# Carter Lumber vs Kidde

The clearest difference is rating: Kidde at 4.7 against Carter Lumber's 2.6. Kidde also leads on ratings volume (6.7K vs 5) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). Carter Lumber's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (67% vs 45%). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Kidde sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Carter Lumber asks for nothing beyond the download.

Kidde holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Kidde has 6.7K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of Carter Lumber's written reviews are positive against 45% of Kidde's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Carter Lumber ships an update every 5 months, Kidde every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on August 8, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Carter Lumber | Kidde |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/carter-lumber/id502987927/reviews) | **[4.7 (6.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kidde/id942334464/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **6.7K** |
| Positive reviews | **66.7% of reviews** | 45.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 51 MB | 88 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Carter-Jones Companies Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/502988530) | [Walter Kidde Portable Equipment](https://appshunter.io/developer/942334463) |

## What reviewers say

### Carter Lumber

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/carter-lumber/id502987927)

Easily locate your nearest Carter Lumber store with directions, contact information, and email. Track your Yard Rewards points to manage your loyalty benefits.

**Highlights:** Store locator by city, state, or zip code, Get directions to stores, Email and call stores directly, Check Yard Rewards points balance, Quick access to store information

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Kidde

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kidde/id942334464)

This app connects to smart home safety devices, providing real-time alerts for smoke, CO, air quality, and water leaks. It offers features like Smart Hush, remote notifications to loved ones, and advanced indoor air quality monitoring through a subscription service.

**Highlights:** Real-time alarm notifications, Smart Hush functionality, QR code setup for Wi-Fi connection, Device replacement notifications, Remote notifications to friends/family, Advanced Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) monitoring, Mold Risk Analysis

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Advanced Home Health - Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Advanced Home Health - Annual | $19.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy setup
- 👍 Helpful app features
- 🔒 Provides peace of mind
- 💡 Useful air quality monitoring
- 👍 Good customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent false alarms
- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🐛 Buggy app and firmware
- 👎 Paywalled features
- 👎 Poor user experience

**Reported bugs**

- App unable to connect to devices
- Firmware updates failing
- Devices going offline randomly
- Notifications not working as expected
- Inconsistent device naming in app

**Requested features**

- Add HomeKit support
- Improve historical data tracking
- Provide more detailed temperature/air quality data
- Allow remote alarm silencing
- Enhance app stability and usability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Carter Lumber free?

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

### Is Kidde free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Carter Lumber or Kidde?

Kidde is rated higher. Carter Lumber averages 2.6 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Kidde averages 4.7 from 6.7K ratings.

### Do Carter Lumber or Kidde have ads?

Neither Carter Lumber nor Kidde shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Carter Lumber or Kidde?

Carter Lumber ships an update every 5 months, and Kidde every 2 months. Most recently, Carter Lumber was updated on August 8, 2026 and Kidde on September 28, 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.*