# openHAB vs Quel

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: openHAB at none against Quel's 3. Quel's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Quel sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. openHAB asks for nothing beyond the download.

openHAB ships an update every 3 weeks, Quel every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | openHAB | Quel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openhab/id6505005945/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3** | — |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 45 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [openHAB Foundation e.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1170718421) | [Guillermo Alvarado](https://appshunter.io/developer/1841024589) |

## What reviewers say

### openHAB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openhab/id6505005945)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Quel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quel/id6752804071)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Quel Monthly Plan | $9.99 | per month |
| Quel Yearly Plan | $69.99 | per year |
| Full Access | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is openHAB free?

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

### Is Quel free?

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

### Do openHAB or Quel have ads?

Neither openHAB nor Quel shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, openHAB or Quel?

openHAB ships an update every 3 weeks, and Quel every 5 days. Most recently, openHAB was updated on October 30, 2026 and Quel on October 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.*