍 Great for employees

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Constantly logs out
- 🐛 Frequent login issues
- 🐛 App crashes/freezes
- 🐛 Slow performance
- 🐛 Poor accessibility

**Reported bugs**

- Notifications don't work
- App size increased
- Biometrics enrollment repeated
- Password reset issues
- Login button unresponsive

**Requested features**

- Ability to put in start time without finish time
- Reminder for missing finish time
- More detailed app
- Web portal access for employees
- Ability to handle working past midnight without two entries


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hostplus free?

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

### Is Smartly free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hostplus or Smartly?

Hostplus is rated higher. Hostplus averages 4.9 out of 5 from 80 ratings, while Smartly averages 4.8 from 35 ratings.

### Do Hostplus or Smartly have ads?

Neither Hostplus nor Smartly shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hostplus or Smartly?

Hostplus ships an update every 2 months, and Smartly monthly. Most recently, Hostplus was updated on September 22, 2026 and Smartly on September 21, 2026.

---

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