# Thermostat Controller vs Smart Home Controller App

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Thermostat Controller at 100% against Smart Home Controller App's 18%. Thermostat Controller also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 11) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Smart Home Controller App's advantage is ratings volume (3.6K vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Smart Home Controller App sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Thermostat Controller asks for nothing beyond the download.

Thermostat Controller holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Smart Home Controller App has 3.6K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Thermostat Controller's written reviews are positive against 18% of Smart Home Controller App's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Thermostat Controller | Smart Home Controller App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thermostat-controller/id6502414185/reviews)** | [4.6 (3.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-home-controller-app/id6744491541/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **3.6K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 18.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 5 MB | 173 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [JASON QUARTZ](https://appshunter.io/developer/1745379151) | [Chorus Labs LLC (CA)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1444757674) |

## What reviewers say

### Thermostat Controller

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thermostat-controller/id6502414185)

Monitor and adjust your Venstar thermostat's temperature, humidity, and fan settings directly from your phone. View current and historical runtime data. Receive optional notifications for state changes.

**Highlights:** View current temperature and humidity, Adjust set temperature, Change heating/cooling mode, Control fan settings, Monitor daily runtime history, Optional state change notifications

**In-app purchases:** none


### Smart Home Controller App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-home-controller-app/id6744491541)

Manage and control a wide range of smart home devices, including plugs, switches, bulbs, and cameras, from a single, intuitive interface. Simplify your daily routines by turning devices on or off with a tap, and easily expand your smart home setup.

**Highlights:** Control smart plugs, switches, and bulbs, Manage Wi-Fi cameras, Single-tap device on/off, Seamless device setup, Intuitive user interface, Expandable smart home management

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Smart Home Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Smart Home Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Smart Home Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Smart Home Premium | $19.99 | per year |
| Smart Home Premium | $19.99 | per year |
| Smart Home Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Smart Home Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Smart Home Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Smart Home Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Smart Home Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Smart Home Premium | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Smart home functionality
- 🔌 Compatibility with Tuya smart plugs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔒 Paywall for basic features
- 🤯 Forced subscription upon sign-up
- 🔁 Constant reconnection issues
- 📱 Unreliable app performance

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Disconnection issues after power outages
- Incompatibility with certain smart home systems

**Requested features**

- Free access to core features
- Improved device compatibility
- Streamlined setup process


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Thermostat Controller free?

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

### Is Smart Home Controller App free?

Smart Home Controller App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Thermostat Controller or Smart Home Controller App?

Thermostat Controller is rated higher. Thermostat Controller averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Smart Home Controller App averages 4.6 from 3.6K ratings.

### Do Thermostat Controller or Smart Home Controller App have ads?

Neither Thermostat Controller nor Smart Home Controller App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Thermostat Controller or Smart Home Controller App?

Thermostat Controller ships an update weekly, and Smart Home Controller App weekly. Most recently, Thermostat Controller was updated on October 2, 2026 and Smart Home Controller App on October 20, 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.*