Comparison

SPAN Home vs RT Olson

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SPAN Home

This app provides smart control over your home's electrical panel, allowing you to monitor energy usage, manage individual rooms and appliances, and uncover cost-saving insights. It enhances home energy management and offers advanced features when paired with solar and battery systems, including EV charging.

Highlights
  • Real-time energy dashboard
  • Room and appliance level control
  • Cost saving insights
  • Power outage protection
  • EV charging integration
  • Over-the-air updates
Read full description

For SPAN Panel MAIN 32 “This thing is a game changer. This is how you save money” - Jon Dawson, Next-gen builder “A long-overdue, borderline genius product that puts much-needed control back into the hands of homeowners.” - Wired Magazine “SPAN is now the center of my smart home. I’ve been waiting most of my life for this product” - A SPAN customer SPAN reinvented the 100-year-old electrical panel with smarter controls for smarter savings. It replaces your existing electrical panel and gives you complete control over every room and appliance in your home right from your phone. From anywhere in the world, the SPAN Home® App allows you to: Centralize your home’s energy data into one real-time dashboard, giving you a 360° view of your home’s energy performance Make real-time energy changes at the room and appliance level to suit your needs and lower your energy bill Uncover cost-saving insights designed to lower your energy bill and save you money When paired with solar panels and a home battery system, SPAN gives you the best protection against power outages by extending battery life by 40%, providing whole-home backup on a single battery system, and the unmatched flexibility to change what your battery system powers in an outage. Your SPAN Home can include SPAN Drive, a universal EV charger that delivers up to 41 miles of range per hour (48A, 11.52kW) of charging for the fastest charging speeds available - all without a service upgrade to install. The SPAN Home App is constantly improving with free, over-the-air updates designed to improve your experience and unlock greater savings.

About

RT Olson

Features
Read full description

Reduce the Cost of Ownership RT Olson can reduce your HVAC system’s operating costs. It provides precise temperature control, reducing energy usage. This smart thermostat app also ensures you get the services you need when you need them. It incorporates the following innovative features: • Remote monitoring • Predictive maintenance alerts • One-touch appointment booking • Service at the touch of a button A crisp LCD screen ensures all functions are easy to find and use. Is your home not comfortable or are energy costs going up? Use the onscreen service request feature to get prompt assistance from your local HVAC company. Get the Most Out of Your Climate Control System The RT Olson app lets you control and monitor temperature, fan speed, and other functions via the main control panel or a smartphone. The future of home comfort and on-demand service, it delivers benefits including: • Smart Notifications: Receive instant notifications on changes in system performance so you can be proactive with maintenance. • Real-Time Monitoring: By monitoring the health of your HVAC system, RT Olson can provide predictive maintenance alerts, which can prevent downtime and increase equipment lifespan. • Service Alerts: Receive notifications of service reminders, membership renewals, and more. Even receive custom messages from your HVAC provider. • Diagnostic Tools: An overview of system health and air quality are available at the touch of a button, at no extra cost. • System Health and Air Quality Alerts: If a problem with your climate control system or an indoor air quality issue is detected, you and your service provider will be automatically notified. Quick and Simple Installation The convenience of a RT Olson thermostat begins even before you start using it. Swapping out an old unit is simple. A technician removes the old thermostat, mounts the new one, and connects the wiring. They’ll even help you set up the app. The new model’s settings are adjusted to meet your climate control requirements. It provides an instant response so you experience immediate comfort. Settings from the old thermostat instantly transfer over using the serial numbers of both units, so the process is fast, simple, and convenient. Forge an Instant Connection with Your HVAC Provider The RT Olson thermostat and app display your HVAC company’s logo onscreen. Their help is available at the touch of a button, so you can put your trust and confidence in a local contractor. It’s not just a modern thermostat. RT Olson is a direct link between you and your AC/heating services provider. Be a Part of the NuveNetwork Nuve has partnered with local HVAC companies so you benefit from new services and smart technologies. Real-time access to your system allows contractors to quickly diagnose and resolve system issues. This can result in fewer emergency calls and in-home visits, so you can save time and money. Get Started Today Getting a RT Olson thermostat and app is easy. Once you’re ready, a representative will contact you and schedule an appointment. Visit the App Store or contact your HVAC dealer to learn more.

Screenshots

SPAN Home4 screens
RT Olson4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: SPAN Home at fortnightly against RT Olson's every 3 months. RT Olson's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.6). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SPAN Home ships an update fortnightly, RT Olson every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
SPAN Home versus RT Olson: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSPAN HomeRT Olson
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.6 (104 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews28.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings104 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.613.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size120 MB63 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSpan.io, IncNuve Home

Bugs and requests

SPAN Home

Reported bugs

34 issues
  • App freezes on iPad
  • Circuit switching sometimes fails
  • App shows ads for other products
  • Energy usage data is inaccurate or delayed
  • PowerUp feature control is hidden
Show 29 more
  • App needs force quit to work
  • Data fails to load or stalls
  • App loses connectivity with batteries
  • System does not function as intended during power outages
  • Estimated battery hours/minutes are incorrect
  • App shows panel offline when it's online
  • App recently deleted backup instructions
  • App displays data hours old
  • App crashes or encounters problems constantly
  • App is slow to load
  • App is sluggish and chunky
  • App shows solar production at night
  • App does not support Powerwall 2
  • Responsiveness for switching breakers is poor
  • Circuit monitoring breaks frequently
  • Panel does not function offline
  • Password change process is difficult
  • App does not integrate multiple panels correctly
  • Setup was a pain
  • App in a cycle of constant loading
  • App does not have native iPad support
  • App UI looks dated
  • App crashes and takes a while to launch
  • App loses connection to battery system frequently
  • App disconnects way too often
  • App is seriously dumbed down from v1
  • App has basic inconsistencies in real-time stats
  • App data does not match Tesla App
  • App only supports Alexa and it doesn't work

Requested features

23 requests
  • Unified view for multiple panels
  • Improved app customization
  • More robust connectivity
  • Better Tesla battery integration support
  • Easier labeling of breakers
Show 18 more
  • Darker, more readable app interface
  • Desktop dashboard/web app
  • Smaller SPAN sub-panel option
  • Modular sub-panel breaker monitoring
  • Public API for Home Assistant integration
  • Native iPad support (split screen, hover)
  • More smart home integration (Apple HomeKit)
  • Ability to toggle between panels with swipe
  • Increased character limit for circuit names
  • iOS Widget for at-a-glance data
  • Schedule breakers to turn on/off automatically
  • Better daily data view for breaker level changes
  • 2FA for account security
  • Historical usage per circuit
  • SPAN Drive mode for solar-only charging
  • Basic voltage readouts for grid diagnostics
  • Improved Time of Day Plans functionality
  • Fix for 'areas' feature for multi-panel setups

RT Olson

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

SPAN Home

No in-app purchases

None

RT Olson

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SPAN Home free?
SPAN Home is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is RT Olson free?
RT Olson is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do SPAN Home or RT Olson have ads?
Neither SPAN Home nor RT Olson shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SPAN Home or RT Olson?
SPAN Home ships an update fortnightly, and RT Olson every 3 months. Most recently, SPAN Home was updated on October 24, 2026 and RT Olson on October 12, 2026.

Other comparisons