# Thule vs IKEA Home smart

The clearest difference is update cadence: IKEA Home smart at fortnightly against Thule's monthly. Thule's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Thule ships an update monthly, IKEA Home smart fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 2, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Thule | IKEA Home smart |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.4 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ikea-home-smart/id1633226273/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1.3K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 34.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 108 MB | 208 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Thule Sweden AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536476445) | [Inter IKEA Systems B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/339722471) |

## What reviewers say

### Thule

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thule/id1536476443)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### IKEA Home smart

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ikea-home-smart/id1633226273)

Automate your home with smart lighting, speakers, blinds, and air purifiers. Create custom scenes for everyday moments like waking up or leaving home, and control devices individually or in groups. Integrates with popular voice assistants for seamless control.

**Highlights:** Create custom scenes, Control devices individually or in groups, Schedule scenes, Voice assistant integration, Personalize rooms and products, Remote control options

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy setup
- 👍 Intuitive app
- 🔒 Privacy-focused
- 🚀 Reliable connectivity
- 👍 Good HomeKit integration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app
- 🔌 Unreliable connectivity
- 🔌 Frequent disconnections
- 🐛 Unstable firmware updates
- 🔌 Alexa integration issues

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to remove devices
- Scenes not working as expected
- Inconsistent device discovery
- Shortcut buttons not functioning
- HomeKit integration problems

**Requested features**

- Gradual lighting transitions
- Sunrise/sunset automation
- Remote access functionality
- More customization options
- Improved energy monitoring


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Thule free?

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

### Is IKEA Home smart free?

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

### Do Thule or IKEA Home smart have ads?

Neither Thule nor IKEA Home smart shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Thule or IKEA Home smart?

Thule ships an update monthly, and IKEA Home smart fortnightly. Most recently, Thule was updated on September 2, 2026 and IKEA Home smart on September 26, 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.*