Comparison

Google Home vs Kwikset

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

Head to head
About

Google Home

Manage and monitor your smart home devices with this app. See your home's status at a glance, group devices into dashboards, and control them using voice commands. Quickly review camera events and stay updated on important home activities.

Highlights
  • Home status overview
  • Device grouping and dashboards
  • Voice control with Gemini
  • Camera live view and history
  • Streamlined settings navigation
Currently charting
Read full description

The Google Home app helps you get the most out of Gemini for Home. See your home at a glance The Google Home app is designed to show you the status of your home and keep you up to date with what you may have missed. Keep up with what’s important Updated design and streamlined organization help you group your devices into dashboards and easily navigate your settings. Plus you can check in on your home anytime. Scan camera events quickly The camera live view and history interface makes it easier than ever to see what happened. Search or ask your home Control your home in a brand new way. Just say what you want your devices to do with Gemini for Home. * Some products and features may not be available in all regions. Compatible devices required.

About

Kwikset

Control and monitor your smart locks remotely, manage guest access with custom codes, and receive instant security alerts. Integrate with popular smart home ecosystems for enhanced automation and peace of mind.

Highlights
  • Remote lock monitoring and control
  • Guest access code management
  • Instant activity and security alerts
  • Multi-home and lock management
  • Smart home ecosystem integration (Wi-Fi, Matter)
  • Encrypted data security
Features
Read full description

At Kwikset, we understand that the locks you choose to protect your home is a decision you do not take lightly. That is why we do not take shortcuts when it comes to quality, because we know that a better lock means better peace of mind. Remote Access Control Monitor the status of your locks and manage your home's access seamlessly from anywhere at any time. Trusted Access Management Share app access with guests or create scheduled or one-time access codes for keyless entry. Instant Activity Alerts Receive instant notifications anytime someone accesses your home, or when invalid codes are entered, or lock tampering occurs. Intuitive Home Management Easily configure and manage multiple homes and locks for complete control. Seamless Integration with Smart Ecosystems Add your lock via Wi-Fi to your preferred smart home ecosystems, including Google Home or Amazon Alexa, or amplify automation through IFTTT. Kwikset’s new Halo Select lock is Matter and Wi-Fi compatible, giving you the same Wi-Fi options as our other Halo locks. With Matter, you can connect to Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, and other Matter hubs via Thread. Matter features may differ from ecosystem to ecosystem. You can check out www.kwikset.com/matter for more information. Security and Peace of Mind Kwikset provides unparalleled security while safeguarding your privacy. All data shared between the lock, the server, and the Kwikset app is encrypted, and our servers are exclusively hosted in the US. Our goal is to provide you with the utmost convenience, trust, and safety for your smart living experience. The Kwikset App is compatible with all Kwikset Halo and Kwikset Aura smart locks. Kwikset®, a trusted leader in residential security and a registered trademark of ASSA ABLOY Americas Residential Inc., an ASSA ABLOY Group Company

Screenshots

Google Home4 screens
Kwikset4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Kwikset at none against Google Home's shown. Kwikset also leads on review sentiment (48% vs 16%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). Google Home's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (1.4M vs 60K). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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

Kwikset holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Google Home has 1.4M ratings behind it against 60K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 16% of Google Home's written reviews are positive against 48% of Kwikset's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Google Home ships an update weekly, Kwikset every 3 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Google Home versus Kwikset: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGoogle HomeKwikset
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (1.4M ratings)4.8 (60K ratings) — better
Positive reviews15.8% of reviews47.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.4M — better60K
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supportedFree — better
Best chart rank#14 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.416.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size638 MB356 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGoogleASSA ABLOY AMERICAS RESIDENTIAL INC.

Customer experience

Google Home

All ratings1,395,047 ratings
Positive88.8%
Neutral3.4%
Negative7.9%
Written reviews4,562 reviews
Positive15.8%
Neutral8.6%
Negative75.7%

Kwikset

All ratings58,076 ratings
Positive97.0%
Neutral1.5%
Negative1.5%
Written reviews608 reviews
Positive47.9%
Neutral12.2%
Negative40.0%

User reviews

Google Home

From 1.4M App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Kwikset

From 60K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 🔒 Secure access
  • 👍 Convenient remote control
  • 👍 Helpful for short-term rentals
  • 👍 Great design

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Connectivity issues
  • 🔋 Battery life problems
  • 🐛 Unreliable app performance
  • 🐛 Firmware update challenges
  • 🐛 Difficult setup and pairing

Bugs and requests

Google Home

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inability to remove 'ghost' devices
  • Inconsistent connectivity between app and devices
  • Unreliable motion detection

Requested features

3 requests
  • Ability to customize notification settings
  • Integration with more smart home devices
  • Improved video history browsing

Kwikset

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes and freezes
  • Inability to update firmware
  • Inconsistent lock status reporting
  • Pairing failures with Bluetooth and WiFi

Requested features

4 requests
  • Customizable notifications
  • Ability to manage multiple locks
  • Scheduled auto-lock feature
  • Integration with smart home platforms

In-app purchases

None

Google Home

No in-app purchases

None

Kwikset

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Google Home free?
Google Home is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Kwikset free?
Kwikset is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Google Home or Kwikset?
Kwikset is rated higher. Google Home averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.4M ratings, while Kwikset averages 4.8 from 60K ratings.
Do Google Home or Kwikset have ads?
Google Home shows ads; Kwikset does not.
Which is updated more often, Google Home or Kwikset?
Google Home ships an update weekly, and Kwikset every 3 months. Most recently, Google Home was updated on November 6, 2026 and Kwikset on November 6, 2026.

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