# GedView vs Controller for HomeKit

The clearest difference is review sentiment: GedView at 73% against Controller for HomeKit's 26%. GedView also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and chart position (#108 vs unranked). Controller for HomeKit's advantage is price (Free vs $4.99) and rating (4.1 vs 3.7). On ads there is nothing between them.

Controller for HomeKit is free to download; GedView costs $4.99 up front. Controller for HomeKit sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. GedView asks for nothing beyond the download.

Controller for HomeKit holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Controller for HomeKit has 2.7K ratings behind it against 29, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 73% of GedView's written reviews are positive against 26% of Controller for HomeKit's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

GedView ships an update monthly, Controller for HomeKit every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | GedView | Controller for HomeKit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.7 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gedview/id314845375/reviews) | **[4.1 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/controller-for-homekit/id1198176727/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 29 | **2.7K** |
| Positive reviews | **73.3% of reviews** | 26.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#108** | — |
| Size | 21 MB | 212 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [David Knight](https://appshunter.io/developer/314845378) | [acasa Software GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/974663980) |

## What reviewers say

### GedView

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gedview/id314845375)

**Currently charting:** #108 Top Paid · Lifestyle (US App Store)

Access and edit your entire family tree on your mobile device. Quickly check relationships, dates, and locations, and record new information, photos, or videos on the go. Supports multiple trees and various file types.

**Highlights:** Carry entire family tree on mobile, Check relationships, dates, and locations, Record new information, photos, and videos, Supports multiple family trees, View various document types (PDF, Word, etc.), Import and export GEDCOM files

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Awesome genealogy app
- 🚀 No unnecessary bells and whistles
- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 👍 Professionally done and very easy to use
- 👍 Excellent way to carry family history information

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy on iPad version
- 🐛 Input not intuitive and unforgiving of mistakes
- 🐛 Reports don't work, crash the app
- 🐛 Drops name fields without warning
- 🐛 Cannot view GEDCOM files

**Reported bugs**

- Drops name fields without warning
- Cannot view GEDCOM files
- Unable to import GEDCOM
- Size limitation on GEDCOM files
- Cannot print pedigree or descendant charts

**Requested features**

- Relationship calculator
- Ability to search by events
- List births, deaths, and marriages by date
- Tree view
- Ability to add photos


### Controller for HomeKit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/controller-for-homekit/id1198176727)

Enhance your smart home experience with advanced control and automation. Visualize your home with floor plans, track device performance with charts, and create complex automations tailored to your needs. Organize devices, store setup codes, and monitor your entire smart home ecosystem.

**Highlights:** Floor plan visualization with LiDAR, Device performance charts, Complex automations and workflows, Custom notifications, Smart folders and filters, Setup code storage, Device maintenance and logs

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Controller Essentials | $4.99 | per month |
| Essentials Lifetime - Plus Addon | $4.99 | per month |
| Controller Plus | $8.99 | per month |
| Controller Essentials | $39.99 | per year |
| Essentials Lifetime - Plus Addon | $39.99 | per year |
| Controller Plus | $79.99 | per year |
| Controller Essentials Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful automation features
- 📚 Helpful backup and restore functionality
- 🔍 Detailed logging and troubleshooting
- 🧠 Advanced HomeKit control and customization

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crash-prone
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🤖 Poor customer support
- 🤔 Confusing and unintuitive UI

**Reported bugs**

- Backup and restore issues
- Disappearing automations and accessories
- Compatibility problems with iOS 16.2
- Slow performance and unresponsiveness

**Requested features**

- Improved documentation and tutorials
- Better integration with Apple Home app
- Support for more HomeKit device types
- Ability to customize automation triggers


## Frequently asked questions

### Is GedView free?

GedView costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Controller for HomeKit free?

Controller for HomeKit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, GedView or Controller for HomeKit?

Controller for HomeKit is rated higher. GedView averages 3.7 out of 5 from 29 ratings, while Controller for HomeKit averages 4.1 from 2.7K ratings.

### Do GedView or Controller for HomeKit have ads?

Neither GedView nor Controller for HomeKit shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, GedView or Controller for HomeKit?

GedView ships an update monthly, and Controller for HomeKit every 10 days. Most recently, GedView was updated on September 21, 2026 and Controller for HomeKit on September 23, 2026.

---

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