# Google Home vs Control4 for OS 3

The clearest difference is rating: Google Home at 4.6 against Control4 for OS 3's 3.1. Google Home also leads on ratings volume (1.4M vs 570) and chart position (#10 vs unranked). Control4 for OS 3's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Google Home holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Google Home has 1.4M ratings behind it against 570, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 15% of Google Home's written reviews are positive against 22% of Control4 for OS 3's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Google Home ships an update weekly, Control4 for OS 3 fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Google Home | Control4 for OS 3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (1.4M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-home/id680819774/reviews)** | [3.1 (570 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/control4-for-os-3/id1320153814/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.4M** | 570 |
| Positive reviews | 15.4% of reviews | **22.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#10** | — |
| Size | 606 MB | 207 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.4** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [Snap One, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/417819127) |

## What reviewers say

### Google Home

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-home/id680819774)

**Currently charting:** #10 Top Free · Lifestyle (US App Store)

Manage your smart home devices and stay updated on home activity.  Easily control devices with voice commands and view live camera feeds. Organize your home into custom dashboards for quick access.

**Highlights:** Home status overview, Device grouping into dashboards, Live camera view and history, Voice control with Gemini for Home, Streamlined settings navigation

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent camera quality
- 👍 Secure home monitoring
- 🚀 Reliable notifications

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent disconnections
- 🐛 Buggy app performance
- 👎 Lacking advanced features
- 👎 Unintuitive user interface

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to remove 'ghost' devices
- Inconsistent connectivity between app and devices
- Unreliable motion detection

**Requested features**

- Ability to customize notification settings
- Integration with more smart home devices
- Improved video history browsing


### Control4 for OS 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/control4-for-os-3/id1320153814)

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a personal interface for your smart home. Control all connected devices, including lights, thermostats, security, and media, with a redesigned, personalized experience. Requires a Control4 Smart Home OS 3 system.

**Highlights:** Personalized user interface, Control lights, thermostats, security, Manage music and video, Access favorites and room-specific settings, Intuitive volume control, Customizable room wallpapers

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Responsive and fast
- 🌟 Elegant and modern UI
- 🔒 Robust security features
- 👍 Customizable and personalized
- 🎨 Improved visual design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- ⏱️ Slow load times and reconnections
- 🔌 Unreliable connectivity
- 🤖 Lacking integration with smart home platforms
- 💰 Expensive and costly to maintain

**Reported bugs**

- Intercom and doorbell issues
- Thermostat controls not working as expected
- Inability to connect to the system remotely
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions
- Unexpected app crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- Apple Watch app support
- Better integration with Apple ecosystem
- Improved voice control and Alexa integration
- More customization options for users
- Faster and more responsive app performance


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Google Home free?

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

### Is Control4 for OS 3 free?

Control4 for OS 3 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Google Home or Control4 for OS 3?

Google Home is rated higher. Google Home averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.4M ratings, while Control4 for OS 3 averages 3.1 from 570 ratings.

### Do Google Home or Control4 for OS 3 have ads?

Google Home shows ads; Control4 for OS 3 does not.

### Which is updated more often, Google Home or Control4 for OS 3?

Google Home ships an update weekly, and Control4 for OS 3 fortnightly. Most recently, Google Home was updated on September 26, 2026 and Control4 for OS 3 on September 23, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*