# ADT Pulse ® vs Canary

The clearest difference is rating: ADT Pulse ® at 4.8 against Canary's 4.2. ADT Pulse ® also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ads (none vs shown). Canary's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Canary sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. ADT Pulse ® asks for nothing beyond the download.

ADT Pulse ® holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ADT Pulse ® has 850K ratings behind it against 5.6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 28% of ADT Pulse ®'s written reviews are positive against 33% of Canary's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ADT Pulse ® ships an update every 3 months, Canary monthly. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | ADT Pulse ® | Canary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (850K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/adt-pulse/id355736423/reviews)** | [4.2 (5.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/canary-smart-home-security/id939760559/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **850K** | 5.6K |
| Positive reviews | 28.1% of reviews | **32.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 99 MB | 158 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ADT LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/355736426) | [Canary Connect](https://appshunter.io/developer/939760558) |

## What reviewers say

### ADT Pulse ®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/adt-pulse/id355736423)

Control your home or business security and automation system remotely. Manage cameras, lights, locks, and thermostats, and receive alerts for peace of mind. Arm or disarm your system, adjust settings, and set custom automations from anywhere.

**Highlights:** Remote system arming/disarming, Control lights, locks, and thermostats, View live surveillance camera feeds, Receive security and arrival alerts, Set custom automations and schedules, Remote door lock/unlock

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Reliable system
- 👍 Easy to use app
- 🔒 Provides peace of mind
- 🚀 Convenient remote access

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connection issues with app
- 🐛 Slow camera feed loading
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance
- 💰 Expensive service

**Reported bugs**

- App unable to connect to security system
- Camera feeds frequently going offline
- Arm/disarm functions not working reliably
- Notifications not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Ability to view full video history
- Geofencing for automatic arming/disarming
- Tighter integration with smart home devices
- Faster app response times


### Canary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/canary-smart-home-security/id939760559)

Monitor your home with live and recorded HD video, receive intelligent notifications for unusual activity, and manage security modes automatically. This app also tracks indoor air quality, temperature, and humidity for a healthier living environment.

**Highlights:** Live and recorded HD video monitoring, Intelligent event notifications, Automatic arming/disarming modes, Indoor air quality, temperature, humidity tracking, Emergency siren and responder connection, Save and bookmark video clips

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Service | $7.99 | per month |
| Professional Monitoring | $19.99 | per month |
| Premium Service | $24.99 | per month |
| Premium Service | $79.99 | per year |
| Premium Service | $249.00 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to set up
- 🔒 Reliable security system
- 📊 Comprehensive dashboard and data
- 🌡️ Monitors temperature, humidity, and air quality
- 💬 Two-way audio communication

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent disconnections and offline issues
- 🔍 Poor motion detection and false alerts
- 🕰️ Limited video history without subscription
- 🔒 Subscription required for essential features
- 📺 Slow video loading and playback

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Inability to delete or remove cameras
- Inaccurate temperature and air quality readings
- Inconsistent live view and recording functionality

**Requested features**

- Ability to move and reposition cameras
- Longer video history for free users
- Improved geofencing and automatic mode switching
- Better motion detection and person identification
- Easier multi-camera management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ADT Pulse ® free?

ADT Pulse ® is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Canary free?

Canary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, ADT Pulse ® or Canary?

ADT Pulse ® is rated higher. ADT Pulse ® averages 4.8 out of 5 from 850K ratings, while Canary averages 4.2 from 5.6K ratings.

### Do ADT Pulse ® or Canary have ads?

Canary shows ads; ADT Pulse ® does not.

### Which is updated more often, ADT Pulse ® or Canary?

ADT Pulse ® ships an update every 3 months, and Canary monthly. Most recently, ADT Pulse ® was updated on November 6, 2026 and Canary on November 6, 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.*