# Nest vs Google Home

The clearest difference is ads: Nest at none against Google Home's shown. Nest also leads on review sentiment (24% vs 16%) and device support (4 vs 2). Google Home's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Nest against 4.6 for Google Home. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.6M and 1.4M respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 24% of Nest's written reviews are positive against 16% of Google Home's.

Nest ships an update every 2 months, Google Home weekly. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nest | Google Home |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (2.6M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nest/id464988855/reviews)** | [4.6 (1.4M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-home/id680819774/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.6M** | 1.4M |
| Positive reviews | **24.4% of reviews** | 15.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | #76 | **#10** |
| Size | 240 MB | 637 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nest Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/464988858) | [Google LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) |

## What reviewers say

### Nest

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nest/id464988855)

**Currently charting:** #76 Top Free · Lifestyle (US App Store)

Control your smart home devices, including thermostats, security systems, cameras, and smoke detectors, all from a single app. Receive alerts, manage schedules, and automate actions based on your presence.

**Highlights:** Remote thermostat control, Arm/disarm security system, Live camera feeds, Smoke/CO alerts, Automated actions, Visitor notifications

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🔒 Reliable security features
- 📽️ Good video quality
- 🔔 Useful alerts and notifications
- 🌐 Convenient remote access

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent connectivity issues
- ⏱️ Slow app performance
- 🔒 Overly complex setup and login process
- 💰 Expensive subscription required for full functionality
- 🔋 Battery life issues with cameras

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent home/away detection
- Thermostat schedule resets unexpectedly
- Smoke detector false alarms
- Camera feed freezes or fails to load

**Requested features**

- Improved scheduling and automation options
- Better integration with other smart home devices
- More customization options for alerts and notifications
- Offline viewing and recording capabilities


### Google Home

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-home/id680819774)

**Currently charting:** #10 Top Free · Lifestyle (US App Store)

Manage your smart home devices and stay updated on home activity.  Easily control devices with voice commands and view live camera feeds. Organize your home into custom dashboards for quick access.

**Highlights:** Home status overview, Device grouping into dashboards, Live camera view and history, Voice control with Gemini for Home, Streamlined settings navigation

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent camera quality
- 👍 Secure home monitoring
- 🚀 Reliable notifications

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent disconnections
- 🐛 Buggy app performance
- 👎 Lacking advanced features
- 👎 Unintuitive user interface

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to remove 'ghost' devices
- Inconsistent connectivity between app and devices
- Unreliable motion detection

**Requested features**

- Ability to customize notification settings
- Integration with more smart home devices
- Improved video history browsing


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Nest free?

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

### Is Google Home free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Nest or Google Home?

Nest is rated higher. Nest averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.6M ratings, while Google Home averages 4.6 from 1.4M ratings.

### Do Nest or Google Home have ads?

Google Home shows ads; Nest does not.

### Which is updated more often, Nest or Google Home?

Nest ships an update every 2 months, and Google Home weekly. Most recently, Nest was updated on November 1, 2026 and Google Home on November 1, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Nest or Google Home?

Nest currently peaks at #76 in the App Store charts, and Google Home at #10. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

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