Comparison

Shelly Smart Control vs Refoss

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

Head to head
About

Shelly Smart Control

Remotely monitor and control smart home devices from anywhere, either through the cloud or your local network. Manage lights, appliances, and sensors, and create custom automation scenes. Supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and LAN connectivity for seamless integration.

Highlights
  • Remote device control
  • Local network control
  • Device monitoring
  • Custom scheduling
  • Scene creation
  • Energy consumption monitoring
  • Real-time alerts
Features
Read full description

This app offers the possibility to control all Shelly devices remotely. You can monitor and control your devices from anywhere (by using the cloud option) or, if you do not want the Cloud option, you will still be able to monitor and control your devices from within your local network. Shelly devices do not need to be connected to the cloud or to send data there. The Shelly Home Automation portfolio includes a variety of relay switches, sensors, plugs, bulbs, and other controllers, all connected and controlled through your Wi-Fi network. The new Shelly Plus and Shelly Pro lines of products additionally support Bluetooth connectivity for faster device inclusion and communication, and the new Shelly Pro line offers LAN and Wi-Fi usage simultaneously. The entire Shelly portfolio is available at https://shelly.cloud/ Shelly devices are suitable to control lights, garage doors, curtains, window blinds, or other appliances, trigger actions based on certain parameters from sensor devices. Devices provide near real time notification on changes of the parameters they are measuring - energy consumption, temperature other environment values. All Shelly devices have: - Embedded Web server - Wi-Fi control and connectivity - APIs for observation and control A user account is required to access, include, and control Shelly devices through the application. Once Shelly account is registered, you can: - Connect the devices to an existing W-Fi network or use their Access Point mode locally to control other Shelly devices; - Include, manage, and operate as many Shelly devices as you need; - Configure devices and manage individual settings on every device; - Configure custom scheduling for automatic actions; - Create personalized rooms for more convenient organising and control of the devices; - Define custom Groups of devices to control multiple devices with one command within the app; - Build simple and complex scenes by combining Shelly devices to trigger certain actions in your home automation; - Monitor current and past electrical power consumption of the electrical circuit(s) and loads (for Shelly devices equipped with Power-measuring capabilities); - Build complex automation solutions for improved energy and operational efficiency; - Receive real time alerts and notifications based on your preference. Shelly devices are compatible with other widely used both local and cloud-based home automation platforms like Google Home or Alexa.

About

Refoss

Control and manage your home automation devices remotely. Schedule device operations, monitor their status, and integrate with voice assistants for hands-free control. Enjoy peace of mind knowing your electronics are managed efficiently.

Highlights
  • Remote on/off control
  • Automated work plans
  • Voice assistant integration
  • Device status monitoring
  • Manage smart plugs
Read full description

Refoss mainly focuses on home automation gadgets. Currently, there are products such as smart plug on the market. Customers can plug the device on it and easily manage the following functions through the Refoss app: 1. Turn on/off electronic devices anytime, anywhere through the Refoss app. 2. Create an on/off work plan to let the equipment work automatically according to the plan. 3. Link your Refoss smart devices to voice assistant, you can easily control the device with your voice. 4. View the on/off status of connected devices from anywhere for peace of mind.

Screenshots

Shelly Smart Control4 screens
Refoss4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Refoss at 4.5 against Shelly Smart Control's 3.2. Refoss also leads on review sentiment (87% vs 48%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Shelly Smart Control's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks). On price, ratings volume, 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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Refoss holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 87 and 125 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 48% of Shelly Smart Control's written reviews are positive against 87% of Refoss's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Shelly Smart Control ships an update every 2 weeks, Refoss every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on October 12, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Shelly Smart Control versus Refoss: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShelly Smart ControlRefoss
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.2 (87 ratings)4.5 (125 ratings) — better
Positive reviews47.6% of reviews87.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings87125 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size252 MB224 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSHELLY EUROPE EOODFLEXBEE HK LIMITED

Customer experience

Shelly Smart Control

All ratings87 ratings
Positive51.7%
Neutral9.2%
Negative39.1%
Written reviews145 reviews
Positive47.6%
Neutral13.1%
Negative39.3%

Refoss

All ratings116 ratings
Positive91.4%
Neutral0.9%
Negative7.8%
Written reviews222 reviews
Positive87.4%
Neutral1.8%
Negative10.8%

Bugs and requests

Shelly Smart Control

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Refoss

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App frequently loses login credentials
  • Incorrect door status reporting
  • Failure to connect and control devices
  • Outdated app version not allowing new features

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to set different electricity rates based on time of day and day of week
  • More detailed energy consumption data (hourly/minute-level)
  • Apple Watch app
  • CarPlay integration
  • Ability to pause/stop door operation mid-cycle

In-app purchases

None

Shelly Smart Control

No in-app purchases

None

Refoss

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Shelly Smart Control free?
Shelly Smart Control is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Refoss free?
Refoss is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Shelly Smart Control or Refoss?
Refoss is rated higher. Shelly Smart Control averages 3.2 out of 5 from 87 ratings, while Refoss averages 4.5 from 125 ratings.
Do Shelly Smart Control or Refoss have ads?
Neither Shelly Smart Control nor Refoss shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Shelly Smart Control or Refoss?
Shelly Smart Control ships an update every 2 weeks, and Refoss every 5 weeks. Most recently, Shelly Smart Control was updated on October 12, 2026 and Refoss on October 12, 2026.

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