Comparison

openHAB vs Synctrain

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

openHAB

This app acts as a companion to an open-source home automation system, allowing users to control and integrate various smart home devices. It offers remote access, enhanced notifications, and a customizable interface for managing your smart home ecosystem.

Highlights
  • Seamless integration with openHAB UI
  • Remote control via openHAB Cloud
  • Enhanced push notifications
  • Apple Watch companion app
  • Natively supports iPhone and iPad
  • Connects to over 3000 devices
Features
Read full description

The official companion application for openHAB - an open source home automation system. The open Home Automation Bus (openHAB) project aims at providing a universal integration platform for connecting home automation technologies into a single intelligent system. With more than 3000 things that openHAB can connect to, there’s virtually nothing that can’t be integrated. Its advanced rules based architecture allows complete automation using several popular scripting languages (Java Script, Ruby, Python, Java, RDSL, and more ) as well as visual rule designers using either drag and drop interfaces or simple “If / Then” forms. The new openHAB UI allows users to easily build beautiful interfaces customized to their needs. openHAB is designed to be absolutely vendor-neutral as well as hardware/protocol-agnostic. Key Features: * Integrates seamlessly with your own openHAB UI (Main UI or sitemaps) * Control everything on your openHAB server directly or remotely through the free openHAB Cloud service (https://myopenhab.org) * Enhanced push notifications with media from openHAB Cloud and the openHAB cloud binding * Apple Watch companion app * Natively supports both iPhone and iPad Make openHAB the central integration and control point of your Smart Home. You will find openHAB at http://www.openhab.org/ openHAB has over 450 add-ons, supporting over 3000 things, some of which include: Aiphone, Amazon Dash Button, Amazon Echo Control, AmpliFi, AndroidTV, Anker, Apple HomeKit, Arlo, August, Belkin, Blink, Bosch Smart Home, Bose SoundTouch, Brinks, Chamberlain, Chromecast, Cree, D-Link, Daikin, Denon / Marantz, Dynaudio, Ecobee, Electrolux, Eero, Fibaro, Foscam, Freebox, Gardena, Google Home, Hisense, Honeywell, Honeywell Home, Hue, iRobot, JBL, Jablotron Alarm, Kaleidescape, Kenwood, KNX, Kodi, Kuka, Kwikset, LIFX, LG, Linksys, Logitech, Lutron, Matter, Miele Cloud, Miele@home, Moen, Nanoleaf, Neato, Netatmo, Nest, Nortek, Nuki, Osram, Philips Hue, Pioneer, Plex, Powermax, Rako, Ring, Ring Alarm, Roku, Samsung Smartthings, Sennheiser, Sensibo, Shelly, Siemens, SimpliSafe, Smarthome, Smartmeter, Smartthings, Sonos, Sony, Spotify, Squeezebox, Tado, Technics, Tesla, TP-Link Smart Home, TRÅDFRI, Unifi, Velux, Vera, Verisure, Vizio, Volumio, Wemo, Whirlpool, Wink, Xiaomi, Yamaha Musiccast, Yamaha Receiver, Yeelight, Zigbee, Z-Wave and 400 more popular technologies….

About

Synctrain

Securely synchronize files and folders between your devices. Stream audio and video directly from other devices. Manage file sharing permissions to control access to your data.

Highlights
  • Secure file synchronization
  • Full folder synchronization
  • Specific file selection
  • Audio and video streaming
  • Cross-device file mirroring
  • Customizable sharing permissions
Features
Read full description

With Synctrain you can securely synchronize files with other devices that have Syncthing installed. You can choose to synchronize full folders, or choose specific files. With Synctrain you can also stream audio and video files from other devices. When you synchronize files, all changes, including deleting files, also happen on your other devices. Do not use Synctrain for back-up purposes, and always keep a back-up of your data. You decide with which devices you share which files. This also means the app makers cannot help you access or recover any lost files. This app is powered by Syncthing. This app is however not associated with or endorsed by Syncthing nor its developers. Please do not expect support from the Syncthing developers. Instead, contact the maker of this app if you have questions.

Screenshots

openHAB4 screens
Synctrain4 screens

Verdict

The call

openHAB and Synctrain both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 91% of Synctrain's written reviews are positive against 33% of openHAB's. Synctrain also leads on ratings volume (123 vs 3). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for openHAB against 4.9 for Synctrain. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Synctrain has 123 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 33% of openHAB's written reviews are positive against 91% of Synctrain's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

openHAB ships an update every 3 weeks, Synctrain every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
openHAB versus Synctrain: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteropenHABSynctrain
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better4.9 (123 ratings)
Positive reviews33.3% of reviews91.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3123 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperopenHAB Foundation e.V.T-Shaped

Customer experience

openHAB

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral33.3%
Negative33.3%

Synctrain

All ratings123 ratings
Positive96.7%
Neutral1.6%
Negative1.6%
Written reviews89 reviews
Positive91.0%
Neutral5.6%
Negative3.4%

Bugs and requests

openHAB

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Synctrain

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Occasional app crashes
  • Sync delays on some devices

Requested features

2 requests
  • Direct photo/video sync to remote devices
  • Faster initial connection to server

In-app purchases

None

openHAB

No in-app purchases

None

Synctrain

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is openHAB free?
openHAB is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Synctrain free?
Synctrain is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, openHAB or Synctrain?
openHAB is rated higher. openHAB averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Synctrain averages 4.9 from 123 ratings.
Do openHAB or Synctrain have ads?
Neither openHAB nor Synctrain shows ads.
Which is updated more often, openHAB or Synctrain?
openHAB ships an update every 3 weeks, and Synctrain every 6 weeks. Most recently, openHAB was updated on August 22, 2026 and Synctrain on September 24, 2026.

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