# Access Control by Shelly vs Control4

The clearest difference is update cadence: Control4 at fortnightly against Access Control by Shelly's every 2 months. Access Control by Shelly's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Access Control by Shelly ships an update every 2 months, Control4 fortnightly. Both last shipped on November 8, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Access Control by Shelly | Control4 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[3.5 (75 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/control4/id6618112371/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **75** |
| Positive reviews | — | 39.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 10 MB | 258 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SHELLY EUROPE EOOD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1521653049) | [Snap One, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/417819127) |

## What reviewers say

### Access Control by Shelly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/access-control-by-shelly/id6474441948)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Control4

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/control4/id6618112371)

Manage your smart home devices, including lighting, security, and entertainment, from a single, intuitive interface. Customize your home screen and create personalized routines for seamless automation. Integrates with Apple HomeKit for Siri voice control.

**Highlights:** All-in-one home screen control, Customizable favorites and widgets, Personalized routines and scenes, Multiroom entertainment management, Live camera views, Apple HomeKit integration, Smart notifications

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Access Control by Shelly free?

Access Control by Shelly is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Control4 free?

Control4 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Access Control by Shelly or Control4 have ads?

Neither Access Control by Shelly nor Control4 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Access Control by Shelly or Control4?

Access Control by Shelly ships an update every 2 months, and Control4 fortnightly. Most recently, Access Control by Shelly was updated on November 8, 2026 and Control4 on November 8, 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.*