Comparison

Alarm.com vs Control4 for OS 3

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

Head to head
About

Alarm.com

Connect and protect your home or business with a unified system. Remotely control security, locks, lights, and cameras, and receive intelligent alerts for crime, fire, or water damage. Automate routines and manage your property from anywhere.

Highlights
  • Remote property control
  • Intelligent alerts and live video
  • Security automation
  • Smart lock and light control
  • Video camera monitoring
  • Two-way doorbell communication
Features
Read full description

Keep your home or business connected, protected and one step ahead with Alarm.com. Our technology connects your security, locks, lights, video cameras and more into a single system that protects you from crime, fire, carbon monoxide and even water damage. Our all-in-one app for iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch makes it easy to: • Control your entire property remotely • Know what’s going on with intelligent alerts and live video feeds • Automate your daily security routine and other time-consuming tasks Our Apple Watch-supported features make connecting with home or work as easy as checking the time, with alerts, video clips and a full range of smart controls accessible right on your wrist. Note: This app requires a compatible system and an interactive Alarm.com service plan. Feature availability varies based on system, equipment, and service plan. Visit www.alarm.com for more information. Our smarter home security features include: • Control your security panel, locks, lights and more from anywhere • Get alerts when people enter and leave, or when there’s unexpected activity • Watch live and recorded video from indoor and outdoor cameras • Customize your video alerts to see specific activity only • Talk to visitors through your doorbell camera and unlock your door from the same screen • Use Scenes commands to activate multiple devices with one touch Our smarter business security features include: • Arm or disarm your security panel across multiple locations • Get alerted if the store opens late or an employee accesses a restricted area • Get smarter video alerts that highlight specific types of activity • Automate your lights, locks, thermostats and more • Track and manage access to multiple properties • Buzz open your access control doors from the Doorbell Call screen • Respond to alarm events and alert emergency personnel Dependable in emergencies and helpful every day, Alarm.com is the all-in-one solution for the connected, protected home or business.

About

Control4 for OS 3

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a personal interface for your smart home. Control all connected devices, including lights, thermostats, security, and media, with a redesigned, personalized experience. Requires a Control4 Smart Home OS 3 system.

Highlights
  • Personalized user interface
  • Control lights, thermostats, security
  • Manage music and video
  • Access favorites and room-specific settings
  • Intuitive volume control
  • Customizable room wallpapers
Features
Read full description

This Control4 app is specifically designed to be used with Control4 Smart Homes running OS 3. It turns your iPhone or iPad into your personal user interface to control all your smart home devices. ------------ NOTE: Prior to using this app, your Control4 system must be updated to Control4 Smart Home OS 3 or later. If you are unsure of the software version on your system, check with your Control4 Dealer or login to your Control4 account at control4.com. ------------ Smart Home OS 3 was thoughtfully redesigned to make it more personal and the smart home OS of choice for families. It enables you to check on the status and control your entire smart home including music, video, lights, thermostats, security system, cameras, door locks, garage doors, pools, and much more. New features in OS 3 • Favorites give you fast access to the devices and sources that you use most • Quickly personalize the interface right from the app • Each room can have its own favorites for fast access to the things you use most • Hide icons that are less important, but easily access them through the room menu • Swipe between favorite rooms to quickly navigate around the home • Filtering lets you see all lights, locks and shades, or just those that are on, unlocked or open • All-new Active Media Bar shows what’s currently playing and gives you fast control of media • Easily adjust volume through a new, intuitive volume slider control • Background wallpapers for each room can now be easily changed right from the app Visit Control4.com to learn more, find a showroom near you, or find a independent professional integrator.

Screenshots

Alarm.com4 screens
Control4 for OS 34 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Alarm.com at 4.7 against Control4 for OS 3's 3.0. Alarm.com also leads on ratings volume (141K vs 573). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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

Alarm.com holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Alarm.com has 141K ratings behind it against 573, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 23% and 22% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Alarm.com ships an update every 4 weeks, Control4 for OS 3 fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Alarm.com versus Control4 for OS 3: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAlarm.comControl4 for OS 3
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (141K ratings) — better3.0 (573 ratings)
Positive reviews22.8% of reviews — better21.9% of reviews
Number of ratings141K — better573
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size443 MB207 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlarm.comSnap One, LLC

Customer experience

Alarm.com

All ratings141,339 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral2.2%
Negative4.0%
Written reviews1,108 reviews
Positive22.8%
Neutral11.5%
Negative65.7%

Control4 for OS 3

All ratings573 ratings
Positive46.4%
Neutral7.7%
Negative45.9%
Written reviews274 reviews
Positive21.9%
Neutral7.7%
Negative70.4%

User reviews

Alarm.com

From 141K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and intuitive app
  • 🔒 Provides good security and monitoring
  • 👍 Easy to use and control home devices
  • 💡 Helpful for remote home management

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent connectivity issues and app crashes
  • 🔋 Unreliable notifications and alerts
  • 👎 Poor customer service and technical support
  • 🕰️ Slow response times for arming/disarming

Control4 for OS 3

From 573 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Responsive and fast
  • 🌟 Elegant and modern UI
  • 🔒 Robust security features
  • 👍 Customizable and personalized
  • 🎨 Improved visual design

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • ⏱️ Slow load times and reconnections
  • 🔌 Unreliable connectivity
  • 🤖 Lacking integration with smart home platforms
  • 💰 Expensive and costly to maintain

Bugs and requests

Alarm.com

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inconsistent display of system status
  • Inability to update WiFi settings remotely
  • Unexpected resets of user preferences
  • Delayed or missing video recordings

Requested features

4 requests
  • Customizable notification sounds
  • Ability to bypass specific sensors
  • Improved video quality and reliability
  • Integration with other smart home platforms

Control4 for OS 3

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Intercom and doorbell issues
  • Thermostat controls not working as expected
  • Inability to connect to the system remotely
  • Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions
  • Unexpected app crashes and freezes

Requested features

5 requests
  • Apple Watch app support
  • Better integration with Apple ecosystem
  • Improved voice control and Alexa integration
  • More customization options for users
  • Faster and more responsive app performance

In-app purchases

None

Alarm.com

No in-app purchases

None

Control4 for OS 3

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Alarm.com free?
Alarm.com is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Control4 for OS 3 free?
Control4 for OS 3 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Alarm.com or Control4 for OS 3?
Alarm.com is rated higher. Alarm.com averages 4.7 out of 5 from 141K ratings, while Control4 for OS 3 averages 3.0 from 573 ratings.
Do Alarm.com or Control4 for OS 3 have ads?
Neither Alarm.com nor Control4 for OS 3 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Alarm.com or Control4 for OS 3?
Alarm.com ships an update every 4 weeks, and Control4 for OS 3 fortnightly. Most recently, Alarm.com was updated on October 18, 2026 and Control4 for OS 3 on October 15, 2026.

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